The Washington Post has an article discussing an interview with House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.). Clyburn discusses the effect that the surge will have on the Democratic party's ability to pass legislation forcing a withdrawal of troops for Iraq.
"a strongly positive report on progress on Iraq by Army Gen. David Petraeus likely would split Democrats in the House and impede his party's efforts to press for a timetable to end the war."
The most telling quote in the story follows:
Clyburn noted that Petraeus carries significant weight among the 47 members of the Blue Dog caucus in the House, a group of moderate to conservative Democrats. Without their support, he said, Democratic leaders would find it virtually impossible to pass legislation setting a timetable for withdrawal.
"I think there would be enough support in that group to want to stay the course and if the Republicans were to stay united as they have been, then it would be a problem for us," Clyburn said. "We, by and large, would be wise to wait on the report."
But of late there have been signs that the commander of U.S. forces might be preparing something more generally positive. Clyburn said that would be "a real big problem for us."
Essentially, Clyburn is stating that if the surge is successful, meaning our troops are winning and the Iraqis are safer, then it is a " problem for us". This is the problem with the Democratic party. The war is not about defeating terrorist, curbing radical Islam, or even developing a stable democracy in the middle east to provide an haven for free thought rather than radical Islam. To the Democratic party the war is about politics and winning in the political arena. The Democratic party has taken the political position that the war must be stopped. To the Democratic party this position must be maintained regardless of the facts because it is viewed as a win by the Democratic party if they can force George Bush to withdraw the troops prior to the time that he is ready to withdraw the troops. It is better for the Democratic party if the withdrawal of the troops occur with a defeat. I truly believe that many leaders of the Democratic party would like nothing better than video on the evening news of Marines loading diplomats onto helicopters from the roof of a building in Baghdad as insurgents and jihadists overtake the Green Zone and collapse the Iraqi government. I believe this because winning "is a big problem for us."
There is a real problem when what is good for the Democratic party is not what is good for the country, and, at least as far as the Democratic party is concerned, what is good for the party trumps what is good for the country.
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