The Shame of the Senate, True Progress in Iraq

Tony Blankley writes a scathing piece at Real Clear Politics today about the shameful actions of the U.S. Senate. He points out several leading Senators who are advocating a retreat from Iraq based purely on bad feelings. He rightfully points out that if we give al Qaeda even a plausible claim at winning the war against us, they will be vastly emboldened and gain an even larger following. By not finishing the fight in Iraq, we will be inviting the fight here at home.

The big question Blankley illuminates is whether we are safer if we leave than if we stay (look at my previous blog if you want to know what key people involved think about that). Even Bush's war critics admit that chaos, violence, and war will erupt there (and spread outward) if we leave, so doesn't that answer the question right there?

He says that our staying power will do more to "win the hearts and minds" of Islamists all over the world than any words will do, and that even bin Laden said that people follow the strong horse. The question is: are we the strong horse, or are we on the way to the glue factory?

In a related story by Kimberly Kagan in the Wall Street Journal, she uses her first-hand experiences in a recent trip to Iraq to show that progress is being made there. She points out that in Washington, perception is often mistaken for reality. The perception is -- as we all know from the constant negative MSM drumbeat -- that the war is lost, the surge has failed, and that it's a disaster. The reality is that "[v]iolence in Baghdad and Anbar Province is down dramatically, grassroots political movements have begun in the Sunni Arab community, and American and Iraqi forces are clearing al Qaeda fighters and Shiite militias out of long-established bases around the country."

She details the specific ways that this progress is being made, including the strategy of General Petraeus to systemmatically cut off terrorist reinforcements while clearing them out of Baghdad and central Iraq. The fighting has turned in our favor, and the political machinations are slowly moving forward. She says that "[d]emands for withdrawal are no longer demands to pull out of a deteriorating situation with little hope; they are now demands to end a new approach to this conflict that shows every sign of succeeding."

Who are we going to listen to? Senators in Washington and MSM in New York offices, or people who are/were actually in Iraq watching these things first-hand?

If you have strong feelings on this, now would probably be a good time to send in your thoughts to your Senators and the White House.

There's my two cents.