It’s hard to believe that though fully 50 percent of the electorate has over the past two years swung from from some level of support for the war in Iraq then, to some level of concern or opposition now, some Democrats refuse to believe the tide is against ending the war. They don’t want to appear “weak,” they are concerned about getting boxed out of competing for nervous voters who equate support of the party in power with support of our troops abroad, and who equate withdrawal from Iraq with defeat.
Yet, the reality is that the American public’s doubts about the wisdom of continuing to fight in Iraq and doubts about the competence of the war’s prosecution are now overwhelming and permanent. The trick for the Democrats is to wind these two threads – doubts about the war on the one hand, and on the other hand a faith in the military and a refusal to acknowledge defeat – together. Americans would love to get out of Iraq, if they can do so with honor and victory.
Atrios astutely points to this commentary by Dana Milbank:
As my sage colleague Al Kamen points out, Bush is taking the Potter Stewart approach. I don’t know the definition of victory, but I know it when I see it. While the president has put himself in position of being the sole arbiter of victory, he has managed to make all his opponents appear to be advocating the opposite, which is defeat.
The political and rhetorical problem for Democrats, is actually quite simple: don’t allow Bush to claim he has some nebulous victory plan, reminiscent of Nixon’s secret plan to end the Vietnam war, and trust Bush to let us know when he has achieved what he considers to be “victory.” Bush has left his definition of victory broad and gauzy in order to give himself maximum maneuvering room. But this rhetorical vacuum also provides tremendous maneuvering room to the Democrats, should they choose to seize and occupy it.
Bush doesn’t want to define “victory;” and this means the Democrats have an opportunity to do so themselves. And, while they’re at it, they also need to define “defeat.” In simple terms, “victory” means leaving Iraq, and “defeat” means staying there. There is no final victory until we withdraw significantly.
There’s no such thing as a sure thing in politics, but the strong polling trend towards concern over and opposition to the war over the past two years is an indication that the Democrats have a likely winner on their hands, if they develop a rhetoric that portrays every added day in Iraq as a defeat, a failure of will and a show of weakness, while at the same time portraying every move toward withdrawal as a show of strength and victory.
Successful elections in Iraq? Declare victory, and leave. Anything else is an admission of defeat.
