Bad, Bad Move by Dems?

I sure thought so -- jamming a stick into the wavering, widening gap between the public and the war and trying to pry it wider for sheer political gain. "Toughen up, that's just how the game is played," exultant Dem friends told me. I can trace back my loss of heart for writing about politics to that moment.

Now I learn I'm not the only one who thought so. Ann Althouse quotes this WaPo story about a bipartisan poll that found:

Seventy percent of people surveyed said that criticism of the war by Democratic senators hurts troop morale -- with 44 percent saying morale is hurt "a lot," according to a poll taken by RT Strategies. Even self-identified Democrats agree: 55 percent believe criticism hurts morale, while 21 percent say it helps morale.

The results surely will rankle many Democrats, who argue that it is patriotic and supportive of the troops to call attention to what they believe are deep flaws in President Bush's Iraq strategy. But the survey itself cannot be dismissed as a partisan attack. The RTs in RT Strategies are Thomas Riehle, a Democrat, and Lance Tarrance, a veteran GOP pollster.

Their poll also indicates many Americans are skeptical of Democratic complaints about the war. Just three of 10 adults accept that Democrats are leveling criticism because they believe this will help U.S. efforts in Iraq. A majority believes the motive is really to "gain a partisan political advantage."

I must say that my heart lifts at finding that so many Americans in both parties see right through what the Dems are up to and don't like it at all. Not that they like the war. They just despise a shameless, unprincipled opportunist. A commenter at Ann's, DrillSGT, says:

[T]he average American recognizes that Dean, the DNC and much of the minority leadership are rooting for a defeat in Iraq because it will hurt Bush. That sickens the average American.

There's this marvelous comment from reader_iam:

It's beyond me why partisans to the left can't understand that it's possible to think going to war was a mistake AND still think criticism of the current effort hurts morale.

Just as it's beyond me why partisans to the right can't understand that it's possible to think criticism of the current effort hurts morale AND still think going to war was a mistake.

These partisans on both sides seem to insist on an "OR" worldview. Whereas the majority of people live in the the world of "AND's."

No wonder so many average people are disgusted.

And commenter erp says:

The left is bent on regaining power and is doing anything and everything it can to weaken Bush in the hopes Democrats will gain congressional seats the 2006 elections, and elect a Democrat to the White House in '08.

Go there. There are almost 200 comments as I write. I don't have time to read them all. But I feel so much less alone.

Comments

[spud]

It's interesting that 70% polled think criticism of the war by democratic senators hurts troop morale, yet 63% of the American people disapprove of the way Bush is handling the war, and 60% of the American people don't think it was worth going to war in Iraq. Because we are there we have a big mess on our hands. I haven't yet figured out how we are going to know when we have won the war in Iraq. Is it when the terrorist's bomb cities around the world??? That is what makes me sick and proves to me how stupid going to Iraq was in the name of terrorism. If Bush wanted to go to war with Iraq because he wanted to get rid of Saddam Hussein that is one thing, but to go to war with Iraq because of 9-11, is another. We took our eye off the ball when the Bush administration linked 9-11 with Iraq. I have said it before and I will say it again. Terrorism is not going to stop until we figure out that Al-Qaeder is who brought the twin towers down, not Iraq. Fighting an unconventional war, conventional is a big mistake IMMHO.

[Elyas Bakhtiari]

Personally, I don't think it is time to pull out yet. But it is a question that must be seriously considered at some point. War is full of tough questions. Some of those questions about the rationale for war were dismissed a few years ago by people who wanted to support the troops and the president. We can't dismiss the question of when to pull out forever simply to protect the morale of the troops.

(Actually, the few troops I know would be in favor of pulling out, or at least asking the tough questions)

[karen]

Spud, didn't you listen to VPR this morning? They had Col. Dempsey (I think his name is) who is coordinating the Iraqi troops and it has to do w/support systems. He explained it beautifully. It's timing.

It amazes me that people think just because the population says they don't want to be there- then we pull out. I know, I know... we are the gov't, but to change a strategy mid-stream seems- pointless for all sacraficed beforehand.

[amba]

The key is the Iraqis -- both their patience/impatience for us to leave, and their readiness to take over. We have to coordinate with them. They don't want us as long-term occupiers, but they do want our help in beating back the "insurgency" to levels they can contain. Getting Zarqawi would definitely be a milestone.

[rivermomma]

Good point- consider the Iraqi people! Don't often hear that suggestion! Its all about us! How might things have played out differently if we actually considered the sentiments of the supposedly liberated citizens of Iraq instead of constantly droning about our own politics, goals, timing, and sacrifices?
Lets just once talk to the families of the over 30,000 dead in Iraq about their noble cause. While nobody wants to leave a country in ruins, what makes so many people think that continued death, violence, and occupation is the answer? We have little credibility there, and many people have not forgotten that we once supported and assisted Hussein. A morbid joke goes this way:
"How do we know Saddam used mustard gas on his people???"
" We saved the receipts."
People, we can have empathy but we don't have to buy into the lies that insult our intelligence. The way to make a sacrifice worthwhile is not to continue the loss of life even further.

[Harry gottlieb]

I agree with Spud all the way, and would add that our actions in Iraq have served and continue to serve as a major recruiting arm for the terrorists.

A.M.