Democrats boxed in politically by Iraq situation

Knight Rider ^ | 11/6/03 | Steve Thomma

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

WASHINGTON - (KRT) - Despite persistent complaints about President Bush's policy in Iraq, few leading Democrats want to bring the GIs home anytime soon.

The closest the party's presidential hopefuls have to a consensus approach would leave American troops in Iraq indefinitely and hope for more international help - not strikingly different from Bush's policy.

The result is that the Democrats are in a box, eager to rip Bush for sending troops to Iraq without the support of many allies, but unwilling to advocate a withdrawal that they think would leave Iraq in turmoil, U.S. standing damaged abroad and their own political fortunes shaky if they were cast as weak.

"Early exit means retreat or defeat. There can be neither," retired Gen. Wesley Clark said Thursday, the latest Democrat to outline his plan for Iraq. "Failure in Iraq will not only be a tragedy for Iraq. It will be a disaster for America and the world. It would give the terrorists of al-Qaida a new base of operations … weaken our moral authority, destroy respect for our power in the Middle East and throw this region … into greater turmoil."...

[jjm2111]

But....but....but.... I thought they were all for peace?

[GulliverSwift]

Wonder when the nutjob base is going to realize that the candidates are just pandering to them and don't really believe in anything other than that they should be president.

[jjm2111]

My guess is never. Like some Republicans, they'll keep voting for the same losers and keep getting shafted. But I guess their shafting is a good thing from my perspective.