So what IS the "real conservative" base's position on Iraq? Sure we were always against "nationa building", does that mean we are now in favor of forced deadlines and redeployments (aka cut and run)? Is the only position that we need to build fortress America in order to prevent terrorsm at our football games? Hey, the 2008 election is coming up and the base will have to have a postion on the war. Giving the mushy middle a loss and putting lipstick on the pig is what the Democrats will offer over the next 2 years. What's the base's position?
What republicans should have argued is, "Fight terrorist in Iraq, or fight them in Phoenix".
It still would have been a tough sell - negative is always a stronger motivator than the positive - but it would have helped.
It would also have helped if the republicans would have fought corruption (not protect Jefferson) and controlled spending and ear-marks.
Waging war like our forefathers did
End the nation-building & "winning hearts and minds"
Stop groveling to the UN
Let the generals do their job instead of the bureaucrats
The war could have been over at the end of 2003, easily.