Dem voters no longer fight battle of Iraq

DAILY NEWS ^ | December 26th 2007 | MICHAEL McAULIFF

[george76]

The successes of President Bush's troop surge in Iraq are quieting things down in another, unexpected place: the Democratic campaign trail in Iowa and New Hampshire.

Iraq seldom comes up these days - even for Hillary Clinton, who was grilled relentlessly on her vote to authorize the war when she launched her campaign.

"We haven't heard as much bad news out of Iraq lately,"

Camp Clinton has been playing her experience as its trump card. If Americans are less worried about an uncertain world, it could play more like a deuce.

But rivals, including Obama, have relied on voters who wouldn't forgive Clinton for her war vote. Obama's opposition to the war from the start still counts, his team maintains.

And the war matters less to voters now?

[tlj18]

Only 16 American deaths so far this month. On track to challenge the war's lowest monthly toll of 20 in February 2004.

icasualties.org

[theBuckwheat]

Will those who said the surge would not work ever say they were wrong or sorry? Not on your life. Will this cause them to change their view that Bush causes Islamist terrorism against the US? Not on your life.

[nerdwithamachinegun]

MICHAEL McAULIFF?

Couldn’t be any relation to a Terry?

[Helotes]

I wish someone would put together an analysis of what have we gained and lost by going to Iraq.

I think it would show that we did something very important with big gains both directly and indirectly even considering the costs.

[rlmorel]

This is key to understanding the difference between liberalism and conservatism.

Liberalism is based on what can bring votes to a candidate. It is based on pandering. It is based on expediency. There are no principles or morals involved. Liberals do not champion causes with moral values, because if they take a stand, that would open them to charges of hypocrisy...their rhetorical weapon of choice against those who do make stands on morality.

Conservatives support the actions in the Middle East for the most part, because they think it is the best or most practical way to approach the problem.

If things don’t go according to plan, conservatives don’t repudiate the basic principles that put them there.

Liberals are all to willing to reverse their stand on nearly anything if it is politically expedient. For them, history began this morning, if not ten minutes ago.

Anything not part of their abbreviated history goes down the memory hole.