The American Spectator

The elected Democrats Cline quoted seem to realize this. Their statements were very tempered: no jubilation that the face of our enemy in Iraq is dead, yet little in the way of outright criticism of Bush, since this is a big moment. Also, just more of the same tired “Let’s bring the troops home now even if it makes a bigger mess of Iraq because it’s all Bush’s fault anyway.”

Suppose for a moment that we do bring home our troops in 2006. What then? Radical Muslims will destroy all of the hard work put in by our soldiers, including the hospitals, schools and housing that many of them have had a hand in creating (not that you’ve heard about any of this from CNN or the New York Times), and, of course, the fledgling democracy. Even worse, a bloody civil war will likely follow.

Who will Democrats blame then? George Bush, of course. Just as many Democrats voiced agreement that Saddam Hussein had to be removed back in 2002, now they are criticizing Bush for following through. Why wouldn’t they criticize him even more for the crime of following their advice again? Ah, yes, it’s great to be in the minority, and not have to be responsible for one’s words and actions.

p>Al Zarqawi’s death is a major cause of celebration, no matter where you stand in the war on Iraq, and the Democrats completely missed it. It’s no wonder, then, that the party of Lincoln, as bad a state as it is in (spending, not fighting hard enough for the Federal Marriage Amendment, a growing federal government, the perceived mishandling of Katrina, etc.), likely will retain power in November. Why? Because the best thing Republicans have going for them right now is the Democrats. br> — Greg Hoadley br> Deerfield Beach, Florida /p> p> Durbin, Ted Kennedy, John Kerry, Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and the drive-by media is unhappy that a brutal Muslim terrorist was killed? These people want the terrorists to win, because they think it enhances their political power and that’s more important than freedom or democracy any day. No matter what one’s position on immigration is this should prove to all conservatives that the Democrats cannot retake power in Congress in November. We need to rally behind all GOP candidates and defeat the Democrats as we plan to defeat their “allies” the terrorists. If they (the Democrats) win the terrorists win. br> — Michael Tomlinson br> Crownsville, Maryland /p>

“The Democratic Party’s goal is to end the conflict, not win the conflict, when it should be the other way around,” writes Andrew Kline. So well put, sir.

As to the left’s reaction to Zarqawi’s losing his mojo last week, I see only one difference between the left-wing bloggers and the mainstream wing of the Democrat party: nuance, and nothing else. Disappointment is evident across the liberal spectrum, ranging from those who think killers like Zarqawi are “freedom fighters,” and more traditional Democrats who sheepishly say they’re glad he’s gone, but then dismiss the blessed event in one way or another — usually warning that failure is still possible. Somewhere in the mix is the petrified wing, who are so traumatized by Zarqawi’s change of residence that they are unable to speak about it.