When the Bull Moose Speaks, You Listen

Per a major point of discussion the other night @ the HPI, the Bull Moose weighs in:

The Bushies have clearly bungled the occupation of Iraq. They never had a coherent or an effective strategy nor sufficient troops for what has become a disastrous post-war period.

The public is rightly fed-up with the status quo. But that does not necessarily mean that they will be willing to accept defeat. If Democrats become associated with "defeatism" and "out now", this may enable the President and Rove to portray the party as the "cut and run" crowd.

[snip]

To withdraw immediately as she suggests would reward al-Zarqawi and his killers with a victory for creating rivers of blood. Whatever the legion of mistakes of the Bush Administration, that is not a moral position. After all, Mrs. Sheehan believes that the war in Afghanistan against the Taliban is also wrong.

While President Bush might not talk to Cindy Sheehan again, he certainly owes the American people an explanation of our current predicament in Iraq. More than that, he should provide us with a new victory strategy there. That might be even more important than mountain biking at this critical juncture.

There are no easy solutions in Iraq. This Administration has arrogantly ignored the voices of reason ranging from General Shinseki to Senators Biden and McCain. Republicans should certainly pay a political price for their failure of oversight for this potential foreign policy disaster.

Yes, Democrats should relentlessly criticize the Administration for the mishandling of the war. But don't play into the hands of either Zarqawi or the donkey's political foes.

And this, I think, was (roughly) our thinking as well...

Ah Bull Moose, truly you are wise.