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Jewish World Review
Sept. 14, 2006
/ 21 Elul, 5766
W's firm stand has foes shaky
By
Michael Goodwin
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http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
In theory, the fifth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks should have been a solemn day of remembrance devoid of politics. In fact, the day produced two major developments that likely altered the dynamics of the midterm elections.
The result is that Democratic plans for taking one or both houses of Congress by arguing that Iraq has nothing to do with the war on Islamic terror now look like a political mistake as well as misguided policy. The change came because President Bush confounded expectations by staying bullish on the war and because Osama Bin Laden's deputy seconded Bush's view that Iraq is key to the global conflict.
If Dems have a plan B, now would be the time to start dusting it off.
Let's begin with Bush. Most political insiders thought he would try to dance around Iraq in a bid to save congressional Republicans and his own policies. With the war increasingly unpopular, some even predicted Bush would declare victory and start withdrawing troops before November.
But the President apparently didn't get that memo. In a series of speeches that culminated in a prime-time address from the Oval Office on Monday night, Bush forcefully embraced Iraq and the controversial policies that accompany it. On Monday, he cited warrantless wiretaps, data mining of bank transactions and his plan for trials of top terror suspects as important tools in the fight to keep Americans safe.
Having already bet his presidency and his legacy on the war, he passed up a final chance to hedge.
"Whatever mistakes have been made in Iraq, the worst mistake would be to think that if we pulled out, the terrorists would leave us alone. They will not leave us alone. They will follow us. The safety of America depends on the outcome of the battle in the streets of Baghdad," he said.
If that wasn't clear enough, he added: "This struggle has been called a clash of civilizations. In truth, it is a struggle for civilization."
That's a great line and, coming after a day of commemorative events that still pack a powerful emotional punch, it had to give Dem strategists second thoughts. And then along came Al Qaeda.
Even as Bush was quoting Bin Laden as calling Iraq "the Third World War," Bin Laden's deputy released a video promising attacks against the U.S. and Israel. "The days are pregnant and giving birth to new events," Ayman al-Zawahiri vowed. He said our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan are "doomed to defeat" and that we would be driven out of the Middle East.
His threats are like a sharp stick in the eye, especially for Democrats. Look at the scrambled dynamics this way: If Bush and Bin Laden agree that Iraq is a key front, can Democrats really argue it's not? Can their candidates for Congress still tell voters it's okay to pull out of Iraq? Do they even believe it themselves?
None of this is to minimize the difficulties in Iraq or the mistakes Bush has made there. And his giving good speeches will not alter the results on the ground. America needs either a far better performance from Iraqi and Afghan troops or an increase in allied forces to create a stable, secure Iraq and Afghanistan. Otherwise, both are going to become failed states and havens for Al Qaeda and other terror groups.
But Bush at least sees the stakes for what they are. Before Monday, Democrats didn't. We can now add that illusion to the list of things Sept. 11 has changed forever.
Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in Washington and the media consider "must-reading". Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here.
Michael Goodwin is a Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist for the New York Daily News. Comment by clicking here.
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