Finally someone who has reached the same conclusions I have. Wedge-issues are the main problem with our government. If a candidate is republican but he is pro choice he will never be elected. The fanatics of each party are in control and each time a candidate has views that do not meet their parties exact specifications they are destined to lose. Most people argue that Gore lost to Bush because of the Green Party. The real reason he lost is he got almost no republican votes because of his positions on wedge-issues. He could have won handily if he had been willing to compromise his values. However he wasn't and George W Bush was our president for the last eight years because of it.

If the president had waited to build up to the troop levels recommended by the military, then either the weapons inspectors would have finished their work and declared Iraq in compliance with UN resolutions, or the buildup to war, which is politically unpopular, would have occurred during the 2004 election cycle. The war was timed with the election in mind, and was supposed to provide a huge victory, with homecoming parades for the troops attended by the Victorious Leader occurring throughout the months preceding the November election.
Afghanistan was considered a poorly timed war for political reasons, as it appeared that it would be over and faded from the public mind by the time the 2004 elections came. The example that was burned into the mind of the Bush political team was the victory in the Gulf War, which took Papa Bush to over 70% approval ratings, but had tailed off due the shrinking economy to the point where he lost to Bill Clinton in 1992.
The Bush team needed a war that would produce a "properly timed victory" for maximum election results.

__________________
“The thought of his being president sends a cold chill down my spine.”

Senator Thad Cochran, Mississippi (R)
on McCain

“I decided I didn’t want this guy anywhere near a trigger.”
Senator Pete Domenici, New Mexico (R)
on McCain

“My anger did not help my campaign ... People don’t like angry candidates very much.”

McCain on McCain

The plan backfired we are now trapped in a war that we cannot back out of without losing international face. Not only that after all our preaching about helping democracy to leave a country in shambles could look pretty bad. If I was president I would pull all our troops out and who cares what other countries think of us? We are currently the most powerful country in the world [thats going to end soon] why not use that power while we have it?

The original intent of the anti-war Democrats was to turn a Bush strength into a weakness. They've just taken it too far.


The Iraq War was his strength until they started using the MSM to expose Abu Grab and blame him for it, and posting troop fatalies every 15 mins and blame him for it instead of the insurgents.

I'm sure if we had only gone into Afghanistan they would have done the same thing there as well.


It's all about politics, not what's right or wrong. First it was Bush misled us, then it was Bush lied, then it was Bush is a murderer, then it was impeach Bush.

Now that the War is going our way Nancy Pelosi doesn't want to give our troops the credit for it.

I'd slap her if I had the chance.

She insulted our troops when she said Iran's good will is responsible for our success. What an INGRATE.

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"We're not going to be bullied, we're not going to be smeared, we're not going to be lied about.....

.....I don't believe in coming in second." - Barack Obama

Ok fine the Democrats are using the war to gain support, but thats what both parties do on all issues. Since not many people want to stay in the war Republicans cannot use Iraq to gain support. However look at other issues like abortion. Both parties slander and degrade the other to try and win the support of voters.

Pelosi is just playing the party leader. She has to keep the act going of faithful Democrat and plus their isn't a single person in the United States who doubts we can defeat Iraq in a war. Voters are aware that the only reason we are still in this war is because the government doesnt want to start attacking civilians. We could have gone into Iraq and just destroyed the government killed alot of people and pulled out. Instead we are trying to establish a legitimate governmet. Voters respect the Republicans for their morals when it comes down to it. Especially in a war. However with the economy declining my guess is the Republicans better end this war soon or Americans will start calling for a immiediate pull out. Fanatics may even call for troops to be able to kill civilians if they get in the way.

I don't think this war has as much to do with the economy as it has to do with a reckless Congress making energy more expensive for Americans. Energy drives this economy and it seems like they are doing everything they can to drive the price up to the consumer by artificial means.

Yes, politicians are about as ethical as lawyers......in fact a large segment of them are lawyers.

I would prefer if Nancy Pelosi doesn't fawn over the "good will" of a country that talks about the US as being history, like in soon to be non-existant. Ahmadinejad thinks everyone should prepare for a World Without the U.S. This is why he's trying to make friends with some of our supporters in hopes that they will turn their backs on us.

Newsmax.com - Ahmadinejad: Prepare for a World Without the U.S.

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"We're not going to be bullied, we're not going to be smeared, we're not going to be lied about.....

.....I don't believe in coming in second." - Barack Obama

When the war started it didn't have much if anything to do with the economy. Now however the average American is starting to feel the pain of an economy in decline. Not many people realize how much money the war in Iraq is costing the US but they will soon. It only takes one "expert" on Good Morning America or some other news show to create a public movement to pull out of Iraq. That cannot happen right now because countries like China will jump on our backs saying "Iraq was better off before we interfered..." If the US doesn't keep its reputaion as peacekeeper we will find ourselves fighting the world with only Britian and the weaker European countries as our allies. That may sound far-fetched now but China is getting to powerful, with an ambitious government not to pose a threat. If the outcome of the war in Iraq doesn't show America in a favorable light it will be twenty years at the most before a war breaks out with America on the losing side.