Two measures on the war in Iraq were recently offered in the United States Senate. Both envisioned getting out as soon as possible. Both gave tacit support to Al-Qaeda. Both lost.

Thank heavens.

I know it's a brutal idea. If America fails to control the outcome in Iraq, the price of your gasoline will go up. And your heating oil. And your propane. And your diesel. And thousands of products you buy. In fact, not only will the price go up, you will have to suffer through the chaos of gasoline shortages. And shortages of diesel, propane and heating oil fuels.

Why?

There are those who believe our strategy in Iraq is dumb. Senseless killing continues. The war effort has been appallingly mismanaged. Efforts to create an Iraqi democracy have failed. Backed by the United States, the Kurds are in a four way struggle with Syria, Iran, and Turkey for control of the Kurdish ethnic areas of Iraq, Syria, Turkey, and Iran. At stake: the oil fields near Kirkuk. Shia factions and criminal gangs are in a three way conflict over who will control Southern Iraq. At stake: the oil fields near Basra. Saudi Arabia and other predominately Sunni nations are backing Al-Qaeda and the Iraqi Sunni population in Central Iraq. At stake: the Sunni's want to control all of Iraq with an iron fist theocracy.

But wait. Iraq does have the world's third largest reserves of cheap oil. If America leaves, Iraq will be taken over by people who have no love for the United States, Canada, Australia or Western Europe. There will be a very bloody civil war. Thousands will die. If that conflict can be resolved (not a sure thing), then whatever oil production Iraq can muster will go to nations favored by the winners.

Everyone else will have to compete for what's left over. The price of oil will be astronomical.
Yes. This is all very ugly. But forget why America invaded Iraq. That's not the issue. The issue is: what do we do next? The Republicans don't have a clue. They could only offer support for the Administration's policies in Iraq, declaring "it is not in the national security interest of the United States to set an arbitrary date for the withdrawal or redeployment of the United States armed forces from Iraq." "Stay the course", was the Republican mantra.

That's it? That's all they have to offer? Stay the course seems so blah. Keep doing what doesn't work. The Republican position lacks – um - creative imagination.

So. What do we hear from the Democrats? Have they developed a better plan for Iraq? Have they shown any creative intelligence? Do we see an attempt to create bipartisan support for a plan that will work? Are they willing to deal with the real world?  No. The Democrats just want to Cut and Run. They pander to the ignorance of the proletariat:

• Oil depletion doesn't exist.
• Gasoline comes from the Good Petroleum Fairy.
• Higher prices and shortages will not gut America's economy.
• An energy crisis will not increase unemployment.
• Higher fuel prices and shortages will not raise hell with inflation.
• Iran is not trying to take over the oil fields of Iraq.
• Competition for declining oil production will not lead to international military conflict.

See. There is no problem. If we fail to control the outcome in Iraq, nobody gets hurt. Soothing words. Everything will be OK. Liberalism ignores the downside.

What a shame. Does ideology have to preclude common sense?

Democrats and liberals speculate endlessly about the reasons for going into Iraq. But dwelling on the past will not solve today's problems, or tomorrows challenges. The fact is: we are there, and that has created a moral obligation for the American people. We owe it to the Iraqi people to help them create a stable political environment. We have to deal with the Islamist threat. We must find a way to involve oil consumer nations in a fair and equitable distribution of Iraqi oil.

Yes. We have a moral obligation to the Iraqi people to control the outcome.

But what is the Democratic response? "Cut and Run" ? Although they are well aware this policy will lead to the blood-thirsty carnage of civil war, with the subjugation, humiliation, and rape of countless women, the maiming and murder of thousands of innocent children, and torture, brutalization, and violent death of thousands of men, - one can not detect even the slightest twinge of compassion. Liberal Democrats just don't care. They have no shame. Their only interest is the acquisition of political power.

Thank you Senators Harry Reid, Barbra Boxer, John Kerry, Ted Kennedy, Russ Feingold, Carl Levin, Jack Reed, Dick Durbin, Hillary Clinton and the rest of you liberalists. Just when America needs strong leadership and creative thinking from the minority party, we get whimpering, whining, loathing and an endless stream of condescending political blather. Is there some special reason you people refuse to offer a constructive plan? Are you really incapable of developing a winning strategy?

Shame on you Democrats. Your sense of moral obligation has been swept aside by your never-ending lust for political power, and your visceral hatred for anything Republican. When you decided to abandon the people of Iraq, when you threw your support to Al-Qaeda, when you turned your back on the American people, - you also voted for higher gasoline prices.
We'll remember. We'll remember your names when gasoline soars above $4.00 a gallon.

Conclusion
What we need is an unprecedented level of diplomatic cooperation among all consuming nations. Bringing peace to the Middle East would require a massive, creative, intelligent, and politically neutral cooperative effort among the world's democracies. Wouldn't it be just great if America could – somehow - forge a consensus policy for Iraq that shows an empathetic understanding of Middle Eastern culture? Is there an alternative to the failed policy of "instant" Democracy? Is there a better strategy for dealing with the Islamists?

Yes.

But any hope of developing an alternative strategy has been buried in the rancor of partisan politics. So I ask you. What is the point of having a two party political system if neither party is capable of providing constructive leadership?

Harry Reid said his rank-and-file were united. "Every Democrat agrees that the direction of the war in Iraq must change, and change now.

To where? Harry. What's your plan for victory?

RCFP

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