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In the paper back novels when a U.S. Senator hatches a conspiracy to aid America's enemies and betray Generals it is done behind closed doors.
I guess that is why those paperbacks are listed under fiction.
In reality, the conspiring U.S. Senator does it in public and has conference calls about it and lays out a strategy of political games that treat Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines as mere toys.
After two months in Iraq seeing first hand success, failure and everything in between I come home to this:
"The tougher-talking Reid is taking a decidedly harder line on Iraq at a time when anti-war activists are stepping up their criticism of Democratic leaders for not forcing a quick end to the conflict in Iraq."
and this:
"Reid, who was bashed by Republicans for suggesting earlier this year that the Iraq war was "lost," is lashing out at top commanders while putting the finishing touches on a plan to force a series of votes on Iraq designed exclusively to make Republicans up for reelection in 2008 go on record in favor of continuing an unpopular war."
U.S. Foreign policy as directed by the Senate Majority leader is not about the soundness of the policy, it is not about what is best for the country, it is not about designing a policy that will lead to victory in Iraq.
It is all about winning elections.
If Reid and his ilk put even 1/32 of the effort they put into playing legislative political games into defeating AQIZ (Zarqawi's Al Qaida) and Persian Operatives in Jaish al Mahdi (JAM) the emergency in Iraq would probably be over.
But that is not their interest.
Their interest is in playing games to win elections.
But it is not a game in Shihabi where the local men have taken up arms to fight Al Qaida and have been in two large fire-fights with Al Qaida.
It is not a game to the young men and women who strap on the body armor and operate outside the wire.
It is not a game in West Rashid. It is not a game in South Dora. It is not a game in Kharmah. It is not a game in Khalidiya or Ferris or Zaidon or any of the hundreds of other areas where young men daily execute U.S. foreign policy--even those who disagree with the policy still execute the mission because they realize it is not a game.
But to Mr. Reid opposition to the war is not a moral or policy stance--it is a political game to win elections.
I do not know what Mr. Reid thinks of the young men and women serving in Iraq but he obviously has seen fit to play games with them.
Mr. Reid, these men and women are not toys.
When you treat them as pieces in your electoral games you treat them with contempt.
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