Democrats don't want to win in Iraq

Since you are reading this column, I am going to assume that you’re, first, highly intelligent and, secondly,, well-informed. This means that you likely know about the President’s plan for a troop surge and about the recent nonbinding House resolution that condemned it. The House resolution, which has gained national attention (still less than Anna Nicole Smith), has no actual impact on our government. A nonbinding resolution is, well, nonbinding, and therefore cannot progress into law. However, this resolution is indicative of the attitude the Democratic Party has chosen to adopt.

With the resolution, Democrats have unequivocally made clear that they do not want to win in Iraq. This resolution is a slap in the face to the soldiers in Iraq and Gen. David Petraeus, the commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, who strongly supports the surge and clearly wants to win this war. This resolution not only has put Democrats squarely against victory in Iraq, but also makes it in their political interest to have the U.S. lose in Iraq.

In a Fox News Opinion Dynamics Poll that asked: “Do you personally want the Iraq plan President Bush announced (Jan. 10) to succeed?” 34 percent of Democrats answered “no” and 15 percent answered “I don’t know.” So nearly half of the Democrats answered that they didn’t know or they didn’t want America to win the war in Iraq. For these Democrats, losing in Iraq is in their best interest because it will help them in ’08.

While stunning, this is rather unsurprising, considering the fact that most Democrats have consistently and selfishly tried to undermine most anything that President Bush might do to help this country. Whether it’s the Patriot Act, which has kept America safe, or the Bush tax cuts, which have reduced projected budget deficits, lowered unemployment, and increased corporate profits, Democrats consistently oppose successful strategies that help America. It’s unfortunate that Democrats will root for islamofascists and a weakened America, solely for their own political purposes.

However, this House resolution continues a long history, in which Democrats have tried to undermine the military success and safety of our country. Long ago, Abraham Lincoln, the first Republican president, almost lost in his 1864 reelection to Democrat George McClellan. McClellan ran on ending the Civil War without victory and negotiating with the Confederacy.

Ronald Reagan, one of the all-time greatest Republican presidents, was opposed by Democrats who were against his military build-up and wanted to”‘peacefully coexist with the Soviet Union.” In the 1991 Gulf War, the only major opposition came from Democrats. If Democrats had succeeded in any of these situations, our country would be split in two, the Cold War would still be going on, or Kuwait would still be under Iraqi occupation. Even the worst American military defeat, the Vietnam War, happened under the watch of a Democratic president. Republicans, on the other hand, have always continually placed the defense of America at the top of their priorities.

As college students, the Iraq war, terrorism, the economy, and all other political issues appear to be beyond our control. It also looks as if we have seemingly little influence over the direction America takes. Even worse, many students (but hopefully not you, the reader) are completely unaware of our national debates or current events and likely could care less. While most of us at Cal Poly tend to be politically inactive, I sincerely believe that the majority of us care about the course of our country.

With this said, the Cal Poly College Republicans are bringing Mason Weaver, a widely respected author and speaker, to talk tonight at 7:30 p.m. in the Ag Engineering building, room 123. While Weaver is a Republican, the event is open to everyone. I strongly urge Democrats, Liberals and anyone who wants to listen to and debate a Republican, face to face be at this event. Likewise, to all the Republicans out there, you shouldn’t miss the chance to listen to an intelligent Republican speak on campus because they don’t come that often.

Brian Eller is a materials engineering junior and Mustang Daily political columnist.