NYT Duh: "As Democrats See Security Gains In Iraq, Tone Shifts"

A Just One Minute link, so click with a clear conscience.

As violence declines in Baghdad, the leading Democratic presidential candidates are undertaking a new and challenging balancing act on Iraq: acknowledging that success, trying to shift the focus to the lack of political progress there, and highlighting more domestic concerns like health care and the economy.

Advisers to Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama say that the candidates have watched security conditions improve after the troop escalation in Iraq and concluded that it would be folly not to acknowledge those gains. At the same time, they are arguing that American casualties are still too high, that a quick withdrawal is the only way to end the war and that the so-called surge in additional troops has not paid off in political progress in Iraq.

But the changing situation suggests for the first time that the politics of the war could shift in the general election next year, particularly if the gains continue. While the Democratic candidates are continuing to assail the war — a popular position with many of the party’s primary voters — they run the risk that Republicans will use those critiques to attack the party’s nominee in the election as defeatist and lacking faith in the American military.

Peace runs through victory, guys.

Jeff Jacoby recounts the recent grudging media acknowledgment of the improvements.

Both links ripped off from Instapundit, who also notes John McCain is giving it to Hillary and John Edwards on Iraq. And taking some not-undeserved credit for being stalwart on winning the war.

posted by Ace at 01:35 PM

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