Stones Cry Out

Could it be that many consider the whole concept of pre-emptive invasions (at least as enacted by Bush) to be such a wrong and dangerous idea that they don't want to see this work?

Perhaps.

I sorta doubt that anyone wants to see a failure, but rather that they're/we're convinced it can't possibly succeed. I guarantee no one was saying they want to see harm come to our military nor the Iraqi people.

Sometimes when confronted with a horrible question, you get horrible answers.

"Do you personally want [the new Iraq plan] to succeed?"

This is asking about, not just the additional troops, but the new rules of engagement and such. The whole kit and kaboodle. As I said, a failure there has huge ramifications for the governments and the people of Iraq and the Middle East. Are you suggesting that, to some people and a sizable minority of Democrats, all of them are expendable so that they can say "I told you so" to Bush? That's what failure means. Free-for-all for the Iranians and al Qaeda. Is it so horrible to want to the Iraqis to continue with the prosperity that they're just beginning to experience, and have a government that can protect them instead of oppress them?

And if a "No" to a direct question about wanting success isn't asking for failure, I don't know what is. I really doubt that what those Democrats are saying is that we'd succeed without those troops; such optimism hasn't come from that side of the aisle in 3 years.

Suppose you were asked, "There have been millions of abortions over the years. Do you want these women who had abortions to be guilt-free?" How do you answer that?

The question is based upon a premise that you probably find a bad premise - "it's not a matter of if they should be guilt-free or not - they ARE guilty of having abortions," you might say.

I would further guess that you don't want to see these women whipped or imprisoned for having the abortions, but that doesn't mean you're comfortable saying, "Yes, I hope those women are living guilt-free."

Bad questions often result in bad answers.

I understand your point about the poll question, but we're talking about potential regional chaos and oppression that we have some power to help avoid. If you knew that leaving Iraq now would be like leaving Vietnam, with all the killing fields, would you care about the lives lost following our hasty departure? I'm sure you would, yet you're here making excuses for people who, if they had their way, could very well plunge Iraq into the same fate. Some Democrats who say they care about every war death suddenly are all for a policy that may well dwarf the very wars deaths they mourn. Politics trumps caring for them.

And please don't try to say politics has nothing to do with it. One-tenth of Republicans, one-fifth of independents and the nation in general. One-third of Democrats.