Murtha: The Surge Is Working

Nobody should get ahead of themselves about the recent success in Iraq. Progress in the Middle East is defined by several staggers forward and one bloody lurch backwards. But by the time former outspoken war critic (to put it kindly) John Murtha is forced to admit the surge is working the Democrats have an obvious political problem on their hands.

It doesn't need to be that way, of course. There's a very clear road to the White House that doesn't involve playing to the seething anger and defeatism of the nutfringe. I think the Democratic Party could broaden their base substantially by offering a strong vision on national defense, which includes (heaven forbid) something that amounts to actually winning in Iraq.

But they need the seethers to win the nomination, and there's a lot of political rhetoric that has gone under the bridge in the past few years - many negative prognostications about the war that can't be taken back, and which will now be used with glee by their Republican opponents (who need to be very careful, per the stagger/lurch above).

What's striking is that if you read the history of the United States during warfare, things always start out on the wrong foot. We tend to lose, and sometimes very badly, in the first phase of the conflict. Then we figure out how to win, and the momentum is unstoppable. Every war is different, and Iraq is part of a larger mess, but it still seems like a bad idea to bet against the eventual success of the U.S. military.

John Murtha, thank you for your continued service to our country.

More: Cliff May has some advice for the floundering Dem leadership.

Update: Murtha "clarifies" his remarks - and now the story is only that he "seemed to suggest" the surge is working.