Don't Say It That Way!

Republicans have been having a field day with this quote from DNC Chairman Howard Dean:

The idea that we're going to win this war is an idea that, unfortunately, it's just plain wrong.

With all due respect to Chairman Dean, giving the opposition such a useful soundbite was a bad move. I think he and other advocates of withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq should spin their advocacy differently. Instead of saying that victory in Iraq is impossible, they should say that victory has already been attained.

One could make the case that we've already won the war in Iraq. Saddam Hussein is out of power and on trial. We know now that he'll never develop weapons of mass destruction again. As of this Thursday, Iraqis will have gone to the polls three times. They have an elected government that is, on balance, less oppressive than Hussein's un-elected government was. Advocates of withdrawal should say that we have given the Iraqis a republic, and now it's up to the Iraqis to keep it.

Such a message would make advocates of "staying the course" look like the pessimists by forcing them to explain that we haven't won the war.