We’ve lost. The question now is when we admit it, and allow the U.S. armed forces to finally leave Iraq, in worse shape than it was in when we invaded, and get on with the years-long business of rebuilding.

This is a defining moment in some ways for the Democratic Party. I know a lot of people have tried to make this a referendum on the President; I would flip it. I think instead it’s a defining moment for the Democratic Party, whose national leaders now have made it clear that if you disagree with the extreme left in their party they’re going to come after you. And it is probably worth trying to trace through some of the implications of that position, because it is clearly going to be one of the central issues as we get ready for the election campaign this year, that is, the mid-term elections.

First, let’s think about Iraq. One of the positions is that we need to leave Iraq — we need to do it on a timetable, and we need to do it soon. It’s worth walking through the consequences of that position.

He then goes on to walk through the consequences of that position, wrapping it up with this thoughtful conclusion:

A white flag, in short, means a white flag in the war on terror.

So the White House implies that wanting a timetable for withdrawl is an extreme-left position, and then explicitly states that wanting a timetable for withdrawl means surrender to the forces of terrorism.

60% of Americans, then, are extreme-left surrender monkeys. At least, according to the White House.

Also this:

If things on the ground change and perception is better, that number will drop by a third rather quickly.

Is hilarious. “If the war wasn’t a disaster, people wouldn’t think it was a disaster.” True enough, my friend, true enough.