November 18, 2005

A Necessary Stunt

Democrats were calling yesterday's House vote on a resolution to immediately withdraw troops from Iraq a "political stunt". And they're absolutely right.

Not that Democrats are opposed to political stunts as a matter of practice, mind you. They just prefer to be the stunters as opposed to the stuntees.

Forcing Democrats to go on the record with regard to Rep. Murtha's call for an immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq was a necessary countermeasure to the forces that aim to undermine our country's Iraq policy, at a time when our enemies must know that we are resolved to winning, not leaving.

It was a corrective to the overblown media celebration of Murtha's statement, and shows that, his fine military service notwithstanding, Murtha represents a view that is shared by very few in Congress, and I suspect by very few Americans outside of those who actually wish for our defeat (but don't question their patriotism.)

Hugh Hewitt said on yesterday's show that this move salvaged a bad week for Republicans. His comments on the vote are here.

403-3

Our troops deserved to get that message. Our media needed to get that message. Al Qaeda needed to get that message. As political stunts go, this was a winner.

And as a humorous aside, Sen. Harry "Stunt" Reid had this to say after the House vote yesterday...

"It's a weak, spineless display of politics at a time of war"

...with a straight face, by all accounts.

Posted by dan at November 18, 2005 3:17 PM