Snatching Defeat

Encouraging news out of Iraq today:

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Saddam Hussein's former second in command, now a fugitive with a $10 million bounty on his head, has ordered Sunni insurgents loyal to the former president to cease attacks, according to government and parliamentary officials who claimed knowledge of the developments.

This could be significant; this al-Douri is the most important figure from the "deck" that was never rounded up and is likely a key figure in the organized Sunni insurgency.

Four officials in the Iraqi government and parliament, each in a position to hear about largely secret efforts to reach accord with members of the Sunni insurgency, said former Iraqi vice president Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri has ordered insurgent leaders who are linked to Saddam's ousted Baath Party to end attacks within the past two days.

With cut-and-run Democrats apparently gaining power, will that order be reversed?

Would that order have come much earlier,saving lives, had there been no question our effort would be steadfast?

Talking heads on the news attributing Democrat gains to us "losing" in Iraq.

Repeat the Big Lie often enough and it becomes as good as true.

John Kerry's website is clear about this; speaking of this election,

Winning means forcing an end to the disastrous war in Iraq, and getting our heroes home.

Meanwhile,

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canadian troops have broken the back of an insurgency by Taliban militants near the southern Afghan city of Kandahar, the scene of fierce recent fighting, Defense Minister Gordon O'Connor said on Tuesday.

Canada has 2,300 soldiers based in Kandahar. Since 2002, 42 Canadian soldiers have died in Afghanistan, most of them in battles in the south of the country over the past few months.

Although an opinion poll over the weekend showed most Canadians pessimistic about the future of the mission and want the troops to come home, O'Connor struck an upbeat tone.

"It is a critical time in the south. ... I believe that we are going to succeed," he said in a Parliamentary debate on the Canadian military.

Not if Canadians declare themselves defeated and bring everyone home first, O'Connor!

Once upon a time, a mighty superpower found there were lots of foreigners clamoring to cross their borders in a vast migration. It seemed like an ok deal; after all, these new immigrants were willing to do jobs the citizens weren't. That nation soon collapsed, for lack of interest in keeping it alive.

I'm speaking of course of Rome letting in the various Goths, letting them look after the borders.

Didn't work out too well when the Vandals, Huns and Mongols arrived.

It's amazing how the attitude of giving up is seen to be sophisticated.

The disappointment is that this result will seem to vindicate the predictions of our real enemies and embolden them.

The good news, however, is many of these new Democrats being elected are apparently actually strongly conservative in their outlook, and several more states passed ballot measures banning gay "marriage."

I eagerly await the outcome of Michigan's Proposal 2 discarding the blight of official discrimination ("affirmative action")...

Perhaps the Republicans will learn to get back to Reaganite roots.