If I stay there will be trouble . . .

Excellent points made by Digby here in response to Kevin Drum -- both arguing that Democrats either need to give good strategies for Iraq or support withdrawel. The whole "it's a mess but we need to stay the course" empty rhetoric has ceased having even a pretense of utility -- stay and do what? else, why more lives every day? Our current "course" seems to be all about the appearance of resolve, and that's not worth the sand you wrote it on.

I think that we are seeing a Democratic pincer movement that is going to fatally squeeze the Republican policy. On the one side we have the growing Cindy Sheehan withdrawal movement, very emotional very compelling. It's the right argument, but its main purpose is to weaken Bush --- there is no chance in hell that it will force a complete troop withdrawal. On the other side he has the Democratic establishment calling for more troops and a greater effort to gain international support. Bush cannot do that either. He is trapped. All he can say is "stay the course" which is not adequate to win and ensures that we lose slowly and painfully.

Not a happy outcome for Iraq, among many unhappy outcomes, but one that may at least allow the current U.S. leadership to be held accountable -- and then replaced.