Politics first, second, and last for the Democrats

Here's Thomas Sowell with "Dangerous Demagoguery"

The demagoguery of the Democrats has already put them in the position where a successful conclusion of the Iraq war before the 2008 elections can be a political disaster for them.

If the recent increase in the number of troops in Iraq, and their freer hand in dealing with the terrorists there, reduces the level of violence enough to stabilize Iraq enough for American troops to start coming home before the 2008 elections, the Democrats will have lost their gamble.

Only an American defeat in Iraq can ensure the Democrats' political victory next year.

Their only strategy is to sabotage the chances for a military victory in Iraq without being held responsible for a defeat.

That is the corner that they have painted themselves into with their demagoguery that even their own supporters see through.

Betsy adds:

Pelosi was willing to pull out all the stops to get their version of the supplemental bill for Iraq passed. They loaded it up with sweetners to pull in more votes. And Pelosi twisted the arms of those opposed to the Democratic bill even going to the length of threatening senior Members with being taken off crucial committees. And for what? She knows that the bill will be vetoed and they'll have to go back to the drawing board to write a new bill. But at least she'll have the political record to trumpet during the 2008 campaign. And that is what it is all about.

Hence Pelosi's not-so-arbitrary timeline of August 2008 to withdraw all troops from Iraq, was significantly chosen to coincide with the 2008 elections. It's all a big game to them.