Why we will win in Iraq

While I generally try to avoid cross-posting from other blogs, I am making an exception today.
I check out Joy Tomme's Ratbang Diary most every day, and her latest post, entitled "Here's the Thing" is succint and to-the-point. I encourage readers to examine it. An excerpt follows:

No matter what deadline dates the Bush administration sets for itself regarding the war in Iraq, the dates will be pushed ahead, fudged and lied about ad infinitum. The criteria used for progress or success in Iraq will be lowered and changed ad infinitum. The definition of Al Qaeda, where it is and how effective it is will be changed according to the whim of the Bush administration ad infinitum. The standard used to gauge the effectiveness of the insurgents against US troops will be changed according to the Bush administration’s latest lies about the war in Iraq ad infinitum.

This is precisely why Bush has no credibility, and also why those who continue to support the occupation can always believe we are "winning" and just need more time. The attacks against are troops are up? Well, the "enemy" is obviously "desperate". The attacks against our troops are down? See, we're "winning". Militias killed a dozen more people today? Silly, it's Al-Qaeda that matters. Let those crazy Muslims kill each other off and good riddance. More talk of withdrawal? No! If we leave then those poor innocent Iraqis will perish in a bloodbath. They voted, after all!

And so it goes, year after year. We are always "winning", always on the verge of "victory", though "the fight is hard". And Muslims are always trying to get you to bow down to Allah and make your daughter wear a burqa, so we can't "lose". Criticising the occupation only "emboldens the enemy", so support Bush unless you want your family blown up in a terrorist attack. Treason! Treason, I say! No matter what the cost, we must "win" in Iraq, but don't ask me to pay taxes to cover the cost. We have to bring democracy to Iraq, but those damn Iraqi politicians had better do what Bush says. The media is biased against Bush! And here's a media report that proves we are turning the corner in Iraq! So there!

It's hardly surprising, but once Bush is finally out of office, these same supporters will suddenly be all about the failure of whomever takes over in Iraq. Dissent will once again be a sacred right, and not an insult to the troops. Every death will be heralded as proof of incompetence, rather than as proof that we need to "stay the course". And these people will simply never recognise the disconnect.