- 70% of people say criticism of the war by Democratic senators hurts troop morale
- 55% of Democrats say criticism hurts morale
- 30% of Americans say Democrats are leveling criticism because they believe it will help U.S. efforts in Iraq (the majority view it as a partisan power move)
Democrats should be careful. Bush's poor performance over the past few months is slowly turning the nation Blue. But many are viewing their calls to pull out of Iraq as nothing more than a political ploy. However, the question of pulling out is no longer a question asked only by activists like Sheehan. The mainstream American public is examining, perhaps for the first time, whether it is time to leave the Mess-O-Potamia.
I don't think we're ready to pull out yet. As the aggressors in this war, we have an obligation to stay until Iraq is at least as stable and prosperous as it was before we went in. But, that doesn't mean the question shouldn't be asked. Just before the war started, people dismissed questions about the rationale for war with calls to "Support the troops" and "Support our leader". Now, with no WMDs and no Al Qaeda connection, we wish we pursued those questions further.
Hat tips: Donklephant, Ambivablog
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