Pander or Principle

Peter Beinart, in his article, "Pander and Run," in the Washington Post accuses the Democrat party of pandering. His case....

The Democrat leadership took issue with Iraqi's Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's public criticism of Israel, demanding a retraction or forfeit his addressing Congress.... Beinart's case: Democrats are pandering to the Jewish voters while undermining Maliki by making him look like an American lap-dog to his majority-Shiite Arab country. My take: Gee, I thought we did support Israel, can't Maliki find a better, and less devisive, way of pandering to his Shiite electorate.

In June the Iraqi government was considering amnesty for insurgents, even those who had killed U.S. troops. Democrats objected to this amnesty. Beinart's case: Unless Maliki gave Sunni insurgents an incentive to lay down their arms, Iraqi's violence would never end. Democrats tied his hands by making it an issue in U.S. congressional races (primaries). My take: Pleeeeeze. Our congressional races, primaries, tied Maliki's hands?! Baloney. Escalating violence tied his hands. This is a weenie way of trying to shift the blame onto the Democrats for the mess in Iraq.

That's it.... that's his case. To Beinart it "proves why the Americans think Democrats stand for nothing, that they have no principles beyond political expedience." I view his examples as just the opposite. Democrats standing up for Israel. Democrats not going along for a free ride for the worst of the worst terrorists. Remember the burned bodies of U.S. citizens being drug through the streets and hung for display, the beheadings. Amnesty sticks in the throat.

I am suspect of Maliki and his agenda.... many think he is an agent of Iran. After his visit to the White House, Bush has now extended the tour for some of our weary, over-taxed troops in Iraq to bolster Maliki's government and try to stem the mayhem, for mayhem it is. In fact, aren't we fighting Iran's war for them against Iraq? Can any foreign policy ever conceived be more disasterous for our country.

Pandering? Let's get to the guts of the issues.