Let's Stop Playing Games

Our Allies & Enemies Take Us Dead Seriously

In a speech marking the fifth anniversary of the start of the Iraq War, New York Senator and Democratic Presidential Candidate Hillary Clinton chose to misrepresent a statement made previously by John McCain about the continuing presence of American and other Coalition troops in Iraq, suggesting that the war itself would continue for another 100 years.

"Sen. McCain would gladly accept the torch and stay the course, keeping troops in Iraq for up to 100 years if necessary," she said. "That in a nutshell is the Bush-McCain Iraq policy - don't learn from your mistakes, repeat them."

"We can have hundreds of thousands of troops on the ground for a hundred years, but that doesn't change the fact that there is no political solution to the situation in Iraq," said Clinton. "Sen. McCain and President Bush claim withdrawal is defeat. Let's be clear, withdrawal is not defeat. Defeat is keeping troops in Iraq for 100 years."

As the Senator well knows, noone is seriously talking of the war continuing for 100 years. Is the continuing presence of U.S. troops in Japan and German territory "a defeat"?

What of the presence of American troops in Bosnia, despite the assurances of former President Clinton at the time they were sent that they would be there only until their mission was complete?

What of those in Kosovo or South Korea, where they help ensure a fragile peace in both nations, preventing the aggression of expansionist neighbours?

As the McCain campaign noted: "At a time when Senator Clinton knows that American and allied forces are making real progress in Iraq, it is unfortunate that she would look to score political points by mischaracterizing Senator McCain's statement with intellectually dishonest attacks."

"The differences between Senator McCain's position, that we must win this war, and Senator Clinton's position, withdrawal and de facto surrender on day one, are important enough to have an honest debate over," she said.

"It would be the height of irresponsibility to stick with campaign promises to the left-wing of the Democratic Party and proceed with withdrawal regardless of what the situation is on the ground in Iraq in January 2009."

It seems to us that Senator Clinton has decided to move to the left to appease her base as she fights in an increasingly virulent political primary, and we're sure that she will move back to the center if she wins the contest - to do otherwise would be political suicide in November - especially given new polls that show that Americans in general are now more tolerant of a continued American presence in Iraq for the forseeable future so long as progress continues to be made.

After all, when her husband was President, he acknowledged that the use of force and the presence of U.S. troops on foreign soil was a necessary evil at time.

Witness Bosnia, Kosovo and the Desert Fox strikes on Iraq as examples.

The problem with the political rhetoric surrounding American Presidential elections is that the American public are not the only ones listening.

So too, are our friends and allies around the world - and they tend to be less discerning than the normal voter, who implicitely understands that statements will be made to distinguish one candidate from another.

Our friends and enemies however, often take seriously campaign rhetoric or promises and base their decisions and operations around them.

Our friends get disheartened and lose the will to exert themselves when called upon to help and our enemies take heart, thinking that they simply need to hold on for "a few months more".

It is time for the rhetoric to end and seriousness to replace it. The risks we face if it does not are not worth the price we will have to pay.