National Security

Nancy Pelosi's apparent antipathy for America and admiration for the Islamic jihadists was on display Sunday, February 11 during an interview with CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer. Twice for emphasis the San Francisco Speaker proclaimed that the American led effort in Iraq "is a failure." With far too familiar Pelosi conflicting style, she both condemned and praised the effort of the troops. The troop surge has "not produced the desired effect," she said to Blitzer. But, then tossed in what sounded like a scripted obligatory line: "The troops have succeeded, God bless them."

Pelosi's unwillingness to acknowledge progress that has been widely noted by our troops and the Surge defies explanation other than intentional political dishonesty. Even Democrats intensely loyal to her have publicly noted the progress being made particularly in the passed eight months. The Speaker's "failure" proclamation also insults the Iraqi people who share a great deal of the credit for improved security as well as economic and political progress which has been difficult to achieve and long in coming.

The New York Times reported of a major legislative accomplishment this passed week by the Iraqi Parliament in adopting solutions to three contentious issues that have all been complicated with Sunni, Shiite and Kurd ethnic tensions and bias. Adopted by the legislature was "the 2008 budget; a law outlining the scope of provincial powers, a crucial aspect of Iraq's self-definition as a federal state; and an amnesty that would apply to thousands of the detainees held in Iraqi jails."

For a Speaker who's first year in office was marked by naming post office buildings, passing retreat-and-defeat resolutions, steroid hearings, and 9,000 new ear marks she ought to be taking lessons from the Iraqi Parliament, not branding it a "failure."