December 30, 2006

Lieberman and the "V" Word

Joe Lieberman: "Rather than engaging in hand-wringing, carping or calls for withdrawal, we must summon the vision, will and courage to take the difficult and decisive steps needed for success and, yes, victory in Iraq. [emphasis added]"

Wow. The "V" word, eh? Even GOP stalwarts like Ed Meese, James Baker and Sandra Day O'Connor have been reticent, of late, to use same (see the ISG report), substituting the more modest "success" for "victory". But "independent" Democrats are more courageous, it appears. Piddling semantic word parsing, perhaps, but one can't help feeling the Senator is rather on the jingo-bullish side--especially, it must be said, given that his op-ed provides precious little by way of the specifics regarding the "vision, will and courage" we are urged to summon up on behalf of la patrie.

P.S. Incidentally, I agree with Lieberman that the paramount challenge we face in Iraq is our failure to provide basic security, but that's a rather blindingly obvious insight by now, isn't it? But when Lieberman writes: "(t)he most pressing problem we face in Iraq is not an absence of Iraqi political will or American diplomatic initiative, both of which are increasing and improving; it is a lack of basic security," one is compelled to ask: what "American diplomitic initiative" could he possibly be speaking of? And one that's "increasing and improving"? Pray tell more, Senator. This observer, at least, is all ears....