An Iraqi's Plea

There's something that's more than a little sad about the fact that Iraq's ambassador to the United States effectively has to beg the cut-and-run contingent to continue supporting democracy in Iraq, as he does today on the op/ed page of The Washington Post. I wish that one of the Schumers, Hagels or Lamonts would take a moment to respond to an appeal like this one -- let them tell an Iraqi patriot that they've decided that Iraq is either incapable or unworthy of a functioning democracy.

What's likewise noteworthy is that the Iraqi ambassador understands the stakes for the United States better than many liberal American politicians:

There would also be the psychological impact of the perceived defeat for America. That would encourage all the enemies of the United States -- and they are many -- to be bolder and readier to challenge its interests everywhere. A new super-radical, geographically contiguous bloc would be born: Iran, Syria and a radicalized, totalitarian, fragmented Iraq.

Too bad such a grasp of the obvious is in short supply on the left side of the aisle.