The Brave Democrat

Democratic Rep. Brian Baird has visited Iraq and has written a piece for the Seattle Times. This is a thoughtful perspective on the war. I respect criticism of the management of this war. But what matters is that we win and Al Qaeda loses, not Dem. or Rep. Thank you Representative Baird for saying what needs to be said, not what you've been instructed to say. Please read this article for criticism of the war and for encouragement for victory.

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The invasion of Iraq may be one of the worst foreign-policy mistakes in the history of our nation. As tragic and costly as that mistake has been, a precipitous or premature withdrawal of our forces now has the potential to turn the initial errors into an even greater problem just as success looks possible.

As a Democrat who voted against the war from the outset and who has been frankly critical of the administration and the post-invasion strategy, I am convinced by the evidence that the situation has at long last begun to change substantially for the better. I believe Iraq could have a positive future. Our diplomatic and military leaders in Iraq, their current strategy, and most importantly, our troops and the Iraqi people themselves, deserve our continued support and more time to succeed.