Wall Street Journal 8/10/06

A Judgment on Iraq

By Wesley K. Clark

Republican strategists could hardly be happier with the outcome of the Connecticut Democratic primary. And Democrats should be deeply concerned in the near term. But if I were a Republican, I’d recognize this as the beginning of the end. Forget about the neocons. This era is over.

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Perhaps politicians in office will listen a little more attentively now to the outside-the-beltway voices; they’ll challenge more, stand up earlier, fight a little tougher against the administration’s leadership. And perhaps they’ll sweat a little to gain some stand-off from their earlier positions. Longstanding relationships at home, a comfortable bank account, and the continuing blandishments of the lobbying crowd will no longer be sufficient—Joe Lieberman’s defeat shows that the public is now engaged in politics.

The Republicans will suggest that Democrats aren’t up to it. They’ll play the terrorist-threat card, hope for a few more messages of bin Laden, and ask whether an antiwar party can be trusted to keep America safe. But this is just the spin. The truth is the Democratic Party—elected leaders, party regulars and the big-time donors—pretty much agree on the failures of the administration, and even on the policies that need to be adopted, like stronger diplomacy and more reliance on allies and international organizations, coupled with a willingness to fully fund, rearm, strengthen and use America’s armed forces. The Connecticut primary will ensure that the Democrats push their positions—and their differences with the administration—even more forcefully.

Now Democrats have to be able to stand toe-to-toe against Republicans and their failing policies on national security. There’s no dodging it, and no hanging on to the administration’s coat-tails, either. Democrats in every race have to be able to speak the language of national security. And convince the electorate that we are a “full-service” party, as ready to be trusted on national defense as on health care, education, or equal opportunity.

The Connecticut race and Republican spinmeisters will be troublesome for Democrats. But the growing public awareness provides Democrats the opportunity to reshape our party to help America meet the challenges ahead. For Republicans, it signals the end of using patriotism to cover up for persistent failures to deal effectively with pressing national security issues.

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