The Life Electra-Glide

Reserve Colonel Austin Bay--also noted author and blogger--has a piece reproduced at Real Clear Politics this morning. A sober assessment from a man who has done two tours in Iraq, is a keenly intelligent military mind and brings much to bear on the question of progress in Iraq.

This return visit to Iraq, however, spurs thoughts of America -- to be specific, thoughts about America's will to pursue victory. I don't mean the will of US forces in the field. Wander around with a bunch of Marines for a half hour, spend 15 minutes with National Guardsmen from Idaho, and you will have no doubts about American military capabilities or the troops' will to win.

But our weakness is back home, in front of the TV, on the cable squawk shows, on the editorial page of The New York Times, in the political gotcha games of Washington, D.C.

It seems America wants to get on with its Electra-Glide life, that Sept. 10 sense of freedom and security, without finishing the job. The military is fighting, the Iraqi people are fighting, but where is the US political class?

Yes indeed. Some of them are too busy pitching excrement from their cages; others are standing up to applaud them. Yet more of them are planted firmly in front of the door with their arms crossed, refusing to get out of progress' way; yet more are telling us all is lost. Others are more concerned with personal survival.

Way to drop the ball guys!