The Beginning of Defeat?

Over the last few days, frantic diplomatic posturing has taken place throughout the Middle East. President Bush has met with leaders in Jordan. The Vice President has met with the leaders of Saudi Arabia. This is an attempt to prop up support for the U.S. war in Iraq. It is also an attempt to get regional leaders input and assistance in dealing with the out-of-control sectarian violence in Iraq. I highly doubt that either of these attempts will pan out. The Saudis are already walking a fine line dealing with domestic opposition to their regime. They would be hard pressed to provide any real assistance besides intelligence estimates. The Jordanians are in a similar position. Jordan's King, having a British mother and American step-mother, probably has some sense of loyalty to the west, while having to be cognizant of how fragile any moderate nation in the middle east is at any given time. Neither of these nations has much to offer the U.S. besides some moral support. That won't go a long way at this point.

While President Bush and Vice President Cheney are dealing with the Saudis and Jordanians, Iran's President Ahmadinejad was meeting with President Talabani of Iraq. Iran pledged to the Iraqis many levels of support, particularly Iranian troop deployments in order to stabilize Iraq. On the other hand, Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khomeini stated to Talabani that all U.S. forces must leave the country. I take this to mean that if Talabani concedes to calling for a U.S. withdrawal, Iran would be willing to step in and "help".

The Iranians have probably found a weakness in the underbelly of U.S. policy for the region. Iran is responsible for fueling sectarian violence in Iraq. By causing such immense destruction in the country, ranging from attacks on the police, the military, and the people of Iraq, they have effectively demoralized the entire population and turned them against the U.S. This strategy has also damaged U.S. short and long term goals for Iraq and effected domestic U.S. elections by demoralizing the American people and turning them against the war. Thus, Democrats won control of the Congress.

I predict that Democrats will begin pushing for direct talks with Iran. They will fall to their knees and cow-tow to the Iranian President in an attempt to stabilize Iraq and thereby legitimately call for a total withdrawal of U.S. forces in the country. It will be then that they start calling for a cutting of funding for the war and try to force the President's hand. If this occurs, it will be a victory for Iran. Iran will have succeeded in expanding their sphere of influence in the Middle East. It will also legitimize their brand of extremism and perhaps spread their Revolution to moderate Middle Eastern nations. How could they be wrong if they are able to undermine the most powerful nation in the world and advance their own goals....with the assistance of Democrats in D.C.?