Posted by
Soldier Dad on Wednesday, July 26, 2006 2:52:41 PM
Iraq has now had several elections in which the people of that country selected their leaders. I'm sure we all remember these - as if we could forget something that featured massive news coverage of people running around showing the first stages of Smurf Fever, blue fingers and all. And the thing about elections, particularly since the Democrats got all snippy a few decades ago about American involvement in foreign politics, is that they reflect the wishes of the nation that votes, not the United States. Granted, some American policymakers seem to need a reminder on this one, especially when they are shocked and outraged that the Palestinians elect Hamas or the Lebanese vote for Hezbollah. But when it comes right down to it, we respect the wishes of a foreign public.
So why can't some Democrats resist the opportunity for unnecessary theatrics by refusing to attend Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's address to a joint session of Congress? If they're really so eager to see a fully sovereign Iraq as they claim, surely they should respect the man who represents that vision. American Congressmen are not his constituents and as the free leader of a democratic country on the other side of the world (albeit a country that would erupt into flames without American soldiers on the street corners), he has a right to determine his own platform and his nation's policies.
So he won't condemn Hezbollah. Did we really think this man, with close ties to Iraq's own Shi'ite leaders, would do anything else? He seeks democracy, peace, and stability. But he's a politician and probably seeks a second term in office too. And let's be honest - those Democrats who were conspicuously absent at today's speech probably don't really want to condemn Hezbollah, either. These are good old cease-fire-at-all-costs types. But they have constituents, too, and they also face re-election. Surely they wouldn't hold someone else to a standard they can't meet? Oh, wait, never mind...