While I dont beleive the left celebrates soldier deaths, I do believe they help cause them with their waving the white flag of surrender and giving aid and encouragement to the enemy. Their allies in the media have filthy hands on this too.

Now today we have yet another example of our enemies trying to bring the war home to us, yet the Retreat and Defeat Democrats and some Republicans insist we leave Iraq with our business unfinished. How can they be so blind. Ask me why I would NEVER vote for a national democrat for ANY office. Sometimes I think they believe America is the enemy....they act that way on more than a few ocassions.

I don't think ANY Republicans are helping our soldiers cause either. All they're interested in is fighting with Democrats. Neither side is interested in a solution, therefore both sides are to blame for the situation.

By the way, I will never vote for a Democrat for any national office either. Republicans are hurting in that area too.

Jace, you hit Erick too hard and for the wrong reason. Albeit he slams on Dems for celebrating death, Erick has captured a truth: The Dem party leadership has taken ownership of defeat. And I mean defeat of America through every political means - including demoralizing our troops.

"The war is already lost" and funding through withdrawal can only provide aid and comfort to a devout enemy. The defeat they seek is not merely in Iraq, it is a power struggle for the downfall of our institutions, tradions and values.

I cannot say that Dems relish death. But the death toll is their leadership's yardstick for measuring defeat. Surely you read the papers and watch CNN.

Larry, the death toll is about 72% of American population's way of measuring the success of the war.

Personally, it's not mine. I have supported the war in Iraq from the beginning. But Erick is completely guilty of doing exactly what he is accusing the Democrats of doing: Politicizing the war.

This is one of the biggest reasons why I left the Republican party. Abject hypocrisy. Same way with the Democratic Party, abject hypocrisy.

Both parties have politicized this war to absolutely no end and both sides act innocent and point the finger when they're called out on it.

Meanwhile, Larry, our soldiers are dying. Don't you read the paper? The LEAST, and I mean the LEAST our politicians can do is work together for our troops. Quit the worthless posturing, and get to the table. Work together. Whatever the solution is, whether it be pull out now, or stay in Iraq for the next 100 years, our troops deserve a solution that both sides agree in and that the American public believes in.

Politicians supposedly speak for the people...so until we start calling out our own, like I did Erick, about enabling political divisiveness, then no politicians will ever change their tune.

This is one of the biggest reasons why I left the Republican party.

Thanks for ditching us, mate!
/sarcasm

You can't change something from the outside. I admit it's easy to get mucked up at times but thats no reason to jump ship.
Joining a third party does not create solutions(unless we had a Parliament), it only helps in avoid making them.
Now get your bloody arse in here and help us fight the good fight!

You can't change something from the outside.

I'm not trying to change the GOP...the GOP is beyond repair. I'm trying to change the political landscape. And there is NO political solution for America under either major party.

There is no good fight. The neo-cons have won. They own the Republican party. The only party that truly believes in freedom, limited government, and offering solutions is the Libertarian Party. I was tired of being part of the problem. It's liberating to actually be part of the solution. You can have the GOP. Good luck fixing something that is beyond repair.

The truth is, for every failure by Democrats and Republicans to work together on Iraq, another soldier dies.

Here is what I think...One side says, 'the war is lost' and the other says 'let's fund the troops without giving a deadline for our enemy', I don't know...maybe it's just me but it sounds pretty clear how each side stands.

I have a cousin, a West Point Graduate, currently in Iraq. From all indications, the Iraqi soldiers have no sense of discipline. It's like trying to feed your kid greens, when it's apparent they prefer sweets. They don't seem to 'get it'. They are so use to being told what to do, they have no sense of aspiration.

No, you are wrong. One side says "Let's fund the troops with a set date of withdrawl so our enemy's can wait us out"...the other side says, "Let's fund the troops, but send them in without defined objectives, for an indefinite period of time, to fight for people who don't want us there to begin with".

Neither side is offering an acceptable solution. And as long as they keep acting like a bunch of petulent children, we'll never come up with a solution.

Jace,

Check this out...
http://www.zombietime.com/

What's your point? Yeah, the left is full of whackos, many of them are politicians. The right is full of whackos as well. Many of them are politicians. The point I'm trying to make is that the politicians on both sides are taking what the whackos say as the "mainstream" view in their respective parties. Meanwhile, the troops are paying the price for it...along with the American taxpayers. The troops and the taxpayers deserve better from BOTH parties. MUCH better.

No point, I just wanted to share it.

Jace,

Two questions...(if you don't mind)

1) How old are you? 20's, mid-30's, 50?

2) How long have you been/were you in the Republican Party/or voted for Republicans?

Just curious.

24.

Voted in 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006 (national state elections).

And also in few local races in odd numbered years.

So really, you're only losing a guy who has only been voting for 6 years.

By the way, in 2000, I didn't vote for Bush OR Gore. I wrote my own name in, because anyone could a better job than either of them.

"the death toll is about 72% of American population's way of measuring the success of the war."

Where did that statistic come from?

"This is one of the biggest reasons why I left the Republican party. Abject hypocrisy. Same way with the Democratic Party, abject hypocrisy."

So the political process is getting tough on your beliefs. You see two-facedness with politicians and you opt out. You would rather tuck you tail and find a new play ground. I guess you don’t attend church any where because there are sinners in the congregation that profess their fate but fall short in their actions. I guess you’ll be starting the Jace Walden Church where only those followers who never have sinned or have the same political standards as your self can thrive. What flavor Kool-aide will be served and whose feet do we have to wash before we are admitted?

82% of the readers here know you're 24 years old and full of piss and vinegar. You have all the answers down pat. You know what exactly the matter is and you are leading the exit strategy to save us all. Well thank you so very much. I will surely fall right in line with your in depth statistical rationale.

"Let's fund the troops, but send them in without defined objectives, for an indefinite period of time, to fight for people who don't want us there to begin with"."

Where did this fact come from?

"I'm trying to change the political landscape."

We all can follow you so our collective voices will be heard along side the Democratic defeatism. You’re the man boy we should rally behind. Please run for Governor or better yet we’ll write your name down for president because your life experience is surely so vast and prevalent.

Save us Jace, save us all from our own demise. God save Jace! God save Jace for he knows the way.

Wow, "Forseti", you know me so well.

So the political process is getting tough on your beliefs.

No, partisan bullshit is getting tough on my beliefs. The fact that people like you, who follow instantly and without question, no matter what the order, are controlling the political process is getting tough on my beliefs. If I wanted to "Opt Out", I'd give up on politics all together. All I'm doing is going where I think I can best make a difference.

And you sound so mature for a man/woman of...what...30? 40? 50? I want to ask you a question though, what exactly have you ever done for the good of the country? I'd have to guess not a damn thing. I could be wrong, but I'm so full of piss and vinegar that I wouldn't let it get to me.

Did you even bother to read the post? I support the war in Iraq, but we really need to be holding our elected officials accountable for the way the war has been and is being conducted. I don't know what the "exit strategy" should be...believe me. But I'm not one of the people that are paid hundreds of thousands of dollars of year to figure it out.

Is it too much to ask that we hold people accountable for their actions?

You’re the man boy we should rally behind. Please run for Governor or better yet we’ll write your name down for president because your life experience is surely so vast and prevalent.

Now, Forseti, I appreciate you paying reverence to me...I really do. It's always good to have a fan. But, like I said in the post that you apparently didn't read: I'm just a two-bit, part-time blogger. I wasn't joking about that.