What's Right is Right

Recently Michael Steele, the Republican National Committee Chair, said that the war in Afghanistan was of "Obama's choosing" and "probably a lost cause". He derided the President for not studying history, because if he had, he would know that you don't engage in a land war in Afghanistan ... everyone who has tried has lost.

If Michael Steele does not resign, he should be fired. And if the Republicans let this stand, then they no longer occupy the high ground on principled foreign policy. This is outrageous.

After spending 8 years (rightly) denouncing Democrats for speaking this way about Iraq and Afghanistan, they cannot tolerate such behavior from their own party. Move swiftly and make an example out of Michael Steele.

Republicans should be rallying behind President Obama and the mission in Afghanistan. He is managing the war as he sees fit ... in other words, doing his job. Make suggestions on strategy or tactics. Recommend fewer or additional or different troops. Offer ideas on how we might do better. At least publicly, show a unified front.

But the last thing a government or party leader should do is call the war lost or say that we should not be fighting it. This is what Obama, Clinton, Biden, Pelosi, Reid, Durbin, Schumer, Frank, Murtha and Dean did endlessly and to the detriment of the war efforts (many after voting for the wars in the first place). The result was an encouraged enemy, lower morale among the troops and allies who saw America wobbling. In other words, the Democrats knowingly did harm in exchange for remaining popular among their ever shifting base.

If a government or party leader wants to condemn a war effort and try to end it, do so privately behind the scenes or resign your position ... then live on a cable news network.

Republicans claim that they're more principled than Democrats on foreign policy, that they are true patriots.

Prove it.

Quickly.