TOMORROW'S THE DAY! First of all ... let's be clear on this. If the Republicans lose control of the House in tomorrow's election it will by no means be an unusual circumstance. It will be quite normal, actually. Last week Charles Krauthammer pointed out that since World War II a two-term president has lost an average of 29 seats in the House and six in the Senate in his sixth-year midterm elections. If the Republicans were to lose both the House and the Senate tomorrow it would be business as usual.
That still doesn't make it right.
I keep hearing from the various pundits that this election is all about the war in Iraq. Well, first of all, it isn't "the war in Iraq." It is the war against Islamic fascism. It's a world war with battlefronts on all continents (except Antarctica) with the primary battles being fought in Iraq.
I don't think for a moment that those who steadfastly oppose our actions in Iraq are suddenly going to see the light 24 hours before they vote in these midterm elections. The best that can be hoped for is that some of them will come to understand the consequences of a Democrat victory tomorrow.
For voters who who still haven't quite made up their minds, might I recommend an amazing column written by Victor Davis Hanson. Here are the first three paragraphs:
What is written about Iraq now is exclusively acrimonious. The narrative is the suicide bomber and IED, never how many terrorists we have killed, how many Iraqis have been given a chance for something different than the old nightmare, or how a consensual government has withstood enemies on nearly every front.
Long forgotten is the inspired campaign that removed a vicious dictator in three weeks. Nor is much credit given to the idealistic efforts to foster democracy rather than just ignoring the chaos that follows war — as we did after the Soviets were defeated in Afghanistan, or following our precipitous departure from Lebanon and Somalia. And we do not appreciate anymore that Syria was forced to vacate Lebanon; that Libya gave up its WMD arsenal; that Pakistan came clean about Dr. Khan; and that there have been the faint beginnings of local elections in the Gulf monarchies.
Yes, the Middle East is "unstable," but for the first time in memory, the usual killing, genocide, and terrorism are occurring in a scenario that offers some chance at something better. Long before we arrived in Iraq, the Assads were murdering thousands in Hama, the Husseins were gassing Kurds, and the Lebanese militias were murdering civilians. The violence is not what has changed, but rather the notion that the United States can do nothing about it; the U.S. has shown itself willing to risk much to support freedom in place of tyranny or theocracy in the region.
You can read the remainder of this column right here. The truth is this column has too much of an intellectual and historical foundation for most of the anti-war, peace-at-any-price Democrat voters to absorb.
An honest and unbiased analysis places much of the blame for the current situation in Iraq squarely on the Democrats. Since the election debacle in Florida in 2000 Democrats have been dedicated to one cause, and one cause only ... demonizing George Bush and regaining what they see as their birthright to power in Washington DC. If this means sabotaging America's efforts to defeat Islamic Fascism, so be it. The Democrats return to power and the destruction of George Bush was all-important, everything else came in second.
There is not an ounce of doubt in my mind that the Democrats have been a great source of comfort and encouragement for Islamic terrorists worldwide. If American has a weakness in their minds, that weakness is personified by the Democrat Party.
Be absolutely certain of one thing. A Democrat takeover of the House will be seen by Islamic terrorists everywhere as a great victory for them and a stunning defeat of their nemeses George W. Bush. A Democrat victory will make the Islamic fascist not only stronger, but bolder. They will gain legitimacy where there was doubt, and support where there was indifference. In the end, we will pay a price.
Sooner or later Islamic fascists will be defeated. They must be. A Democrat victory tomorrow will make that victory more costly and longer in coming.
