The MoveOn dilemma for Democrats

W. Thomas Smith:

The anti-Iraq-war crowd is always quick to say they “support the troops.” But it’s not an expression of support when you accuse the top “troop” of lying, cherry-picking facts, and serving as a uniformed mouthpiece for the president, especially when all evidence is to the contrary.

That’s exactly what MoveOn.org has done with its full-page ad in the New York Times, accusing the top “troop” — four-star Gen. David Petraeus — of “betraying” the nation he has sworn to defend against all enemies foreign and domestic. Many top Democrats — accepting backing from MoveOn and refusing to take a public stance against the organization’s very public condemnation of the general — are also guilty by association.

Worse, during this week’s Iraq-report hearings, many of those same Democrats lied on the record by expressing “respect” for the “distinguished” and “honorable” service of both Petraeus and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker on the one hand, then accusing both men of presenting a report that required — in the words of Sen. Hillary Clinton — “the willing suspension of disbelief.”

They can’t have it both ways. Petraeus cannot be an honorable man (honorable men only tell the truth), and at the same time a liar who would betray his country. He’s one or the other.

The problem for the Dems is that they — and most of the country — know he’s the former. The Dems also know that he is the ranking American soldier in Iraq, and whether or not they support the war, they’ve all been proclaiming support for the troops despite how hollow that support may ring.

...

... the Left simply doesn’t understand the modern American military. These aren’t “kids.” These are professionals. And serving among these professionals are literally thousands of potential Petraeuses. Of course, they won’t all wear stars, because the competition for such lofty rank is so keen, their peers and competitors so sharp. But what the Left doesn’t understand — and what was so obvious to me in Iraq, and now watching the hearings here this week — is that the troops are reflected in Petraeus, and Petraeus can be seen in them.

Smith recently returned from Iraq where he spent time with Marines in Anbar as well as US forces in Baghdad. He is a knowledgeable reporter whom the troops clearly respect. He also gets out with the troops and gets the story the Baghdad hotel reporters miss. His point on Hillary's dilemma nails her and her pandering to the loser lobby that seems to control the integrity gene for too many Democrats.