War Ownership

The Cunning Realist (I love that blog name) makes a terrific point today about ownership of the Iraqi war:

Whoever sits in the Oval Office on Inauguration Day 2009 is going to own Iraq just as Nixon owned Vietnam after 1968. To be sure, the extent of that ownership -- in both the public's mind and the history books -- will depend on what happens in Iraq after 2008. But those hoping for a dramatic change in policy may be disappointed. Occupations tend to be self-perpetuating. And remember, Nixon had huge anti-Communist credibility but still felt compelled to prove his toughness once in office. If Hillary wins, will she have any less to prove as a Democrat and a woman?

Do you remember Vietnam as Kennedy's war? Johnson's war? Nixon's war? All deserve blame for starting and maintaining our policy in Southeast Asia. Some folks may think that Kennedy was on the verge of leaving Vietnam, but we'll never know for sure. What we do know is that he was part of escalating our presence there. Have any of the three been less tarred for "starting it" or "escalating it"?

I completely agree with the quote above. To simply think that "getting the White House in 2008" and any Dem who is elected in 2008 will end the war is naive. We are back to 1968 .... or even 1972. Getting out of Iraq is going to be an incredible upward struggle against momentum no matter who's in Congress or who's in the White House. Ego's are simply too big, hubris too strong, misperceptions too entrenched.