You Knew It Would Happen

Harry Reid's clear-eyed recognition that the war is lost has led to howls of derision from conservative politicos and gasbags. Of course, as Greg Sargent notes, he was just repeating the thoughts and feelings of the American public.

Actually, Reid is expressing an opinion held by pluralities of Americans. It's not easy to gauge public opinion on this question -- because few if any polls ask bluntly whether people think the war is completely lost already -- but these numbers strongly suggest that Reid's position is a far more mainstream position than the one held by Bush and the GOP:

USA Today poll, March 5:

Which comes closer to your view about the war in Iraq?
Definitely win: 11%.
Probably win: 17%.
Can win, but don't think will win: 20%
Do not think it can win: 46%

CNN poll, March 13:

Do you think the U.S. can win or cannot win the war in Iraq?
Can win: 46%
Cannot win: 46%

Washington Post/ABC News poll, April 16:

Will U.S. win or lose the war?
Lose: 51%
Win: 35%

Rasmussen poll, April 16:

Thirty-three percent (33%) of American voters believe that history will ultimately judge the U.S. mission in Iraq a success. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that 50% of Likely Voters believe the mission will be deemed a failure.

At least one GOP Senator understands that.

In another sign of Republican unease with the president's Iraq policies, a third GOP senator expressed support Thursday for pulling U.S. forces out of Iraq under certain conditions.

Sen. Olympia J. Snowe announced she would sponsor a bill to require American commanders to plan a withdrawal within 120 days of the bill's enactment, unless the Iraqi government meets a series of benchmarks.

"The Iraq government needs to understand that our commitment is not infinite," said Snowe, a moderate from Maine who frequently departs from the party line.

President Bush has insisted that Congress not impose any limits on his conduct of the four-year-old war. But Snowe has taken issue with that view.

"It is our business as well," she said Thursday.

I forgive Harry Reid and Olympia Snowe for responding to their constituents and fulfilling their Constitutional duty. I do not forgive a bunch of magical thinkers who are making up their strategy in Iraq as they go along in a desperate attempt to run out the clock and escape blame.