War of Editorial Boards: WaPo Vs NYTs

Today’s editorial in the Washington Post, “The Iraqi Upturn,” in effect declares war on the editorial board of the New York Times, whose last editorial on the subject “Spinning Iraq” takes an opposite view.

It’s been a month since the NYTs editorial board weighed in on Iraq. It emphasized, “The only mission that needs to be accomplished is an orderly exit from Iraq” and that “He [Bush] has made clear that he will keep troops in Iraq until he leaves office — and then abandon the mess to his successor. The three senators who want his job should insist that he address these problems now.”

Today’s WaPo editorial, on the other hand, chooses not to languish in either the past or in perfectionism but, rather, to emphasize current realities and what that requires of a serious Party and its candidate for the highest office controlling our and the world’s security.

Iraq passed a turning point last fall when the U.S. counterinsurgency campaign launched in early 2007 produced a dramatic drop in violence and quelled the incipient sectarian war between Sunnis and Shiites. Now, another tipping point may be near, one that sees the Iraqi government and army restoring order in almost all of the country, dispersing both rival militias and the Iranian-trained "special groups" that have used them as cover to wage war against Americans. …

If the positive trends continue, proponents of withdrawing most U.S. troops, such as Mr. Obama, might be able to responsibly carry out further pullouts next year. Still, the likely Democratic nominee needs a plan for Iraq based on sustaining an improving situation, rather than abandoning a failed enterprise. That will mean tying withdrawals to the evolution of the Iraqi army and government, rather than an arbitrary timetable; Iraq's 2009 elections will be crucial. It also should mean providing enough troops and air power to continue backing up Iraqi army operations such as those in Basra and Sadr City. When Mr. Obama floated his strategy for Iraq last year, the United States appeared doomed to defeat. Now he needs a plan for success.

Some expect Obama, and even the NYTs, to glibly declare victory – the very “victory” they opposed and derided – and continue to call for a premature exit, even abandoning the measures necessary to continue to maintain and improve the effectiveness of the Iraqi security forces (hear an echo of the congressional Democrats abandonment of pledges to South Vietnam).

We eagerly await the NYTs editorial board’s reply to the take by the Washington Post, whose view reflects most informed observers, here and abroad, with the most exceptions coming from our congressional Democrats and Barack Obama. We also eagerly await whether anyone in the major media can highlight what happened last time the NYT’s and its congressional Democrat comrades took the reins and consigned 30-million people to oppression and the world to a generation of increased insecurity.