The move towards supporting the surge continues – from the left!

Jim Geraghty at NRO notes:

“Take a look at these striking comments from five-term Congressman Brian Baird, D-Wash., who voted against the invasion in 2002, after recently returning from Iraq:

U.S. Rep. Brian Baird said Thursday that his recent trip to Iraq convinced him the military needs more time in the region, and that a hasty pullout would cause chaos that helps Iran and harms U.S. security…

With Congress poised next month to look at U.S. progress in Iraq and a vote looming on U.S. funding for the war, Baird said he’s inclined to seek a continued U.S. presence in Iraq beyond what many impatient Americans want. He also expects Gen. David Petraeus, who oversees U.S. troops in Iraq, to seek a redeployment of forces. “People may be upset. I wish I didn’t have to say this,” Baird said. He added that the United States needs to continue with its military troops surge “at least into early next year, then engage in a gradual redeployment. ‚Ķ I know it’s going to cost hundreds of American lives and hundreds of billions of dollars.”

It was Baird’s fifth trip to the Middle East, and he conceded that what he has learned has put him again in an unpopular position with some voters. He no longer thinks partitioning Iraq into Sunni, Shiite and Kurd sections is possible, for instance; no one he spoke to in Israel, Jordan, Palestinian cities or Iraq liked the idea, he added.

Baird said he would not say this if he didn’t believe two things:

‚Ä¢ “One, I think we’re making real progress.”

‚Ä¢ “Secondly, I think the consequences of pulling back precipitously would be potentially catastrophic for the Iraqi people themselves, to whom we have a tremendous responsibility ‚Ķ and in the long run chaotic for the region as a whole and for our own security.”

Smart man that Baird, but he is as other have been who have actually visited the situtation seeing only that are the facts. The surge is working. It’s a little late – yes – we should have done it two years ago. But the fact is that Al Qaeda is hurting and getting their can kicked all over Iraq.

This also shows the danger that exists when a war is going on during election years (for Democrats every year is election year). To most Democrats the only reason they have for opposing the war is that George Bush is the Commander and Chief. Talk to any Democrat and ask for specific reasons – based on facts – why they don’t support the surge, or even the war and they can’t give you an honest answer. They only know that they can’t because George Bush ordered it.

Instead they attack General Patraeus’s character when they aren’t worthy enough to stand in his presence.

Fact is that the outcome in Iraq will determine the destiny of the Middle East for many years after most of these dead-weight Democrats are dead and gone. While they’re out talking to the cameras about cutting and running and calling our marines murderers and village bombers they are doing nothing but showing that a vote for them would be disastrous for this nation.

Thankfully there are a few honest men and women who have actually gone to Iraq and viewed the success and have the guts to come back to tell the truth.