Explaining Biden’s incoherence on Iraq

Victor Davis Hanson makes a brilliant explanation on Biden’s (and Obama’s) numerous contradictory positions on Iraq over the years, which he also chronicles.

If one were to factor in four outside variables — a) proximity of presidential elections; b) current polls regarding Iraq; c) current polls regarding George Bush’s popularity; d) current level of violence in Iraq — one could pretty much have predicted all of Biden’s seemingly incoherent positions and many of Obama’s.

That is, they are not illogical, but simply shadow the above four considerations at any given time.

E.g., Bush polling well, election way off, majority support for the war, progress in Iraq = bipartisan, statesmanlike support for an ongoing American war in Iraq.

But Bush not polling well, presidential or congressional elections coming up, majority of Americans polling against the war, deadlock in Iraq = shrill, partisan attack on ongoing American war in Iraq.

We expect this from most of our politicians on most issues. But in times of war, when thousands of Americans are executing a policy abroad at great risk to their lives, it is a dangerous thing to predicate support almost entirely on politics.

It’s not about national security. It’s not about the lives of those they send overseas. It’s about power.