I’m sorry, never mind

Among the many memorable characters that have been introduced on Saturday Night Live is the late Gilda Radner’s Emily Latella. After presenting a completely erroneous commentary on the program’s news segment and then being corrected by the news anchor, Emily would look abashed and say, “I’m sorry, never mind.”

Leaders of the Democratic congressional majority—Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and John Murtha and many others—have been doing their own version of Emily Latella. For the past year, they’ve argued that the Iraq war is unwinnable, that we’ve already lost, and that the only thing to do is depart, defeated and chastened by our experience. Using a variety of unsuccessful legislative ploys, they’ve been trying to wind down the war in Iraq. Those on the Right would claim that they’re defeatists, while those on the Left argue that they’re realists and that Iraq is a quagmire that simply cannot be won.

This Left-leaning narrative was promulgated enthusiastically by the MSM and adopted by a significant percentage of Americans.

But now, we’ve reached an “I’m sorry, never mind” moment. Reports across the MSM reflect a significant turnaround in Iraq. Ralph Peters summarizes:

Attacks of every kind are down by at least half - in some cases by more than three-quarters. A wounded country's struggling back to health. And our mortal enemies, al Qaeda's terrorists, have suffered a defeat from which they may never fully recover: They've lost street cred.

Things could still go wrong in Iraq, but there’s absolutely no question that important strategic accomplishments have been made and that the war must now be considered in a different light. Why the success. Again from Peters:

We didn't quit: Even as some of us began to suspect that Iraqi society was hopelessly sick, our troops stood to and did their duty bravely …

Gen. David Petraeus took command: Petraeus brought three vital qualities to our effort: He wants to win, not just keep the lid on the pot; he never stops learning and adapting, and he provides top-cover for innovative subordinates …

The surge: While the increase in troop numbers was important, allowing us to consolidate gains in neighborhoods we'd rid of terrorists and insurgents, the psychological effect of the surge was crucial. Pre-surge, our enemies were convinced they were winning - they monitored our media, which assured them that America would quit. Sorry, Muqtada - that's what you get for believing The New York Times. …

Fanatical enemies: We lucked out when al Qaeda declared Iraq the central front in its war against civilization. Our monstrous foes alienated their local allies so utterly that al Qaeda in Iraq is now largely a spent force - the hunted, not the hunters. The terrorists have suffered a strategic humiliation …

The Iraqis are sick of bloodshed and destruction: This is the least-recognized factor - but it's critical. We still don't fully understand the mechanics of black-to-white mood shifts in populations, but such transitions determine strategic outcomes…

And yet, with all of this, the Democratic leadership along with a majority of Democratic presidential contenders and virtually all of the angry-Left insist that we need to leave Iraq precipitously. It’s as if they refuse to see the new reality and adapt to it. It’s as if they want to lose. In my view, they could all learn something from Emily Latella, and simply say, “I’m sorry, never mind.”