So: an American soldier is abducted and held in Sadr City, the Army sets up a cordon in an effort to force the soldier’s release, but then meekly gives in when Maliki orders them to. This whole situation seems tailor-made for Democrats in an election year: Why have we abandoned an American soldier? Why are we letting Maliki give orders to U.S. generals? Who’s in charge over there? ~Kevin Drum

Whether or not it is “tailor-made” for anyone in a political context is irrelevant, though it is not an illegitimate thing to bring up as a serious question during the election.  It certainly is relevant that a lot of the “fake outrage” the Derb noted over the Kerry flap comes on the heels of what must appear to almost all as a bizarre case of the U.S. military being told what to do by a foreign government (which is in league with one of the death squad/militia leaders) when it comes to combating the very militias and death squads that are bringing Iraq to its knees and in an attempt to free one of our own soldiers from captivity.  It does not really matter whether Maliki made the wisest tactical decision here (though I disagree with Drum that it was probably the right move).  It was not his call to make.  We can pretend that Iraq’s government is free and independent all we like, but there is a simple reality: either Sadr dominates that government, or America does, and if Sadr can dictate what our forces do we may as well bring them home.  Which has been my point, expressed in various ways and for a number of other reasons, for some time now. 

If my reputation were tied to the ever-deepening fiasco that is Iraq, I would want to make a lot of noise about how John Kerry insulted the troops and draw attention away from the astonishing decision to seemingly abandon an American serviceman on the say-so of an Iraqi politician who is apparently not much more than Sadr’s puppet.  I await the cacophonous din of some real outrage over this from the same people who are so livid about Kerry.  Why do I think that I will be waiting for a long while? 

It certainly seems appalling to me that things have reached this point.  If this is what is meant by the Iraqis’ “standing up” and our “standing down,” I don’t think the public will want any part of it.  Why are Americans risking their lives for a government that evidently will not inconvenience itself politically to support operations designed to retrieve one of our soldiers?  What possible value to America can such a government really be?  Why should one more American give his life in defense of it?  The Republicans don’t really have an answer for that, do they?  Hence there is a lot of talk (much of it sincere, I think, as far as it goes) about their respect for the troops and even more talk (possibly sincere, but also misguided) about their adversaries’ alleged lack of respect, while they acquiesce in the same bad war that is getting too many Americans killed for what seems to be very much like nothing. 

Which is more scandalous: a stupid gaffe or a pointless war?  Which is more insulting to our troops: John Kerry’s pathetic rhetoric or letting Maliki order our soldiers away from Sadr City where one of their comrades-in-arms is held captive?  I acknowledge that a lot of people evidently took Kerry’s words badly, and I understand why they did, but if ever there was an inane tempest in a teapot this is it.  There really are more pressing questions at hand, and if we were already ashamed to have elections turning on things as ridiculous as macaca and Mark Foley we will be absolutely humiliated if we allow this flap to dictate the election.  If it does, the triviality and absurdity of democratic government will have been confirmed decisively.  

Update: The only mention today of anything to do with Iraq itself (and not what John Kerry did or didn’t say about Iraq) at The Corner was this link to Ralph Peters without commentary.  The Kerry-a-thon continues unabated.  Obviously, no mention of Maliki, Sadr City or anything else actually relevant to the fate of actual soldiers in Iraq.  Soldiers’ feelings, however, have been well taken care of.  Glad to know we all have our priorities straight.