Only Three Ways to End a War

I keep hearing people (mostly Democratic politicians) say they want the war in Iraq to end. I don't know what's more discouraging--the intellectual dishonesty, the historical ignorance or the craven political opportunism. But in any case, here's a quick refresher. War can only end in three ways:

1) Lose. When you get smacked by the other side, you give up. Or fight to the last man. Either way, the war is over.

2) Draw. Both sides get tired of it, draw an imaginary line on the map and stop shooting across. (See Korean Conflict)

3) Win. Smack the other side hard enough so that they give up. Or fight till their last man is gone. Either way, the war is over.

I don't think even Nancy Pelosi wants option one (her political statements would lead to it, but I don't think she's smart enough to realize that.) But these politicans are living in a fantasy world if they think we can get option two. (They have no interest in doing what it takes to get option three).

The reality is that option two requires an agreement from the other side in order to work. And that's where it all goes all the rails for the peaceniks. Iraq is not the war--it is simply a major battlefield in the war. We can stop the fighting in Iraq by retreating...but that won't stop the war.

And it's interesting that as the surge works, and continues to reduce the violence in Iraq month after month, the calls for us to give up and come home haven't stopped. The Dems have so much invested in Iraq being a complete failure that they don't seem to able to bring themselves to acknowledge the facts. Will the war end? Most do. (Even the Hundred Years War...although it lasted 116 years.) Will we win? Not if we don't insist on it.