The Iraq War and the Gas crisis: Exit stage 'Right' for Obama and the Dems?

The Democrats have defined themselves as against both the war in Iraq and increased off-shore oil drilling. Recent events however, show these positions to be possibly untenable. The war in Iraq is going so well that it is now quite clear that the only way to reverse this success would be an arbitrary withdrawal of US forces. Recently, Barack Obama has commendably stated that he would not withdraw US forces from Iraq if their presence was needed to maintain the gains General Petraeus realized with his controversial troop surge. There are now no true anti-war candidates left.

$4.00 per gallon gasoline is apparently the threshold at which most Americans will walk away from our Hummers and F-150's. In a recent poll, a majority of Americans favor increasing domestic supplies of oil. The Democrats have a point that it will probably be several years before the fruits of any new drilling hit the market. However, what exactly is the Dem's Grand Strategy?. A windfall profits tax levied on oil companies? A $1,000 tax credit? More emphasis on alternative sources of energy?. Hardly anybody,(including myself), would seriously argue against the last two ideas, but the sheer idiocy of the first, espoused by both Candidate Obama and the Democratic-led congress is truly epic. Just what do they expect Exxon, RD Shell, and BP to do? Accept the new reality of artificially/arbitrarily lowered profit margins? In reality they would simply pass the cost of the new tax on us, the consumer. Just how does this tactic alleviate the pain of $4 a gallon gas?

What of the Republicans, then? When it comes to Iraq, McCain has been steadfastly advocating the very course of action Obama has now adopted. While McCain wishes to keep ANWR intact, he feels individual states should be allowed to make the call on new offshore drilling. McCain is also a proponent of alternative energy, having recently advocated a Federally funded reward to be given to the inventor(s) of a radically improved electric car battery.

In 2004, the Democrats found themselves on the wrong side of the defense debate. Now, in 2008, they find themselves on the wrong side of the energy debate. I, for one, can't wait until they support new offshore oil drilling.