I thought this was pretty good.

Running without shame

By Jay Nordlinger

A colleague was saying the other day, “What should Republicans run on,” in ’06? My answer (one of them): How about the Iraq War? Americans can be proud of what we’re doing in Iraq: both for ourselves and for others. The United States is bolstering its own security and performing a great service to Iraqis (and, by extension, to the Middle East at large).
 
The Iraq War is nothing to be ashamed of. The media, the Democratic party, and a strand of the Right have instructed the country that we ought to be ashamed.

In my view, Republicans — Bush-supporting Republicans — should tell the country something different. They should say, “We are doing a great and necessary thing,” going on to explain why. If the Democrats want to oppose that — let them. And let the electoral chips fall where they may.

America is a country that will stand up for itself, and it is a supremely idealistic country, a beacon to mankind. Self-styled “realists” have tried to make Americans ashamed of this. I’m afraid that, to a considerable extent, they have succeeded.

Push back against them, hard. Fight like hell against them.

America rescued Afghans from a beastly regime: the Taliban. America rescued Iraqis from another beastly regime: Saddam Hussein’s. And now that monster faces a democratic tribunal. America is currently staving off terrorists and beheaders in both Afghanistan and Iraq. We are giving people — including ourselves — a chance: a chance for a better world.

Do not succumb to the shame-mongers! Do not internalize their unjust criticisms! Fight against them, hard, hard.

The “critics” constantly have us on the defensive. How about putting them on the defensive?

After all our bloody, grueling work of the last several years, there’s no need to leave the field to the beheaders.

Is America proud of what it did in South Vietnam — to South Vietnam — in April 1975? The U.S. Congress forsook that government, after a twelve-year effort (costing more than 50,000 American lives). President Ford pleaded with Congress not to do it; Congress didn’t listen.

Boat people, reeducation camps, on and on and on.

I will say once more, while in rhetorical mode: Fight hard!