The surge is not the issue

This will be a rather short diary, but this "surge" meme, along with the tepid response, is bothering me. Folks are apoplectic because McCain is acting like a Republican and the media are acting like the corporate prostitutes they are.

And yet what goes largely unmentioned is that the Democrats are again buying into the Thug framing. The "surge" has become the issue.  Did the surge work? Were there other factors involved in the reduction of violence? The problem of accepting that framing is that it ignores the real issue, the invasion of Iraq, which was based on lies that were apparent before the illegal military action took place.

McCain wants to trumpet his judgment. Excellent. Then let’s examine his judgment, and that of Senator Obama. Who voted for the invasion which has cost the lives of over 5000 American service personnel? What does that suggest about the judgment of a man who, when faced with the most important vote of this decade, made the wrong choice?

Without the invasion, the "surge" is a moot point. McCain would love to have the debate on Iraq center on the surge. It takes the spotlight away from his lack of judgment regarding the vote for the AUMF.

Jackals behave as jackals. Vermin behave as vermin. Republicans behave like the unprincipled thugs they are. Why should their behavior, or that of the media, surprise anyone? But the larger question is why are the Democrats again allowing the Thugs to frame the issue?