In light of today's New York Times story on the success in Basra ("In a rare success, forces loyal to Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki have largely quieted the city, to the initial surprise and growing delight of many inhabitants who only a month ago shuddered under deadly clashes between Iraqi troops and Shiite militias."), a little trip down defeatist lane:

"I hope we don't hear any glorification of what happened in Basra,” House Speaker Rep. Nancy Pelosi, 4/3/08. [I guess the NYT didn’t get the memo.]

"Prime Minister Maliki's action in Basra once again demonstrated Prime Minister Maliki's incompetence." Senator Carl Levin, 4/9/08

"It is my understanding… that really Sadr won politically in terms of the confrontation in Basra." Senator Claire McCaskill, D-Missouri, 4/8/08

"On the operation in Basra, which I continue to think was a very ill-thought out enterprise. This was not a broad-based enterprise against militias… And nor was it narrowly focused on the so-called special groups. It was -- let's call it what is was: It was another step in an internal Shiite civil war." Robert Malley, 4/8/08

Robert Malley, of course, was an Obama adviser at the time of that statement, though he was recently relieved of his campaign duties when it became clear that he'd been holding meetings with members of Hamas (organizing the endorsement?). One wonders, though, if this is the kind of analysis Obama will be relying on in order to make military decisions as commander in chief. As for our fearless Democratic Congressmen, what a disgrace.