April 9, 2008

Watching and reading the testimony of General David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker reminds us of the top quality leadership this country enjoys.

As you know if you are following this, General Petraeus believes significant progress has been made, but it is fragile. As Ambassador Crocker said, “developments over the last seven months have strengthened my sense of a positive trend, immense challenges remain and progress is uneven and often frustratingly slow, but there is progress.” And then Crocker added: “sustaining that progress will require continuing U.S. resolve and commitment. What has been achieved is substantial, but it is also reversible.”

This is key. If we quit before the job is complete, as some liberals demand, all of the gains will be reversed as al-Qaeda establishes a new base for its world war. No two wars are alike and this war – which is more than Iraq – is going to be long. It will have victories and setbacks, but we will lose this war – indeed all free people will lose – if we do not maintain our resolve and commitment. Any questions?

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Cal Thomas is a nationally syndicated columnist based in Washington, D.C.