Indeed if the Democrats weren't so preprogrammed to oppose all things Iraq all the time, they might have been heartened by the prime minister's message to Congress: his affirmation of Iraq's commitment to democracy, his strong denunciation of terrorism, his expressions of gratitude to the United States, and his earnest plea that we not abandon our mission.

But considering the anti-Iraq corner in which Democrats have placed themselves, it would be difficult for them to applaud al Maliki's optimism, much less his confirmation that Iraq is the front line in the war on terror.

While Sen. Durbin said some parts of the prime minister's speech were encouraging, he couldn't pass up the opportunity to condemn America's losses and expenditures in Iraq and to chide Iraq for not doing enough to take over the primary role in defending itself. Most offensively, he scolded Iraqis for not demonstrating a sufficient willingness to demonstrate they are willing to die for their own cause. Presumably Durbin is unaware of the Iraqi elections where Iraqi voters risked their lives to participate and of the huge number of Iraqi casualties in this war.

Durbin's co-critic, Sen. Jack Reed, took the podium to contradict al Maliki's favorable description of Iraq's economy and his "oversimpli[fication]" of the situation in Iraq. Reed said, "[Al Maliki] needs more than determination and public statements … ; he needs a plan …" Deja vu, anyone?

Ask yourselves: Why are Democrats so determined to slug the prime minister in the gut and discourage and insult the Iraqis who are caught in a life-threatening struggle for freedom by refusing to let stand -- even for a few brief diplomatic moments -- al Maliki's encouraging words about Iraqi progress?

Simple: Democrats have staked out their position on Iraq, and they will try to destroy anything or anyone who gets in their way.