In the last few weeks Harry Reid, when not proclaiming the war in Iraq lost, has been yammering about giving the troops in Iraq a “strategy for success.”

Now North Dakota’s own Byron Dorgan, by way of excusing the pork-filled defeat-invoking appropriations bill he just voted for, is also using the “strategy” word:

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) --- U.S. Senator Byron Dorgan (D-ND) said Thursday the supplemental appropriations bill now on its way to the White House fully funds U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, and includes $4 billion more for the Defense Department than the President requested.

Dorgan said he does not support a funding cut-off and does not support a hard deadline that could jeopardize funding for troops in the field. “This legislation contains neither,” he said.

Dorgan said the legislation provides more than $100 billion for the Defense Department, including more money than the President requested for protecting U.S. soldiers from roadside bombs, meeting the health needs of soldiers and treating veterans when they return home.

“This legislation also includes ‘goals’ for a new strategy in Iraq, which is urgently needed,” Dorgan said. “It makes clear to the Iraqi government that they need to set some timelines and goals for the Iraqi government to begin providing for their own security.

To me, if you have a “strategy” for something you’re trying to achieve something.  Accomplish something.  Win something.  Yet the only thing in this appropriations bill the Dems are sending to the President that could even be called “strategy” is a limp, kinda-sorta binding withdrawal date.  And I don’t think anyone could call that a “strategy for success” in Iraq.

A “strategy” for losing the war and embarrassing your political opponents for gain in the elections in 2008, sure.  But not a strategy for winning the war.

I just wish the Democrats would come right out and say what they want in Iraq, which is for us to abandon the Iraqis (something which would result in bloodshed that would make the current violence there seem like a walk in the park) and bring the troops home immediately.  But they apparently aren’t honest enough for that.  Or, more accurately, they know that if they were clear on what they want for Iraq the American people (who largely aren’t paying close attention to any of this) would revolt.