What do the constant claims that "the war is lost" and we need to "bring them home now" have on America's position in Iraq?

Try to imagine what was running through the mind of Hassan Kazemi Qomi, Iran's ambassador to Baghdad, as he sat across the negotiating table from his American counterpart, Ryan Crocker, last week. While the U.S. diplomat delivered his stern warning against Iranian meddling in Iraq, Qomi must have wondered: Why should I listen to this guy? Congress is going to start pulling U.S. troops out soon, no matter what he says.

That's the difficulty for Crocker and Gen. David Petraeus as they try to manage a stable transition in Iraq while Congress chants ever more loudly: "Troops out! Troops out!" It's hard for anyone to take American power seriously when prominent members of Congress are declaring the war already lost.

In short, though he essentially agrees with the position of this administration and those of us who still support victory in Iraq -- the Democrats in Congress have undercut the US military and national security with their efforts to ensure defeat in Iraq. Their efforts are making the situation in Iraq -- now and in the future -- worse rather than better.