The assessment by Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, and Jack Murtha was really grim at yesterday's press conference.

They argued that the President's delay in troop withdrawals was "covering a policy of failure. Indeed, Hillary had this to say.

"If the American forces leave, they will lose everything. And if they stay, they will bleed to death."

Obama gave this assessment.

"Iraq nowadays is the most important battlefield on which our mujahedeen are waging a war against the forces of the Zionist-Christian Crusade," al-Zawahri said. "Therefore, supporting the mujahideen in Iraq and especially the Islamic State of Iraq is a most important duty."

Yeah, yeah, yeah -- I know, Barack Obama isn't a Muslim or a terrorist. He's just supported by them.

And no, this isn't Democrat leaders speaking -- it is Ayman al-Zawahri, number two to Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

But it is telling, isn't it, that the position he takes on Iraq is the same as is taken by the "loyal opposition" here in the United States.

The al-Zawahri tape does make it clear, though, that Americans have a stark choice this fall.

Republican or Democrat.

Victory or defeat.

You decide.