Die by the poll Dems

Since the Dems make a practice of sticking their fingers in the wind, it may be live by the poll, die by the poll. A couple of polls show a shift in the winds for winning the war. AP-Ipsos, via Brendan Miniter, WSJ, RCP:

In mid-January an Associated Press-Ipsos poll found that public support for President Bush's troop surge increased to 35%, up from 26% a few weeks earlier. The same poll found that a slim majority of Americans were against the war in Iraq, but 68% said they opposed shutting off funds to fight it, and 60% said they would oppose Congress's withholding funds necessary to send additional troops.

Now we have a poll released today, by the well-regarded POS. Summary at Powerline:

These poll results suggest that, apart from the irresponsibility of their position on the merits, the Democrats' defeatist approach to Iraq may not be a winning political strategy. In fact, the Dems' approach may be a dubious political strategy precisely because of its weakness on the merits.

According to the survey, conducted by Public Opinion Strategies, 57 percent of Americans say “The Iraq War is a key part of the global war on terrorism.” 57 percent also “support finishing the job in Iraq, that is, keeping the troops there until the Iraqi government can maintain control and provide security for its people."

Also an earlier poll from Investors Business Daily. The outcome in Iraq is not certain, but the Democrats' strategy embraces certain defeat. Americans don't like gutless defeatists and whiners. We want to support our troops, finish the job in Iraq and win the war on terror.

UPDATE: Ed Koch, former mayor of NYC, "Will Embarrassing the President Make Us Safer?":

Democrats and some Republicans in Congress are seeking to humble, embarrass and, if they can, destroy the President and the prestige of his position as the Commander-in-Chief who is responsible for the safety of our military forces and the nation's defenses. By doing so, they are adding to the dangers that face our nation. And so I ask again them again: do you think that leaving a power vacuum in Iraq will make us safer? If, as a result of the power vacuum, the terrorists are emboldened and God forbid we sustain here in the U.S. civilian casualties comparable to those caused in Iraq by car bombs, will you publicly accept responsibility?