Frame Iraq Redeployment as forced Responsibility

ILLUSTRATED: The responsible decision, and the moral decision in Iraq is to redeploy from a political struggle to strategic positions abroad and at home.

As I begin writing this, Karl Rove is on the television, criticizing members of our party for advocating a "cut 'n run" strategy, after voting for the U.N.-Iraq resolution. Rove claims we advocate leaving when the going got tough. He claims we will look weak and humiliated. He claims nobody will trust us.

-The administration never missed an opportunity to miss an opportunity. The career staff at the State Department and the military had plans of how to win. But the political leadership messed up Iraq.
-A failed occupation led to a terrorist insurgency from 2003-2005. And now a civil war.
-Only the Iraqi people can solve this political problem, not American soldiers. The only incentive Iraqi politicians have to get their act together is the knowledge that they are gradually losing American protection.
-Compare it to welfare dependency. You have only a few years of support, and that limit forces people to get their act together. FRAME IT AS FORCED RESPONSIBILITY.
-Lastly, it is immoral to keep American troops in harm's way so politicians won't be embarrassed. The whole world knows Bush screwed up. Bush is the embarrassment. We must redeploy to strategic positions that will strengthen us, not continue to drain us.

Leaked GOP Talking Points

ILLUSTRATED: Redeploy, don't Remain

Here are the leaked talking points for the House Republicans memo. Basically it amounts to reminding the people of the scary 9/11 world we live in and that the GOP is strong for staying in Iraq, and the Democrats are weak for wanting to leave. "Resolve vs Retreat" is their mantra, and they are trying to make us look weak, as they did successfully in 2002 and 2006.

How we fight back: Redeploy, don't Remain
-Iraq is in a civil war now. The last thing American soldiers can do is force Democracy upon a diverse country at the point of a rifle.
-The key is the political involvement of the Sunnis. We get chits and credibility when we look like we want a political soluiton. In short "when we reduce our troops in Iraq, we increase our political strength in Iraq".
-With Iran, North Korea, and al-Queda festering, we cannot have 130,000 troops tied down in a hopeless military situation. "REDEPLOY" (don't say "withdraw", that sounds weak)

Language for Democrats

ILLUSTRATED: Language tense is as important as language itself
Your words are your ideas incapsulated.
The tone of your words and your body language communicate you leadership style and character.

George Orwell has written on it. Even conservative wordsmith Frank Luntz speaks volumes in the title of his upcoming book, It's not what you say, it's what they hear. I'll add on it's your body language in saying it.
For a speechwriter, that means it's not what you put down on paper, it's what is communicated to the audience. Not just ideas, but the candidates leadership style, and values.

Here's my take
Democratic politician says: "Withdraw from Iraq". The American people hear "We back down from a fight. We might blink when we are eyeball to eyeball with a villan".
Say: "Let's redeploy our forces."

Democratic politician says: "We're spending $450 on the Pentagon, while our schools are underfunded, and our people are without healthcare". The American people hear "Democrats don't understand the federal government is not just a big local government. They can't be trusted to fight wars and conduct foreign policy."
Say: "Our military is strong and will stay strong if we transfer some of its budget to fortify schools and public health".

Democratic politician is asked about "security" and says: "I am for social security, job security, and family security." The American people hear "I don't know squat about foreign policy and want to distract you from that fact."
Say: "[something intelligent, there are many talking points on this blog]"