THE QUESTION DEMOCRATS HAVE TO ANSWER

From the RealClearPolitics website....

The question that Americans want Democrats to answer with clarity is this: when and where is the use of military force justified in the war against terrorism? After September 11 President Bush set forth a clear doctrine giving the American people answers to those questions. It's an aggressive policy and many people disagree with it, but at least it's something they can see, touch, and feel. Democrats, on the other hand, have sent the country very mixed signals since 9/11. This year John Kerry did little to help - indeed, he may have even hurt - the cause of clarifying the party's position on the use of American military force in the world. When part of the Democratic base doesn't believe military action in Afghanistan was justified, or when leaders of the Democratic party were wholeheartedly in favor of military action in Kosovo without UN approval but were against the first Gulf War or are opposed to the current War in Iraq, Americans have every right to wonder what they're thinking and be skeptical of their judgment.

This is the issue that made the difference in 2004, and will make the difference in every future election until Americans either feel we are at peace (as during the 90s) or the Democrats coalesce around a coherent answer that more Americans find acceptable as an alternative to the GOP's answer.