Yes.
>Setting up the issue as one of failure on our part
>discourages newcomers to struggle who are willing to learn and mobilize,
>esp. given that more people are paying far more attention to what the
>warlord class has been doing in a long time. Totally agree with the last
>sentence.......
It seems to me people take two roads: (1) We were crazy to think we could stop the war, of course it's just part of a long term struggle, so we shouldn't get all depressed about it. (2) Contained in the moment was the possibility of stopping the war but we failed because of factors X, Y and Z. I think both can be encouraging to newcomers, who after all want to figure out strategy--or at least hear people debating it--as much as old hands do.
As I've said before, I think it's significant that 25-30% in the U.S. refused to buy the bullshit, and that's after a record-breaking propaganda offensive.
I count that as a victory in itself. I'd go further and say that we actually developed substantial capacity to take advantage of the fraying of the Bush project that we're seeing now. Hell, even the Democrats are starting to timidly pile on.
Jenny Brown