Bill Kristol says that George Bush emboldened Al Qaeda and terrorists around the world by losing the Iraq war

That's exactly what Republican pundit Bill Kristol said yesterday on FOX.

Sure, he'll deny that's what he said, but that's the clear meaning of his words. Kristol made clear that an American withdrawal (in defeat) from Iraq would embolden terrorists across the globe.

In fact, we are going to have such a withdrawal in failure because George Bush and the Republicans lost the war in Iraq through their incompetence. Just like Vietnam, once a war is lost it's only a matter of time before you withdraw and it "emboldens" others. But also like Vietnam, once the war is lost it's lost. You have no other choice.

We'd of course not have to face an embarrassing and terror-emboldening withdrawal from Iraq if George Bush and the Republicans hadn't 1) invaded the wrong country, and 2) then lost the war through their incompetence. Had we kept our eye on the "war on terror" ball, we'd never be facing the sorry reality that George Bush lost the war in Iraq and now he's going to have to withdraw and embolden terrorists worldwide. But that's what happens when you screw up and lose.

Let's all thank Bill Kristol for clearing all that up.