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Presidential candidate John McCain. (AP) Success of Iraq surge boosts McCain's presidential campaign By Shmuel Rosner, Haaretz Correspondent Tags: Iraq, John McCain  RACE FOR THE WHITE HOUSE: Bush has not forgotten Olmert's early praise of his achievements in Iraq. WASHINGTON - Ten members of the U.S. military stationed in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere were called to the phone Monday night, Christmas Eve. President George Bush was on the line. "Merry Christmas," he told them, and thanked them for their service to their country. Briefing reporters on this important news, White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said the president told them that they were serving a noble cause. Most Americans no longer agree with that view, but most of the time, they are in denial about the war. A week ago, the weekly National Journal polled 129 members of both houses of Congress and asked them to grade the performance of their respective party leaderships on Iraq. The results were decisive: The Republican minority expressed satisfaction, with 49 percent giving the GOP leadership an A, 41 percent a B and only 10 percent awarding a C, D or F. The Democratic majority was dissatisfied with its leaders, with only 5 percent awarding them an A, 45 percent a B and 50 percent a C, D or F. Advertisement Advertisement Republicans are having a tough time with the Iraq issue, which is chiefly responsible for the American public's loss of faith in Bush and his party. But it is difficult for Democrats, too: Their Congressional leadership has been unable to maneuver the administration into making concessions, while the party's presidential candidates promise to end the war but cannot quite say how or when. The military's success on the ground since Bush's troop surge began has made it even more difficult for the Democrats. It is hard to argue with success. John McCain, the candidate most identified with Bush's stance on Iraq, once looked as if this issue would bury his campaign. But the success of the surge is helping his poll numbers, and now, he is trying to return Iraq to the forefront of voters' minds. Last week, he got another boost: U.S. Senator Joe Lieberman of Connecticut - who was the Democrats' vice presidential candidate just seven years ago - announced that he was supporting McCain, a Republican, in the 2008 presidential race. The White House has embraced Lieberman due to his support for the war, which almost cost him his political career. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, who annoyed many Democratic legislators when he praised Bush's achievements in Iraq before there were any, won valuable points for his stance. Bush has not forgotten: The incident is often cited to explain the good relationship between the two leaders. Unlike the Iranian front, where Israel suffered a blow with the publication of the new National Intelligence Estimate, in Iraq, the situation has gone Israel's way. Both Olmert and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni publicly cautioned against beating a hasty retreat, provoking criticism that they were interfering in a controversial domestic issue. But now, a hasty retreat looks increasingly unlikely. All three leading Democratic contenders - Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards - shocked many of their voters when they explained that they could not promise to remove all American forces from Iraq within five years. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Pre-Iowa Israel Factor The panel is certain that Clinton is the better Democratic candidate for Israel. The Jewish connection Jeremy Goldberg works to connect Barack Obama with Jewish voters.   1.   Surge 16:23  |  Eric 26/12/07   2.   Surge Ctnd. 16:34  |  Eric 26/12/07   3.   #1 - what would you consider a success ? 16:42  |  redmike 26/12/07   4.   IS SURGE A SUCCESS? 17:02  |  indrajaya 26/12/07   5.   Eric in NY 17:07  |  rich 26/12/07   6.   Who is Barack Obama? 17:16  |  Bengurion 26/12/07   7.   Evaluating the Surge 17:19  |  Mark of Lewiston 26/12/07   8.   @3 Mike 17:20  |  Mark B. 26/12/07   9.   to redmike 17:23  |  uday 26/12/07   10.   McCain should know better 17:28  |  Natallie Durson 26/12/07   11.   5 Rich in London - Carrier USS Iraq 17:32  |  Mark of Lewiston 26/12/07   12.   # 6, BENGURION 17:48  |  indrajaya 26/12/07   13.   10 Natallie Durson - Mistaken on McCain 17:49  |  Mark of Lewiston 26/12/07   14.   rosner you are no more than an ignorant necon 17:51  |  Anne Marie 26/12/07   15.   Oh please 17:54  |  Dave 26/12/07   16.   #13 mark and the miracle of a political solution ? 18:01  |  victor hardman 26/12/07   17.   You`re right Indrajaya, it was a hoax! 18:16  |  The Ultimate Jew 26/12/07   18.   Eric the Staunch Zionist 18:28  |  3arabi 26/12/07   19.   surge success 18:51  |  barry 26/12/07   20.   Naysayers ignorant of the facts 19:06  |  Gili 26/12/07   21.   16 Victor - Military Success 19:30  |  Mark of Lewiston 26/12/07   22.   20 Gili in Montreal - Judging Success 19:38  |  Mark of Lewiston 26/12/07   23.   surge 19:39  |  Eric 26/12/07   24.   #6 - Bengurion 19:39  |  MichaelF 26/12/07   25.   Overall Point 19:44  |  Eric 26/12/07   26.   Surge "success" not necessarily a good thing 19:45  |  MichaelF 26/12/07   27.   # 23, ERIC 19:53  |  indrajaya 26/12/07   28.   #27 20:16  |  Eric 26/12/07   29.   The Ultimate Jew and Obama credibility 20:44  |  Bengurion 26/12/07   30.   # 13 Mark of Lewiston 21:15  |  Natallie Durson 26/12/07   31.   Mark in Lewiston 22:14  |  rich 26/12/07   32.   #8 - of course, because he`s not white! 23:30  |  redmike 26/12/07   33.   #30 rich assigns emotions to Mark of lewiston. 00:26  |  Labhras 27/12/07   34.   # 20 gili 00:47  |  Axel 27/12/07   35.   Ben Gurion and Indrajaya 00:55  |  King of Jews 27/12/07   36.   30 Rich in London 01:44  |  Mark of Lewiston 27/12/07   37.   Israel & Iraq 02:18  |  jack 27/12/07   38.   bengurion, stick with your mel gibson movies 02:36  |  yadu 27/12/07   39.   # 35, MARK OF LEWISTON 03:08  |  indrajaya 27/12/07   40.   He doesn`t stand a chance 04:11  |  Brod 27/12/07   41.   YES!! IT IS A SUCCESS, YOU LIBERALS!! 04:52  |  cristo 27/12/07   42.   # 38, BROD 10:07  |  indrajaya 27/12/07   43.   30 Natallie - Mission Change 20:42  |  Mark of Lewiston 27/12/07   44.   30 Natallie - Mission Change - 2 21:00  |  Mark of Lewiston 27/12/07   45.   Bill Richardson, Experienced Diplomat 10:23  |  Phillip A Reed 03/01/08   46.   Bill Richardson For President! 10:28  |  Phillip A Reed 03/01/08

Today Online Amos Harel: Israel is not the only one exercising restraint Responses: 24 Ramon: Crackdown on outposts likely to start after Bush visit Responses: 19 Wiesenthal Center calls on UN to focus on suicide bombings Responses: 24 Editorial: The IDF is an army that has ceased to function as an army Responses: 18 Rosner: Turning the Green Line red, one settlement at a time Responses: 10 Rosner's Domain Iowa caucus: Here come the tribal leaders The green line is turning red Guest: Is it important for American Jews to learn Hebrew? Obama, Huckabee widen leads in Iowa, but anything could happen WTR Des Moines edition: If McCain goes up, down goes Giuliani More Headlines 11:16 IDF troops kill two Hamas militants in northern Gaza 09:10 Ramon: Crackdown on outposts likely to start after Bush visit 12:21 Obama, Huckabee head to New Hampshire after big wins in Iowa 09:07 Wiesenthal Center calls on UN to formally address suicide attacks 09:31 Barak considers calling for early elections by end of 2008 04:02 Ashkelon decides against activating rocket alarm system 06:24 Analysis: Katyusha in Ashkelon / The other side is cautious too 06:37 PA forces uncover Hamas explosives lab in Nablus 09:53 Swimmers protest destruction of Tel Aviv's Gordon swimming pool 08:37 British scientist toys with theory of a Jewish 'gene' for genetics Previous Editions Select Day 03 jan 02 jan 01 jan 31 dec 30 dec 28 dec 27 dec 26 dec 25 dec 24 dec 23 dec 21 dec

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