Putting aside the arguments over Kos' tone and phrasing, there is a very important strategic point to be taken from his post earlier today.
In short, Democrats cannot win elections -- and cannot stop the disastrous policies of the Bush Administration -- if they are perceived as "anti-war" in general. Rather, they must make it clear that they are "anti-THIS-war."
Moreover, since consensus is impossible within the party on immediate withdrawal, Dems need to focus on a withdrawal message that puts the onus on Bush to come up with a plan to fix the mess he's created. (As discussed below, Cindy Sheehan's diary entry today recognizes that the focus of the protests should not be on immediate withdrawal.)
Against that background, here are two suggestions for messages that (1) are simple enough for effective protest signs and (2) can be comfortably embraced by almost everyone in the party.
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