The anti-war movement has finally succeeded in one critically important way. We've now got the language of the Iraq war on our side. From the beginning of the war, the news media was always using terms like "front on the war on terror" and talking about victories against the insurgency. Now their tune is changing.
If you look at the majority of news services now (not Faux News of course, they will stay loyal to the GOP until the end), you will notice a change in the language that they use of the war. The AP for example here talks about a deadly war "with no end in sight" this is a marked change from previous stories and the fact that places like CNN and other respected news sites are now beginning to use similar language is a sign that Bush has failed. When the media begins to use the sentiment of the public, despite the obvious resistance of this White House, it's a sign of victory.
A lot of people look to various media sources to get their belief systems and the media generally can help to enforce already existing beliefs. The fact that the media is now finally using terms like "civil war" and that there's "no end in sight" and acknowledging the popular dislike for the war all helps to shape the public opinion. In this case of course, it's shaping the opinion against the war.
While some people say that the Iraq war is not like Vietnam, I look to the past hopeful that history will in a way repeat itself. Not the bloodshed and death obviously, but the hope that, like in Vietnam, when public opinion turns away from the war and the media stops supporting the war, the pressure to leave soon becomes insurmountable. While we may not be to the point yet where the President will conceed complete defeat and retreat, I think that we are at least now in a position to have public support for not going along with his plans for a "Surge" (read: escalation). If the Democrats in Congress can just hold their ground on this subject and not allow more Americans to get roped into this terrible war, I think that Bush's support will completely fall out from under him and the Democrats will be able to cut funding for the war and bring our troops home.
And Fox News and the White House can call that defeat, cowardice, or whatever other words they wish to use. I don't care, I have a thick skin, as do most people. We can easily survive a war of words. We have the facts and the people on our side. This is the American People's big chance, tonight after Bush's speech, to stand up and say "No more, we want no more of our people to die for your arrogance" If we can dominate the media tomorrow with language like "no end in sight" and "civil war" and "quagmire" and resist Bush's desire for escalation we will have won the hearts and minds of the people and with that victory, we will be well placed for a real victory for this country.
Getting our soldiers out of Iraq and welcoming them home.