Writing in The Washington Times, Diana West appears to be having a minor schizoid episode: She doesn’t seem to think that a “surge” in Iraq would be successful, or even that it would do much for U.S. security interests in the unlikely event that it were. But she’s also “incensed” at legislators who are opposing it, because it’s “a disgraceful way for lawmakers to send troops off anywhere. ” Well, yeah, but the key “disgraceful” component here, it seems, is sending them on a mission you believe to be a futile gesture, not so much the saying so. What are you supposed to do when you think your country is sending good men and women to their deaths in a cause whose failure you regard as all but preordained? Just shut up because Bush will probably do it anyway? If instead West thinks legislators should use the power of the purse to actually block the surge, rather than merely voicing opposition, she should say so.