Giving aid and comfort. . .

From The Washington Times:

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said yesterday that Congress' push to oppose President Bush's troop increase in Iraq "emboldens the enemy" and undercuts the commanders in the field.

[. . .]

"A resolution that, in effect, says that the general going out to take command of the arena shouldn't have the resources he thinks he needs to be successful certainly emboldens the enemy and our adversaries," he said in his first press conference. "Any indication of flagging will in the United States gives encouragement to those folks. And I'm sure that that's not the intent behind the resolutions, but I think it may be the effect," Mr. Gates said.

As I've said before the enemy's greatest asset is hope. They cannot defeat us on the battlefield, in fact they cannot defeat the Iraqi Army on the battlefield (they probably couldn't even defeat the French Army on the battlefield). They know that in absolute terms they are nearly powerless, but America's past actions indicate that we are extremely weak willed and will run if faced with resolute resistance.

AS long as they believe that they will be willing to say "yes" one more time than we will be willing to say "no" they will continue the fight.