Thursday, August 19, 2004
If Only Kerry Could Say the Same
OK, folks, let's just get it off our chests one more time: The War in Iraq was a mistake. There are lots of reasons why this is the case, such as timing, commitment of world and regional support (or lack thereof), a huge military deficit, no plan for getting out or really no plan for anything. TeamBush drank the Koolaid that was proffered up by very vested Iraqi exile groups like Chalabi's INC--a yummy concoction of misinformation that played well into the hands of PNAC stalwarts like Cheney, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz etal. whose philosophy since the mid-90s was that the US had to take out Saddam for a variety of reasons, specific cause be damned. We don't even need to go into the trumped up WMD stuff here.
Retiring GOP Rep. Doug Bereuter (Neb.), a 13-term member who is a senior member of the House International Relations Committee and vice chairman of the House intelligence committee, has written a letter to his constituents which states that: "I felt I should send you a forthright update of my views and conclusions on the subject before I leave office." Even noting what he called "a massive failure or misinterpretation of intelligence," he still felt that TeamBush made other errors about the rush to war without thinking through the likely consequences. Bereuter concluded that:
""From the beginning of the conflict, it was doubtful that we for long would be seen as liberators, but instead increasingly as an occupying force," he said. "Now we are immersed in a dangerous, costly mess, and there is no easy and quick way to end our responsibilities in Iraq without creating bigger future problems in the region and, in general, in the Muslim world."
Bereuter said that as a result of the war, "our country's reputation around the world has never been lower, and our alliances are weakened.""
Two points: It's sad that only retiring members on either side of the aisle feel free to speak their minds and be honest when it goes against the 'prevailing narrative' being spun by their party. And secondly, most importantly, what the hell is Kerry doing saying that he'd authorize and support the War in Iraq now, even knowing what we now know?! Just insane.
I mean, of course Bush has to say that--he's staked his presidency on this military flub, so he has to act like his decision was the best thing for the US since the Moon landing or face up to having a lot more free time to chop wood in Crawford come next January.
But for Kerry it's a major gaffe, I think. Helen Thomas agrees with me--and that's always good company to be in. If Kerry loses this election it will be because of campaign errors, not actual policy. Right now it is his to lose. . . and that's what scares me.
OK, folks, let's just get it off our chests one more time: The War in Iraq was a mistake. There are lots of reasons why this is the case, such as timing, commitment of world and regional support (or lack thereof), a huge military deficit, no plan for getting out or really no plan for anything. TeamBush drank the Koolaid that was proffered up by very vested Iraqi exile groups like Chalabi's INC--a yummy concoction of misinformation that played well into the hands of PNAC stalwarts like Cheney, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz etal. whose philosophy since the mid-90s was that the US had to take out Saddam for a variety of reasons, specific cause be damned. We don't even need to go into the trumped up WMD stuff here.
Retiring GOP Rep. Doug Bereuter (Neb.), a 13-term member who is a senior member of the House International Relations Committee and vice chairman of the House intelligence committee, has written a letter to his constituents which states that: "I felt I should send you a forthright update of my views and conclusions on the subject before I leave office." Even noting what he called "a massive failure or misinterpretation of intelligence," he still felt that TeamBush made other errors about the rush to war without thinking through the likely consequences. Bereuter concluded that:
""From the beginning of the conflict, it was doubtful that we for long would be seen as liberators, but instead increasingly as an occupying force," he said. "Now we are immersed in a dangerous, costly mess, and there is no easy and quick way to end our responsibilities in Iraq without creating bigger future problems in the region and, in general, in the Muslim world."
Bereuter said that as a result of the war, "our country's reputation around the world has never been lower, and our alliances are weakened.""
Two points: It's sad that only retiring members on either side of the aisle feel free to speak their minds and be honest when it goes against the 'prevailing narrative' being spun by their party. And secondly, most importantly, what the hell is Kerry doing saying that he'd authorize and support the War in Iraq now, even knowing what we now know?! Just insane.
I mean, of course Bush has to say that--he's staked his presidency on this military flub, so he has to act like his decision was the best thing for the US since the Moon landing or face up to having a lot more free time to chop wood in Crawford come next January.
But for Kerry it's a major gaffe, I think. Helen Thomas agrees with me--and that's always good company to be in. If Kerry loses this election it will be because of campaign errors, not actual policy. Right now it is his to lose. . . and that's what scares me.
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