Monday, September 11, 2006
There he goes again.
The President says:
But, Mr. President, you've squandered our precious capital with the diversion in Iraq. Conflating Saddam Hussein's repressive regime with the terrorists that attacked civilization has been a costly mistake for America.
So is the misguided notion that America is in a fight to the death with the terrorists who DID attack civilization, with only one emerging victorious. We should be thankful that the terrorists do NOT have the capability to destroy civilization, but mindful that civilization is capable of destroying itself.
Indeed, patriotic Americans who are aware that the US is a strong nation that should not be distracted and discard its core values have a duty on election day. We've got a Democracy, and it is time to hold the President accountable for squandering the US's precious resources abroad, of human capital, of economic capital, and of diplomatic capital.
“America did not ask for this war, and every American wishes it were over,” Bush said. “The war is not over — and it will not be over until either we or the extremists emerge victorious.”
But, Mr. President, you've squandered our precious capital with the diversion in Iraq. Conflating Saddam Hussein's repressive regime with the terrorists that attacked civilization has been a costly mistake for America.
So is the misguided notion that America is in a fight to the death with the terrorists who DID attack civilization, with only one emerging victorious. We should be thankful that the terrorists do NOT have the capability to destroy civilization, but mindful that civilization is capable of destroying itself.
Indeed, patriotic Americans who are aware that the US is a strong nation that should not be distracted and discard its core values have a duty on election day. We've got a Democracy, and it is time to hold the President accountable for squandering the US's precious resources abroad, of human capital, of economic capital, and of diplomatic capital.
Friday, September 08, 2006
Hold On a Minute.
Charles Krauthammer calls Iraq "A Civil War We Can Still Win".
I think it's safe to say the concensus talking point among conservatives remains that if the US withdraws from Iraq, then there will be a civil war, but right now, the US occupation is the only thing preventing outright civil war. And that is probably about accountability, or at least it sure ought to be.
The principal objections to going to war with Iraq were first that Iraq had nothing to do with the terrorists who bombed the World Trade Center; second, that Iraq probably did not have the capability to develop serious weapons of mass destruction; and third, that it was quite likely that deposing Saddam would lead to a destabilized Iraq ripe for development of terrorist groups opposing the US occupation and a civil war.
If, in fact, four years later, there is a civil war in Iraq, then there should be some accountability for that here at home. Someone should take responsibility. If this was the corporate world, the CEO would resign. In another time, those responsible would fall on their swords, or perhaps flee into exile. In the US governing tradition, we would at least see a sweeping clean of the advisors to the President who pushed the policies that lead us astray.
Lacking anyone accepting accountability, the only reasonable response in a Democracy is to throw out the ruling party.
I think it's safe to say the concensus talking point among conservatives remains that if the US withdraws from Iraq, then there will be a civil war, but right now, the US occupation is the only thing preventing outright civil war. And that is probably about accountability, or at least it sure ought to be.
The principal objections to going to war with Iraq were first that Iraq had nothing to do with the terrorists who bombed the World Trade Center; second, that Iraq probably did not have the capability to develop serious weapons of mass destruction; and third, that it was quite likely that deposing Saddam would lead to a destabilized Iraq ripe for development of terrorist groups opposing the US occupation and a civil war.
If, in fact, four years later, there is a civil war in Iraq, then there should be some accountability for that here at home. Someone should take responsibility. If this was the corporate world, the CEO would resign. In another time, those responsible would fall on their swords, or perhaps flee into exile. In the US governing tradition, we would at least see a sweeping clean of the advisors to the President who pushed the policies that lead us astray.
Lacking anyone accepting accountability, the only reasonable response in a Democracy is to throw out the ruling party.
