It's that comma thing again. And Churchill. Our decider has decided that obstinacy is a virtue. If he withdraws, then it's game over: he's sealing his legacy as the guy who effed up in Iraq. If he hangs tough and there's an eventual good outcome, then the distant future on the other side of the comma will praise his tenacity... or if he hangs tough and the next president withdraws, then it's the next guy who gets the legacy as the guy who lost Iraq.
Reality says otherwise: nobody remembers Ford as the guy who lost Vietnam. Everyone still hangs it on Johnson and Nixon.
Posted by Mickeleh at January 2, 2007 09:25 AMYep. More than just impeachment, I think there needs to be an actual push calling for Bush to simply resign. Can you imagine how that would look for him?
Think about it. He'd have to address it at some point; the American public wants him gone, and yet he refuses to leave the office with dignity. Think of how that would be received in the international community.
What a fucking loser.
Posted by Spc. Freeman at January 2, 2007 09:56 AM"Sacrifice....victory....terrorism". The language of lies served up endlessly by this disgusting president and his team of mendacious bad faith failures.
Empty, meaningless rhetoric meant to deceive and manipulate the foolish militarist nationalists. Who will be called to "sacrifice" other than the existing volunteer troops? "Victory" for whom? In what sense? The usual "defend itself" lie?
And who exactly will be falsely and deceptively associated with al Qaeda this time? Iran? the sunni insurgency? Perhaps the corporate press will pick up on the Saddam parallels if the Dems would actually SAY it.
Members of Congress: Nero and Deadeye must be confronted, not appeased.
Let Nero declare his Escalation 07. Have hearings highlighting Uncle Jimmy's ISG, its public support, and the retired generals like "greatest-stratgi-disaster-in-US-history" Odom, and then rescind the 2002 Iraq authorization to use force. Tell the failed commander-in-chief his lunatic plan is NOT approved, by order of the American people.
We'll soon see the depth of Repub "Bipartisanship" and respect for democracy. Like Pavlov's dogs, most will naturally jump to the wrong side of history---but some will not.
Posted by euzoius at January 2, 2007 09:58 AMHere's what I don't get: Early on in the war, this kind of "resolve" dovetailed nicely with the GOP's political needs. Now, though, a damn-the-torpedos approach to Iraq is just wildly unpopular. Is Rove giving Bush advice that's bad for the GOP in general, or is Karl telling him to back down only to find Dubya ignoring his sage counsel?
Posted by dj moonbat at January 2, 2007 09:59 AMas long as Bush has that 35% nut base, he'll claim his plan is approved by "the American people". This will be a tough sell for Rove, however, as according to this poll, a strong majority of GOPers want's out of Iraq. Lets see what the polls read at SOTU, once the public has received Bush's new "plan" to solidly Escalate the Iraq mess and January has topped December for GI deaths. It will be interesting to see how long the nation will put up with a president giving them the finger.
Posted by T2 at January 2, 2007 10:03 AMDick Lugar is telling him that any escalation requires congressional consultation and Arlen Specter says he cannot justify it; our troops are lukewarm at best on his policies; and the American public has rejected Bush’s foreign policy
You left out the joint chiefs of staff, which are also anti-escalation
Posted by benjoya at January 2, 2007 10:06 AM"Dick Lugar is telling him that any escalation requires congressional consultation and Arlen Specter says he cannot justify it; "- Somebody needs to tell Lugar and Specter that they are minority party members.....
Posted by T2 at January 2, 2007 10:19 AMDJ - I don't think Karl's driving the ship of state any longer. And neither is Dick. I think -- I can't support -- that George is the one in the driver's seat. With Condi on his lap.
Posted by idiosynchronic at January 2, 2007 10:25 AMWe need to push back NOW, dare I say RFN, against the WH counterattack before the Congress puts the brakes on this crime spree.
Because BushCo will whine and demonstrate with their usual trumped up lies, er, rhetoric, ummmm, reality novelization (TM) that we were that close to winning in Iraq, but the Democratic controlled Congress (and be sure to watch the media present it as always the "Democratic controlled Congress," where before it was just "Congress" even though utterly dictated by the GOP) chickened out, lost their will.
The preponderance of evidence, the realities on the ground, the words and wisdom and majority of the American People, the military, the politicians, current and retired, all tell us that what hope there is in Iraq does not lie with an increase in military force, but in an increase in Iraqi participation; I believe the term we use here in the United States of America when we want communities to improve their situation is empowerment.
Further burdening an already stretched thin Army and Marine Corps and National Guard by weakening our selves in some other part of the world, including in the United States where National Guard units are involved in border security for instance, will only lead to more trouble in other places, and in providing the fighting Iraqis more American targets to kill and further deteriorate the situation in the country, further destabilize an already unstable "government," and empower the very people we don't want empowered.
And then there's the issue of where these surging troops are going to come from? The military? Maybe Bush is going to go for one last corporate bravura performance, and dump 20,000 Blackwater etc. mercenaries into Baghdad as a way of getting around Congressional funding controls, they already have the open ended contracts, right, so that's how he could both pay for the disaster, further enrich his masters coffers, and further undermine the integrity of the Government of the United States.
Hey, there's a real Bush Trifecta!!
Posted by Duckman GR at January 2, 2007 10:43 AMDJ - I don't think Karl's driving the ship of state any longer. And neither is Dick. I think -- I can't support -- that George is the one in the driver's seat.
What kind of irresponsible bonehead would allow that to happen?
Posted by dj moonbat at January 2, 2007 11:01 AMthe iraqi invasion ..by any standard of reason has been a colossal mistake..for most it's as plain as the nose on your face..the american people want out ..the military has stretched to the limit of breaking..we need that man out of office..he should be impeached for the good of our national security..he is not now and never was capable to lead this country
Posted by dennis at January 2, 2007 11:17 AMOnce Bush announces his intention to escalate, watch for moderate Republicans to jump ship--as in dump the party. I imagine several wish they had done it a long time ago, ones like Jim Leach, for instance.
Posted by Julie at January 2, 2007 11:44 AM. . ones like Jim Leach, for instance.
Unless Jim's been caught on record as of late renouncing his Republican affiliation, I highly doubt it. They view loyalty to the party far and above what loyalty to party leadership makes them uncomfortable with. He, and Republicans like him -- and my Dad's one of them, as well as a number of the people I work with -- still believe beyond religious superstition that good Republicans like Ike, Robert Ray, and other moderates are the True Republicanism. Limited Government, low taxes, and little to no opinion about social issues.
All this crapola about a bloated budget, an out of control executive prosecuting an insane war, religionists running amok in the party and politics - it's all just a passing fad. It'll die off one of these years.
Posted by idiosynchronic at January 2, 2007 11:59 AMSo, what exactly will happen when the President and Commander-in-Chief remains intent on prosecuting a war that Congress, the people and the military do not support? Bush shows no intention of stopping unless he's forced to, so how does that happen? Congress recinds the authorization to use military force? Bush quite likely would ignore it, with the usual legalistic bafflegab. Congress shuts off funding for Iraq? They impeach Bush?
Just what form is the coming constitutional crisis going to take?
Posted by biggerbox at January 2, 2007 12:12 PMMcCain Doctrine isn't playing so well, eh?
Posted by God Of War at January 2, 2007 12:14 PMit's all just a passing fad. It'll die off one of these years.
Maybe so, but not in time to save their careers in Congress. Those switching will most likely be the ones up for election in 08, and they will announce sooner rather than later. May not be many, but it's always possible that the threat of many will sway some behind-the-scenes negotiating. This presumes the expected announcement of a fullscale "surge", though.
The escalation will happen and it will be good for the club, more pork and power, but a disaster for the country.
First, they will vote to increase the troop levels, then, feeling good about that, they will simply ignore everybody who says leave and the troop levels will silently increase. Nothing good will come from it except increased profitability for the club memebers and more contributions to the Jeb in 2008 campaign.
Too many Dems are in the pocket of the war mongers for anything else to happen. Too many Dems worship at the alter of war and sip from the gravy of war. After all, the self-respecting Dems will certainly not join the "defeatests" though their acts will ultimately accelerate our defeat.
The only way we can possbibly win is through the application of paradoxical thinking. Only after it is clear that the US is pulling out can we begin to regain influence on the ground in Iraq and then only by the use of our power to rebuild instead of to destroy. This will not happen.
The problem from the start is that military power was the wrong tool to use to get what we wanted from Iraq. Belief in the efficacy of war has been the fall of many civilizations and probably ours too.
The Pentagon is the home of the Department of Perpetual Insecurity and the alter of the War God who must be fed well and invoked by most Dems who also worship with the Repugs with the chant:
Hail the Chief--
Uga, Uga, Uga.
We will win!
We will win!
We will win the hearts.
We will win the minds,
of our Iraqi constituents!
How you ask will we win?
The only way we know best!
More troops!
More troops!
Bomb their homes!
Kill their children!
Imprison their brothers!
Kill their fathers!
Search the pantie drawers of their women!
Kill, Kill, Kill!
That's the way of War!
That's the way to Win!
We Dream of Victory!
We Dream on, Dream on!
Hail the Shrub!
Follow his lead!
Stay the course!
More death!
We have not sacrificed enough!
More sacrifice!
We will win!
...nothing. Escalation will succeed (for the club and make them richer)--and fail for the country.
"Members of Congress: Nero and Deadeye must be confronted, not appeased.
No, they will be bought off or intimidated until they place their offering at the Pentagon's alter.
The process of withdrawal will not happen until a more profitable enterprise raises its head or until the limit of American power is reached by a general revolt against US in Iraq occurs. Both are a long way off.
Posted by Nobody at January 2, 2007 12:49 PM