From Bull Moose (h/t John Cole):
Will the American people have faith in and trust a party that claims that it was gullibly duped, or as George Romney claimed about another war—that it was “brainwashed.”? Moreover, should the objective be re-fighting the reasons to go to war and making the Democrats the official anti-war party or should the goal be achieving reasonable success in Iraq? If you believe in the former than you would encourage more efforts like the one Senate Democrats undertook yesterday. If you believe in the latter, you want the opposition party to present a better plan for winning this war.
While the war is increasingly unpopular, the Democrats should be careful that they are positioning themselves as a party that is gullible, feckless and indecisive on national security. It may provide immense partisan satisfaction to flummox the Republicans on a procedural maneuver, but beware of the long-term impact on the party which already suffers from a perception of being weak on national security.
During the late 90’s the Moose was appalled by the behavior of many of his fellow Republicans who ascribed the worst motives to President Clinton for attacking Saddam and going to war in Kosovo. Clinton drove the Republicans to lose all judgement. Although it involves different different players, the Moose is feeling deja vu all over again.
The Reply of Trout Fishing in America Lefty: “Whatever, man. Bush LIED!”
****
update: Max Boot runs down—yet again—the lies of Joseph Wilson.
I’m beginning to think we won’t get Democrats to recognize any of this stuff until we’re able to ply Teddy Kennedy with enough gin and artichoke dip that he confesses all to his Hooter’s waitress.
“We urge you, after consulting with Congress, and
consistent with the U.S. Constitution and laws, to
take necessary actions (including, if appropriate, air
and missile strikes on suspect Iraqi sites) to respond
effectively to the threat posed by Iraq’s refusal to
end its weapons of mass destruction programs.”
– Letter to President Clinton, signed by Sens. Carl
Levin, Tom Daschle, John Kerry, and others Oct. 9,
1998
“In the four years since the inspectors left,
intelligence reports show that Saddam Hussein has
worked to rebuild his chemical and biological weapons
stock, his missile delivery capability, and his
nuclear program. He has also given aid, comfort, and
sanctuary to terrorists, including al Qaeda members.
It is clear, however, that if left unchecked, Saddam
Hussein will continue to increase his capacity to wage
biological and chemical warfare, and will keep trying
to develop nuclear weapons.”
– Sen. Hillary Clinton (D, NY),Oct 10, 2002
“One way or the other, we are determined to deny Iraq
the capacity to develop weapons of mass destruction
and the missiles to deliver them. That is our bottom
line.”
– President Clinton, Feb. 4, 1998
“If Saddam rejects peace and we have to use force, our
purpose is clear. We want to seriously diminish the
threat posed by Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction
program.”
– President Clinton, Feb. 17, 1998
“Iraqis a long way from [here], but what happens there
matters a great deal here. For the risks that the
leaders of a rogue state will use nuclear, chemical or
biological weapons against us or our allies is the
greatest security threat we face.”
– Madeline Albright, Feb 18, 1998
“He will use those weapons of mass destruction again,
as he has ten times since 1983.”
– Sandy Berger,Clinton National Security Adviser, Feb,
18, 1998
“Saddam Hussein has been engaged in the development of
weapons of mass destruction technology which is a
threat to countries in the region and he has made a
mockery of the weapons inspection process.”
– Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D, CA),Dec. 16, 1998
“Hussein has … chosen to spend his money on building
weapons of mass destruction and palaces for his
cronies.”
– Madeline Albright, Clinton’s Secretary of State,
Nov. 10, 1999
“There is no doubt that … Saddam Hussein has
invigorated his weapons programs. Reports indicate
that biological, chemical and nuclear programs
continue apace and may be back to pre-Gulf War status.
In addition, Saddam continues to redefine delivery
systems and is doubtless using the cover of an elicit
missile program to develop longer-range missiles that
will threaten the United States and our allies.”
– Letter to President Bush, Signed by Sen. Bob Graham
(D, FL,) and others, December 5, 2001
“We begin with the common belief that Saddam Hussein
is a tyrant and a threat to the peace and stability of
the region. He has ignored the mandate of the United
Nations and is building weapons of mass destruction
and the means of delivering them.”
– Sen. Carl Levin (D, MI),Sept. 19, 2002
“We know that he has stored secret supplies of
biological and chemical weapons throughout his
country.”
– Al Gore, Sept. 23, 2002
“Iraq’s search for weapons of mass destruction has
proven impossible to deter and we should assume that
it will continue for as long as Saddam is in power.”
– Al Gore, Sept. 23, 2002
“We have known for many years that Saddam Hussein is
seeking and developing weapons of mass destruction.”
– Sen. Ted Kennedy (D, MA),Sept. 27, 2002
“The last UN weapons inspectors left Iraq in October
of 1998. We are confident that Saddam Hussein retains
some stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons,
and that he has since embarked on a crash course to
build up his chemical and biological warfare
capabilities. Intelligence reports indicate that he is
seeking nuclear weapons…”
– Sen. Robert Byrd (D, WV),Oct. 3, 2002
“I will be voting to give the President of the United
States the authority to use force– if necessary– to
disarm Saddam Hussein because I believe that a deadly
arsenal of weapons of mass destruction in his hands is
a real and grave threat to our security.”
– Sen. John F. Kerry (D, MA),Oct. 9, 2002
“There is unmistakable evidence that Saddam Hussein is
working aggressively to develop nuclear weapons and
will likely have nuclear weapons within the next five
years … We also should remember we have always
underestimated the progress Saddam has made in
development of weapons of mass destruction.”
– Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D, WV),Oct 10, 2002
“He has systematically violated, over the course of
the past 11years, every significant UN resolution that
has demanded that he disarm and destroy his chemical
and biological weapons, and any nuclear capacity. This
he has refused to do”
– Rep. Henry Waxman (D, CA),Oct. 10, 2002
“We are in possession of what I think to be
compelling evidence that Saddam Hussein has, and has
had for a number of years, a developing capacity for
the production and storage of weapons of mass
destruction.”
– Sen. Bob Graham (D, FL),Dec. 8, 2002
“Without question, we need to disarm Saddam Hussein.
He is a brutal, murderous dictator, leading an
oppressive regime … He presents a particularly
grievous threat because he is so consistently prone to
miscalculation … And now he is miscalculating
America’s response to his continued deceit and his
consistent grasp for weapons of mass destruction… So
the threat of Saddam Hussein with weapons of mass
destruction is real…”
– Sen. John F. Kerry (D, MA), Jan. 23. 2003
“That statement is inoperative.”
— Tricky Dick’s Press Flack
SB: friends
hated it.
He’s right and it sucks. We need a viable opposition and the Dems have gone batshit crazy as a party. As things stand now a lot of Republicans know they’d practically have to get photographed eating babies to get thrown out of office in favor of a Dem.
I want a full investigation to show just how scary Bush/Cheney/Rove are. Those three were responsible for our war with Iraq. But no one has exposed how powerful that threesome is. Long before they showed up in Washington, Bush/Rove sat in the Governor’s office in Texas and Cheney sat in the CEO’s seat at Halliburton and sent mind rays toward Washington that resulted in every Democrat of significance in Washington lying about Iraq, WMD’s and Al Queda. Men that can do that with no official influence, should have never been given power inside Washington.
I have opined on this before. I am of the mind that the effectiveness of the Dem party is close to being non existent. I don’t think they will disappear anytime soon, just cease to be a player at all. That worries me. I think the “real” elections are going to be the Republican primaries.
If one is old enough to recall, the Liberal Repubs today are farther to the left than the Dems were in JFK’s day. What does that say about where the Dems today are?
Hey,a rational Dem! I feel better already.
This&That
Star Trekking across the universe
Always going forward ‘cause we cannot find reverse!
/Trout Fishing in America
/got lots of kids.
Hate to disappoint you but, I ain’t one a Dem!!
Proud Independent is I. I’[ll probably have to register as a Repub if things turn out the way I think. That will be the only way I’ll have a voice.
The Democrats will surely rebound, and soon. I know, ‘cause I just found out why crude oil prices are so high: massive new demand for heating oil in hell.
TW: “You just make $#!t up, don’t you?”
Well, yes. Why do you ask?
I dunno.
I saw the Chairman of the committee (Pat Roberts) with Wolf Blitzer on t.v. last night. He sounded almost apologetic. These guys “ain’t got the poop”, as Hazel would say.
tw: great, just great.
I chalk the whole thing up to an “intelligence failure,” if you know what I mean.
Let me see if I got this straight. The Senate Intelligence Committee had access to excactly the same intelligence the White House did, but the d’Emocrats on the Committee didn’t realize that Bush was lying about the data that was right in front of them, and in fact still aren’t sure so they want to have the whole Senate investigate.
Either that or Bush withheld information, which he then lied about, and the d’Emocrats don’t realize that withholding information would be a slam-dunk impeachment and they should be holding an investigation in the House.
But either way, this is supposed to make me want to go back to the d’Emocratic party, because they are so on top of the situation.
Is that about it then?
tw: ran-> so far away
the dems (the realists) are portraying themselves as the party of “peace” for now. it’s the hand they were dealt and they’re letting the crazies have the spotlight (any pub is good pub) for now. when the war is over they will return to power. The republicans (so far) have proven they’re not much better than the dems were in congress (save for the contract with america and some of the needed rebalancing of the judiciary). when this phase of the war is over (like porn, we’ll know it when we see it), we’re going to want to celebrate and elect a “Bill Clinton” archetype (at least for a little while). The republicans won’t see it coming. just ask the 1st pres bush.
That reminds me – when do we get to see Chapter 22 of Brautigan, Revisited – an American love story?
BECAUSE OF THE BOONE’S FARM STRAWBERRY WINE!
There’s a manhole on the rise.