War is not comfortable
I do not know what the democrats in Congress expected when they authorized the President to go to war. Apparently it was wine, women, and song, all on a bed of roses. They have second guessed, threatened, cajoled and harassed him over the war they agreed was necessary.
Ladies and Gentlemen, the President is the Commander in Chief. That’s his job. It’s not your job. Sit down, shut up and let the man get on with it.
And this, from Mr. Webb of Virginia:
These presidents took the right kind of action, for the benefit of the American people and for the health of our relations around the world. Tonight we are calling on this president to take similar action, in both areas. If he does, we will join him. If he does not, we will be showing him the way. (He’s speaking of ending the war and “improper corporate influence.”)
Sir, you don’t have that authority. You sound like a bully. Your references to the military service of your family is grandstanding. But since you brought it up, I wonder how it makes your son feel to know you consider his mission a mistake. I wonder if he also considers freedom for oppressed peoples to be of less value that freedom here. I wonder if he’s smart enough to figure out that freedom here relies on bringing that area of the world out from under totalitarian regimes.
Transcript
*clapping* Well said!!!
Here you have a flawed argument..Let me explain why.
Why indeed, congress did authorize Mr Bush to go to war. But with intentionally distorted intelligence (articles are out as recently as yesterday outlining the bogus Niger yellowcake documents - how they were forgeries, and how the US government KNEW they were forgeries)
But NOW.. its about democracy and protecting an oppressed population? While I’ll admit, Iraqis were oppressed under Hussein, and I’m glad hes gone. But as soon as he was gone, we should have packed up left Dodge. At that point, our job was done. THAT was the mission. Furthering our involvement there, was a recipe for disaster because for the umpteenth millionth time, they.don’t.want.us.there. We make things worse. We cannot fix a civil war. We cannot just miraculously make both sides just get along (Vietnam… ring a bell?) If it weren’t for congress stepping in and putting an end to funding there, we might STILL be in Vietnam. Furthermore, I’m convinced that war in nothing more than a money making venture for republicans. It was that way in Vietnam, and its that way today when you factor in Halliburton and Blackwater (and the list goes on)
I also want to add that republicans tend to have very short memories. There were these two conflicts in the last 15 years where the USA stepped in to help an oppressed population, Somalia, and Kosovo. In both instances, Republicans stomped up and down, screaming about it, even *gasp* putting an end to Somalia operations, by *ohmygoodness* cutting off funding after what was it, 14 US soldiers lost their lives. How many lives have been lost in Iraq?
As for the current congress and the bill he plans to veto (and all of his tantruming about quickly doing it) the previous two supplementals that were signed by a republican led congress, took FAR longer (as much as 130 days or something like that, to make it to the president to sign. Not to mention, they were full.of.pork) So as Democrat from Wisconsin, Dave Obey said yesterday, the president better quit his huffing and puffing.
Congress can start a war. And congress can end a war. That is their constitutional job. The president is not a king. He is stuck with oversight, no matter how much he dislikes it.
We can’t just pack up and leave the region, and that has never been the democratic argument. Redeploy, outside of the country in a less VISIBLE role. McCain’s recent visit to Baghdad should point that out and make it very clear. His “stroll” was wearing a flak jacket, 100 US soldiers, 2 gunships and an apache helicopter overhead. The Iraqis in the marketplace, were PO’d at this “stroll” because by merely westerners TALKING to people in the marketplace, makes them a target. Sure enough, the next day, the marketplace was attacked and 21 people died. THIS IS HOW WE MAKE THINGS WORSE. They need to find a solution without our presence and involvement. This could literaly go on for a generation if we stay there, just as Vietnam was if we hadn’t gotten out.
As for Bush’s comments about considering all states that harbor terrorism as the enemy. He better own up to public knowledge that Pakistan is harboring public enemy number one, Bin Laden, and yet we consider them somehow a friend? Let me again, point out how Iraq was NOT on Bush’s list of countries that harbored terrorists prior to our invasion. In fact what we did in that sandbox was make a whoooooole lot of enemies. And we reconcile that by staying there. Extremists are that way.. if you push they push back harder, thinking they have to defend their way of thinking. You can’t force change the way we’re trying to.
This was not in reference to this week’s events. It was an older post I moved over from another blog. HOW can you possibly have your thoughts together enough to deliver a FOUR PARAGRAPH comment? I have a blinding headache, and someone just puked at my feet. And so today, I will have to let you win by default. Hard to make a reasoned argument when I can’t see for the pain in my head.
I actually read your post last night, then thought about it until this morning. I was not going to say a word.. but you know me.. and I couldn’t not say anything.
But for what its worth, though I did have overnight to think about it.. I sat down with my coffee first thing this morning and rattled on.
I hope your head feels better - hang in there.
I lack the mental resources to this morning to respond point-by-point to your longer comment, Carla, but I did just want to clarify a couple of things.
I am *not* in complete agreement with how this war has been run. My main thrust in the post is that once Congress authorized the war, it is the President’s job to run it, since he is the Commander in Chief”.
There’s actually another post that goes along with this one, I think, and I’ll probably post it later today.
As for my head–enough caffeine will take care of almost anything. Except my stomach, which is about to revolt from the coffee. God, just please help me get through this day!