Maybe Ford, Jr. or some of his supporters have some poll of focus group data that's driving them on the "stay the course" teapot tempest, but I don't think that it will get traction. Advocating to "stay the course" means one thing when considered in the context of the Cut-n-run Party and another thing in the context of setting war strategy.
Sure, mistakes have been made in waging the war in Iraq. Mistakes and setbacks are common to war, as are adaptations to battlefield realities. Bob Corker acknowledges this and so does the Bush administration.
But, let's be clear, MOST Democrat Party leaders (and most Ford, Jr. supporters) think that we should "redeploy" troops and play defense against the Caliphanatics (I made that up). Oh, and they also insist we should really try a whole lot harder, you know, to find Osama Bin Laden.
The reality is that most Americans agree that we should allow generals to fight the war in Iraq--as Dubya has been allowing them to do . . . that's "staying the course"; most Americans think that we need to stay on offense and not allow Caliphanatic threats to fester around the world . . . that's "staying the course"; most Americans think that we need to stay in Iraq until the difficult job is finished . . . that's "staying the course."
I'd say Fightin' Ford, Jr. is sparring with a strawman.
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7 years ago
7 comments:
I can't dispute Corkers position, its just his struggle with trying to explain it that worries me.
Listening to him go round and round with what I meant to says and such isn't good. I would like to hear a point by point position not a Kerry like all sides of the issue statement.
How are you coming up with "most Americans"?
I probably should have stated it as "voters" rather than "Americans." Here's a report that addresses it.
But the point is even better demonstrated by the way politicians in all but the bluest venues are expressing mildly-qualified support for the war effort. Even Ford, Jr. is trying to capitalize on purported duplicity by Corker and is simplistically asserting that "staying the course" means not adapting or not making necessary changes in the war strategy.
Well, that one poll aside, there is plenty of evidence that the American people oppose the war. The vast majority disapprove of Bush's handling of the war effort, and want to see a better plan. Just shifting the blame to the Generals isn't going to cut it.
No, that "one poll" relates to my point--Americans who are paying attention and who are serious about public policy realize that war sucks, but if you have to fight a war, the most important quality is resolve.
Yeah, playing along with Ford, Jr.'s false dichotomy, we need to "stay the course"--if the alternative is attempting to appease our enemies or going back on defense in this declared war.
"Americans who are paying attention and who are serious about public policy realize that war sucks"
Agreed.
"but if you have to fight a war, the most important quality is resolve."
Being resolved to continue a failed policy is simply stubborness.
"Being resolved to continue a failed policy is simply stubborness." Agreed.
But the whole point of my post is that Ford, Jr. is relying on a false dichotomy to try and make hay for public discomfort with war casualties, in general, and the GWOT, in particular.
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