Paul and I have been mixing it up a bit (here) about foreign policy, and I was reminded of this op/ed I read the other day "Nuclear Iran?" -- Victor Davis Hanson--it provides a sober (and sobering) assessment of the challenges we face in the Middle East.
But the purpose of my "Wesley Clark" post was narrower than Paul appreciates (or lets on, at least). Foreign Policy--particularly as relates to fighting a war, needs to be bigger than partisanship. Yes, it is possible to embolden one's enemy. Yes, unrelenting disunity manifests weakness. Yes, it is the Commander-in-Chief's Constitutional role to dictate foreign policy. Yes, Congress may have to sometimes settle for, "We told you so."
Democrats think they won in 2006 because Americans prefer their Foreign Policy over Bush's . . . they're wrong, but even if they were right, they won control of Congress, not the White House.
Hello world!
7 years ago
7 comments:
I would encourage you to actually read the Constitution before making references to it. In particular, Articles I & II might be of interest. Then, if you have complaints about specific, unconstitutional actions taken, or about to be taken, by Congress, I'd be interested in hearing them.
“What Harry Reid is saying is that this war is lost — in other words, a war where we mainly spend our time policing a civil war between Shiites and Sunnis. We are not going to solve that problem. … The war is not lost. And Harry Reid believes this — we Democrats believe it. So the bottom line is if the war continues on this path, if we continue to try to police and settle a civil war that’s been going on for hundreds of years in Iraq, we can’t win. But on the other hand, if we change the mission and have that mission focus on the more narrow goal of counterterrorism, we sure can win.”
- Sen. Chuck Schumer
Everyone got that? This war is lost. But the war can be won. There are multiple wars going on in Iraq. Gates has acknowledged this, the ISG and the National Intelligence Estimate have also.
Sunni-Shiite sectarian violence is not a war that the US military can possibly 'win' ... it's not "the war" that is about defending America.
Paul,
Sorry, but I responded to your Constitutional question over under the Wesley Clark post. But I will add here that it is certainly immoral for Congress to authorize/commission a task and then cut off funding for said task. As William's post (about the spinning and weaving of the Left following Reid's now-publicized view) reflects, they don't want to be seen as changing their minds now that we're at war.
William,
Nice recovery, but everyone knows what Democrats (well, maybe not Harried Reid) really believes. But the problem with the substance of this new position is the flawed premise that this sectarian violence is not fabricated with the intent of running the only people who can't be bullied out of the region (for all practical purposes).
But I do like this more measured, reasonable tone coming from the Dem leadership.
I would think you'd finally get it when ex-CIA chief goes on 60 Minutes this Sunday and tells how Bush lied about his 'slam dunk' comment and used it to justify the Iraq war. This recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom characterized the Bush administration "disingenuous and dishonorable." It doesn't get more explicit than that.
More on how the Bush lies were sold to America.
Hmmm, I guess a book tour is the perfect time to blast the "disingenuous and dishonorable" President?
But like I've said, y'all don't have ANY credibility with me (nor the American people) on the issue of the war. Monday- and/or Armchair-Quarterbacking isn't leadership.
We'll see how much credibility Tenet has on May 10 when he testifies before the House Committee on Oversight and Government reform. Kind of funny to hear the White House try and discredit Tenet after Bush bestowed upon him the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Credibility with the American people?
Do you base that on this?
Well, I haven't attacked him, but I do think it is a fair question to ask why he all of a sudden is dropping bombshells (actually, they're more like spitballs, as far as I can see, but that's enough for the Left to send me five fundraising emails . . .).
In any event, I'd be concerned if the Dem/Lib/MSM line didn't start to get some traction with the American people . . . maybe Bush needs to throw together a Focus Group, whaddya think? Dick Morris can certainly get one together before Bush next needs to tell us he believes.
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