...And Thanks for a Lovely War
huffingtonpost.com
<<...President Bush’s speech itself, delivered on a night the Taliban claimed they shot down an American helicopter in Afghanistan (the Taliban? Didn’t we win that war?), and one that will be applauded or pilloried ad nauseam by left and right, also gave the American public nothing new. It was well-crafted though, and sure to play well with those who don’t believe America should ever lose a war, and Guns and Ammo subscribers. And of course, with those who still believe that Iraq somehow has some connection to terrorism on American soil, and that the Brooklyn Bridge is for sale, cheap.
So here’s a thought, Democrats. Explain to Republicans that you like a good war just as much as they do, but that this war is simply not good but more importantly can’t be made good. Not by any definition of the word good. It wasn’t good under international law, it wasn’t good when we bombed the shit out of Iraqi civilians, it wasn’t good when we started treating Iraqi prisoners as a sadist might treat a stray dog, and it isn’t good that we can’t find a way to stop some Iraqis from blowing us and their fellow Iraqis up at every opportunity. And that’s with the most powerful, well-equipped military (and best supported, judging by the amount of metallic ribbons affixed to American cars these days) that the world has ever seen. But above all, it isn’t good that we seem to have no way out of it. Is it two years or is twelve? President Bush is right in saying that “ an artificial timetable for withdrawal” would be a huge mistake. So how about a genuine, organic timetable then?...>> |
