Did you notice the great hue and cry emitted by the
administration and its shills when Howard Dean announced his view that the war
in Iraq was probably unwinnable.ย The RNC immediately posted itsย
ยRetreat and Defeatย ad, superimposing a waving white flag over a larger
than life picture of Chairman Dean.
The administration’s attack dogs followed up with the likes
of Tony Blankley, the British ex-pat, former Gingrich slash-and-burn expert and
current Moonie disciple,
comparing Dean’s statement to a pre-civil war slaveholder, who, in the guise
of wanting what was best for his slaves, kept them nonetheless.ย And, of course,
the administration and its messengers continue to
marginalize Congressman Murtha for his call to pull U.S. troops out of Iraq
ยwith all deliberate speed,ย including Senator McCain’s criticism that Murtha
isn’t a ยbig thinker,ย and has become ยtoo emotional,ย about the war.ย Would
McCain, I wonder, accept the same criticism of his impassioned campaign to
outlaw torture, or, indeed, of his
famously emotional display of support for GWB?
But, the most interesting thing about this ยwinnabilityย
issue is that Bush himself, in one of his unguarded, un-ventriloquized moments,
stated his belief that the war can’t be won.ย For those of you who’ve forgotten,
let me remind you that when GWB was campaigning to fool us again in ’04, he gave
an interview to Matt Lauer of NBC ยToday Showย fame in which he
said the war on terror couldn’t be won. It was probably the most honest
thing that man has ever said.ย He was referring, of course, to the ยwar on
terror,ย for which, as we know, the war in Iraq is the ยcentral front.ย He tried
to take back his words subsequently, after his handlers told him what a bad
thing candor is (something he has diligently avoided since), but by then the
damage had been done.ย
The fact is, no one in a position to know thinks this war
can be won militarily, not the people closest to the people fighting the war
(e.g., Murtha), or the people who have devoted the most careful analysis to the
question (e.g.,
General William Odom), and all the bullying, insulting and political
posturing to the contrary won’t change that fact.
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