Yeehaw!!! Isn't a Foreign Policy
It's the holiday recess for members of Congress, home in their districts for turkey dinner and flesh pressing, senior citizen center lovefests. Except this year, the love isn't always there. (Here's a fun idea: show up at local elected official chat-fests and talk with them publicly about accountability and making better decisions. It's more fun than crowded shopping malls! And then report back here how things went.)
Things are getting ugly -- and not just for the most junior member of the House of Representatives whose own hometown conservative newspaper, the Cincinnati Enquirer, is questioning her motives in an editorial today.
Boy, Jack Murtha sure stirred up a hornets nest by...*gasp*...demanding accountability and actual planning for the betterment of the country, and because we owe it to the folks sacrificng for this nation in uniform. And he is not alone among Dem hawks who are disgusted with the way this war is being conducted. (Via Huffington Post.)
And Bushie? Well, the Preznit and his cronies are digging in, refusing to look at reality and public mood as reflective of their failed policies. Instead, its a game of blame the messenger (we saw quite a bit of that from Mean Jean and her pals last week). But will this work? Can the public be coaxed back into the kool-aid after they've had a clear-eyed view of things?
Kull said the best the administration may be able to hope for is a draw in the battle for public opinion. If positive changes occur, from a reduction in violence to a stable government to more international involvement, "then he may come out with a possible modest success out of it," he said. "But it's important to remember there are a lot of forces out there that are very determined to make sure this doesn't look like a success. . . . So it's unlikely it will look like a clear success."Probably not. The Economist has an article up today that is worth a read on this subject. Mike Kinsley has a must read editorial in the WaPo today. And Robin Wright has an eye-opener -- so much for the "things are fine and dandy" crowd.
The time has come for grown-ups to take over our long term strategic planning. We face threats -- both external and potentially internal -- that are far too serious to be half-assed or glossed over. We must start learning from our mistakes (admitting them would be a good first step), and we have to start thinking in the long term.
Here's my advice to Bushie: Yeehaw!!! is not a foreign policy.
(Kudos to reader Zennurse for the title. That bumper sticker made me giggle half the afternoon. Mwahahahaha.)
UPDATE: Ann Coulter is a moron. Think Progress has more.
posted by ReddHedd @ 11/25/2005 10:45:00 AM
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