Fred Kaplan of Slate wrote a piece decrying Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld’s sorry excuses for answers to questions about the Iraq war last week. But his piece focuses more on the members of the Senate Appropriations Committee and their sorry excuse for questioning. Here is his take on Rumsfeld’s response to a question about whether we have a plan should civil war erupt in Iraq:
“Rumsfeld replied, ‘The plan is to prevent a civil war and, to the extent one were to occur, to have the Iraqi security forces deal with it, to the extent they are able to.’
“That’s not a plan, and Rumsfeld must know it. He even, wittingly or not, left an opening in his reply — Iraqi security forces will deal with it, ‘to the extent they are able to’ — that any high-school debater would have plowed through with gusto. ‘To what extent are they able to?’ would have been one decent follow-up (especially since U.S. officials in the field have noted that many of these security forces have stronger allegiances to ethnic factions than to a central government).
“But nobody followed up.”
Posted by Melissa Cooley
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31 Comments
That has been the problem all along (Ok invading Iraq was the problem all along)They knew where they wanted to go but never really took the time to figure out the route. It is a problem with politics, with this invasion, with just about everything to do with Bush&Co.
No offense to my Democratic friends but Rumsfield’s answer sounds like a Democratic Presidential hopeful. Yes I know Republicans are not much better at stating their case either.It is time that someone calls these Bozos in the Government on they lack of a meanful plan.
After reading the link, I am thoroughly disgusted with congress as a whole. Don’t those people have any brains or guts at all?
http://mediamatters.org/items/200511300010
Limbaugh on kidnapping of peace activists in Iraq: “I’m telling you, folks, there’s a part of me that likes this”
On November 29, nationally syndicated radio host Rush Limbaugh read an Associated Press report about the apparent kidnapping of four Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) activists by an Iraqi insurgent group. Limbaugh announced that “part of me likes this.” He explained: “Well, here’s why I like it. I like any time a bunch of leftist feel-good hand-wringers are shown reality.”
After suggesting that the story “could all be BS … could all be a stunt,” Limbaugh said, “We’ll take it face value at first.” Addressing the kidnapped CPT activists, Limbaugh said, “ou’ve met the bad guys, and you tried your technique on them, and now you’re blindfolded in a room with guns pointed at you and knives at your throat. I don’t like that.” He then added, “But any time a bunch of people that walk around with the head in the sand practicing a bunch of irresponsible, idiotic theory confront reality, I’m kind of happy about it, because I’m eager for people to see reality, change their minds, if necessary, and have things sized up.”
*****
Christian Peacemaker Team Fox was found dead recently. Limbaugh and the conservative-right must be ecstatic . . .
God, how I hate Rush Lamebutt. He has done nothing for this country but help divide it. What an arrogant asshole!!!!!!
I agree, JM.
It’s painful to say it, but since the GOP is in full power now, and has been since 2001, it’s time to vote out every GOP Congressional incumbent.
That includes every one Kansas’s Congressional delegation; they should be fired on account of gross incompetence.
President Bush may be right on every big issue of the day, but his and the GOP’s gross incompetence really do just add a bit of harmony to the old conversation quoted in Kaplan’s piece:
“You know, you never defeated us on the battlefield,” Col. Summers said. “That may be so,” Col. Tu replied, “but it’s also irrelevant.”
My point is this:”You know, President Bush was correct on all the major issues of his day,” Republicans said. “That may be so,” American citizens replied, “but it’s also irrelevant.”
Competency matters.
Iraq’s oil reserves are $10 trillion. That’s almost one-fifth of all American families’ asset values. It’s four times the net worth of the world’s billionaires.We invaded Iraq after Cheney’s secret meeting with oil chieftains, because they concluded that capturing the oil resources of a country run by a weakened dictator was a good risk: It might cost the US taxpayers a trillion, and some little Americans’ lives (not those of the architects or their children), so in terms of game theory, it was a smart gambit.
The risk of civil war, and the winners possibly aligning for technological help with the French and Germans, and giving them guaranteed energy-supply deals, freezing out Americans, was understood. When you play geopolitical chess, sometimes you win, sometimes you lose.
Even now, if civil war occurs, the winners might chose to deal with America, giving our oil moguls 10-30% of the share of oil value. That’s a LOT OF MONEY. So the game is worth playing. Furthermore, even if we lose out on oil, Beltway player defense contractors will win from all the military expenditures. It’s a good game to be in.
I can’t seem to get this across: Today a soldier will die. But he’s not just a soldier, he’s a real person. If this venture were accomplishing something that would be different, but the events, the American People and the soldiers all dictate otherwise, so why did the Senate not conclude with “No, you can’t have any more money?
Flike missed the point: The WHOLE of congress missed a golden opportunity to ask pointed questions, especially the Democrats. They didn’t. They’re all idiots.
Sure, Walker, no argument here.
It’s time to vote out _every_ incumbent, including the Democrats.
Damoon,
Rush Limbaugh has done nothing but divide this country? What is it that you think you and the rest of the democrats are doing every single day?
Flike, You’re absolutely right. The entire government has been totality corrupted.
The government needs to be replaced in its entirety.
They’re making Adolph Hitler look like a boyscout.
Lobbies which represent foreign countries should register as agents of foreign governments.
How can you tell which ones are agents? Easy. They’re the ones who steal classified documents.
Also bribe congress.
AIPAC does not allow Senators to ask tough questions or their dossiers will be made public { all the photos, bribes, and classified passed along to AIPAC }.
These Senators are not as dumb as you’re portraying them to be. They know their questions to not solicit proper answers and the answers given are not sufficient.
If they were debating a raise they’d ask intelligent questions and stay there until they were given something besides the run-around.
What would you say if our Supreme Court said it was alright to shoot women in the legs for protesting?
Tell the blog { or don’t so we know what you are }.
Nathan, As hard as this for you to believe, I’m not into partisan politics. I try to see the big picture, look at both sides, then make up my mind. I don’t think a certain way because some democrat tells me to. Rush and friends are an example of what is wrong with our country. People have lost their objectivity, it’s the “us and them” and “red or blue” attitude everywhere now. I’m sick of it all, I just want people to start thinking for themselves again.
Damoon,Again, I couldn’t agree more. Good post.
No accounting for taste or a measure of effect until we get tired of counting bad news and dead bodies.
LOL
That coming from the person who can’t say one good thing about Bush?
Give me a break
“60 Minutes” did “the kids laughing following the soldier thing”
Then “the al-Qaida planted its flag{couldn’t find it} but the US went back to the village and shot-up the place again thing” { “nothing moving including only one body…wow thing” }
“They drove their Tank through the houses to avoid boo-bee traps thing”
Then after they left Shops starting opening for business thing”
Not bad I guess for only 85 billion.
The country is divided, even this blog is divided into three different P.O.V.
There are those who care little about what is going on and it is just a diversion.
Those so partisan that if their party started eating children they would ague it must be for the good of the nation,. And would say that the other party is just upset because they did not think of it first.
Then the third being the ones who put party aside and are concerned about this country and fear for it future. Any threat, feign or domestic is a concern for them and is not taken lightly as it could be the one to bring this country down.
The first, they deserve what even comes their way and even at the time of their death will not see any great loss.
The second, deserve to be strip of their citizenship and face the fires of hell for they have sold their souls in a Faust like deal.
The third, oh those precious few here have the blood that coursed through the veins of the men whom at a moment notice grab their muskets and would race to defend this new country against not just a enemy. But to defend the very idea of this nation. Holding those idea so close as to value them above their life, for they knew that they could fall. But that the idea must not, for it is greater then one life and it is the gift that is greater then any to give to their children.
This country will fall some day, those not living the dream see only a jewel to be had but do not understand that the real worth is not the gold that this country has. But the dream, the idea of this country that several hundred years ago a few took up their muskets to defend.
Perhaps it is time for us to fail, if the majority have became like rich children ungrateful of the gift given by those that came before. That gift prized more by those not having it then by those blessed to be inheriting it.
This country will not fall. And all that’s needed is to root-out the enemy within.
Rumsfeld, the hollow man Bush and those who surround have nothing to offer, and that truth needs knowing.
Israel is the root of all evil and has set about to destroy us.
To that our answer is once again “nuts.”
That was beyond eloquent writerdog. I hope my posts make me part of that third group you mention. Damoon is part of that group. I think CM and Flike and you writerdog and others too belong there
As to the first group? They aint here. Sometimes that maybe is a good thing. The underinterested and the willfully uninvolved are best left on the sidelines.
And then there is the second group. There is at least one of those on this thread.
I respect your military service Nathan. But you belong to that group #2. So often Nathan you call out for PROOF that bush lied or that bush is wrong. You dare folks you call “bush haters” to say even one thing that bush has done right. Not once do you ever disagree with bush. Not once do you ever say that bush is or was wrong. That you defend Rush Limbaugh upthread is telling as to this. As much as you may love him Rush Limbaugh he is no more than a shill for a shill named bush. And while you blindly follow everything he says you have no idea or any seeming desire to know just how badly you are being used. And that makes you no more than a pawn. I do wish better for you.
But I do always address the thread. High school debaters could do better than Rumsfeld and the bush administration? Yup! Absolutely! These folks are not about debate or discourse or even thought. It is rule by fiat and it is getting worse. The recent ports deal illustrates this perfectly! Bush with no knowledge to the deal says he will force it by veto if need be. He is still fronting it against overwhelming opposition from his own party and America at large.
There can be no debate at a high school level or otherwise with self appointed masters of the universe. They don’t have to debate. They are right just because they say so.
JR,Is it too hard to simple debate what I say or must you always make up things about me to attack?Let me respond to your flattering post towards me:“But you belong to that group #2.”The one where I made some deal and I am going to hell? Do you even believe in hell JR? I believe that my faith in Christ will most definitely keep me out of hell.“So often Nathan you call out for PROOF that bush lied or that bush is wrong.”Yeah, imagine that. I have yet to see where Bush has lied about any of the things you accuse him of doing…“You dare folks you call “bush haters” to say even one thing that bush has done right.”No. I dare those who talk about others being partisan to say one thing good about him.“Not once do you ever disagree with bush. Not once do you ever say that bush is or was wrong.”Not on this blog, no. I never will. If you are at the picnic I would more than gladly share with you things I disagree with Bush on. I will not do so in a public forum while I am serving in the military.“That you defend Rush Limbaugh upthread is telling as to this. As much as you may love him Rush Limbaugh he is no more than a shill for a shill named bush.”I do like Rush. He has some valuable insight into politics.“And while you blindly follow everything he says you have no idea or any seeming desire to know just how badly you are being used.”Of all the things I do, say, or believe, in life none of it has to do with “blindly” following Rush.“And that makes you no more than a pawn.”And this makes you no more than someone who can’t seem to do much more than invent things to liable me with like blindly following Rush.“I do wish better for you.”Thank you. I pray that things will be better for you to.
And that is why your posts cannot be relevant Nathan. You’ve no choice.
Forgive…I am adressing the middle of your post as to why you cannot disagree with bush publicly. You are under orders. You cannot publicly disagree with the supreme commander. I understand that. I wish better for you. No one should be forced to be silent or blindly fight in service of this nation.
That said.
I made no mention of hell. Writerdog did that in suggesting it for a destination for those party blinded and disposed only to the line of a party. YOu fit that definition Nathan. Personally I don’t beleive in hell except as we make it for other people. Again this defines you Nathan.
Nathan? Your dad served. You serve. Rush Limbaugh never served. ( I have not either and I must say that to be fair) I’d ask you to ask yourself just what “insight into politics” (your words) Rush Limbaugh has. The man is a hypocrite and a demonstrable liar.
Nathan you spent time and words debating me. I spent no less time and consideration in debating you.
You might want to consider who values your service and this nation more. Is it Rush or bush who so willingly sends you to fight? Or is it folks like me who ever question why we fight and what for and why and demand answers to those questions before we commit your so willing and admirable desire to serve?
YOur post to me was the longest I have see of you Nathan. Trust that mine back was well considered.
Nathan, here is the one good thing I can say about George Walker Bush, on that day, when he stood at Ground zero. With the backdrop of the rubble that once was a shining example of New York city and rivaled the empire State building as being the one place that those coming to this country could truly recognize as they had made it to the greatest country on this planet. The home of the free and the land of the brave.
When he stood there and gave the speech that would tell those that would wish to bring this country to her knee and make her people bow to a philosophy of hatred. I was truly proud of my President, I thought he was the one that would defend this country and guild us to a righteous end to those cowards that would kill innocent people to farther their hopeless goal of bring about our end.
I admired him, for not since FDR had the President of the United States had such a moment to show the world how strong we are and that we will not bend to those that would wish for the Great experiment to end.You can destroy our building, kill our children, make us weep for the dead. BUT YOU WILL NOT BREAK US!
On that day I was truly proud of George Walker Bush, he show the world what Americans are.That is the one good thing I can say about him, now the bad things are too numbered to list at this point.Among them is how far he stray from that day, he will be remembered in America’s history. But not for being a shining example of the best this country can offer as the President of the United State.
I was pointed to the news archives on the whitehouse webpage. If you go there you’ll see some really great questions that were asked our president. Unfortunately all the good questions were asked by foreign press. Our press asks stupid questions that never push any of the issues.The AP has an article on how the news coverage doesn’t off any depth.http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/news_study;_ylt=AjorpwohU6Npam1Q73I9LNms0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3ODdxdHBhBHNlYwM5NjQ-
So far as partisanship goes. the only thing the labels Democrat and Republican do is guarantee there will be no solution only a dividing line.
I agree with Kurt Vonnegut when he said. “”We have no Democratic Party. It’s financed by the same millionaires and billionaires as the Republicans.”
Israel is stealing is stealing our country, dollar by dollar.
As soon as the Zionists discovered Bush was an air-head, the jumped-ship from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party.
Before that the Zionists were communists, until Joe flushed them out and they’re still hot about that.
And Israel is the one fanning the flames of war.
Bush didn’t call the attack by its right name. It was a retaliatory attack for years { 6 decades } of killing Arabs.
Of course the rhetoric of this administration doesnt even measure up to the standards of high school debate.
But here is what concerns me….
Apparantly, the american voters are not even QUALIFIED TO JUDGE A HIGH SCHOOL DEBATE!!
We keep electing the bushies to office, so we must be declaring them the debate winners.
Or is diebold judging this debate with no paper trail?