Volume 9, Number 3
October 21, 2007
October 21, 2007
|
|
SUNDAYS - SINCE
1999
|
First come the framers to test the waters. The thinkateers are everywhere on the move. The Ledeens. "They (Gen. David Petraeus and Lt. Gen. Raymond Odierno) know that Iran and Syria still have a free shot at us across long borders, and Gen. Petraeus told Congress last month that it would not be possible to win in Iraq if our mission were restricted to that country." By the time Dick Cheney explains it to Tim Russert, it will feel like old hat. First cause for strike against Iran not panning out? Trot out a good number two, as it were. Frontline's essay "Cheney's Law" reinforced the point that this crowd fixes justification around preconceived ends. Imagine being told by a member of the Veep's inner sanctum: "If you rule that way, the blood of the 100,000 people who die in the next attack will be on your hands." They don't just twist arms, they attach electrodes. As reported by Reuters: "Earlier, in comments aimed at the United States, Putin said during his talks in Iran: 'We should not even think of using force in this region.'" "Iran is going to have to understand that the United States will protect its interests if Iran seeks to confront us," said Nicholas Burns, a State Dept. undersecretary. Stock up on the Pepto, Chester. We've been here before. It's the inevitability, stupid, should read every Democrat's war room poster. It's a recurring scenario: their blinding fear of being portrayed as such and such makes them patsies anyway. They've caved on so many items which gave 2006 its significance that one has to wonder if the prevailing wisdom on what those elections meant isn't in itself a bit of first class deck stacking. If you attempted to hear all 50 states' hopes, wishes, demands and mandates in the collective, you might hear a slight preference for the Democratic version of sausage making (and the cacophony). This monolithic voice for change might have been more of a general predilection, re-framed for easy story lines. It remains as hard to advance the more progressive bits of legislation and hold persons accountable and undo the usurpations of power perpetrated by this executive. The Iraq funding vote showed how past victories in the race to frame issues continue to reap rewards, despite a Democratic majority. [Reduce,
suspend or eliminate funding] + [attach conditions, time lines and/or
benchmarks]
= [don't support, hate, and/or wish failure on the troops] The formula is playing out with Iran in the crosshairs this time. The retired colonels and generals are back on the 24/7. "But if we’ve learned anything in the tragic adventure in Iraq, it’s this: we should think clearly about what happens after the strike — we’d better do a good job of it," opined Jack Jacobs. The independent senator from Connecticut struck a different note: "Although no one desires a conflict with Iran, the fact is that the Iranian government by its actions has declared war on us." De facto facts have always been my favorites. Without an abrupt halt or a reasonable facsimile from Congress, and a quelling of the constitutional crisis which Bush/Cheney would then provoke, there's good reason to expect another bout with "if I had known then..." Every Republican candidate except Ron Paul would lead us to an Iran confrontation had it not happened in Bush's remaining umpteen months. Who among the Democrats can tap into the collective consciousness which sighs every now and then: "Not again?" |
|
Next week: Holy Crap (It's Up To Six Aisles Worth at
Wal*Mart) http://users.wildblue.net/msyoudin/paxtpund.html
|