February 19, 2007

Iraq, Lies and The Neocon Dead-enders

After nearly four years and over 3,000 KIAs, you'd think that the Neocon intellectuals who got us into the Iraq quagmire would finally see the light; finally admit that invading Iraq was a mistake.

But if you thought that, you'd be wrong.  It's true that some Neocons, like Richard Perle, Kenneth Adelman, and David Frum  have   changed their positions,  but most haven't.  Those who haven't are the dead-enders.

What's a dead-ender?  Well, a  dead-ender, Neocon style  is a right-wing intellectual who is constitutionally unable to face reality.   Dead-enders believe, despite all  evidence to the contrary,  that it is possible to impose a Western-style liberal democracy on an Islamic country, at the point of a bayonet.  Dead-enders are also unable to face the fact, that when it comes to Iraq, the Neocons have lost.  They've lost the argument with  the American people and they've lost the argument in  Congress.  

So, undaunted by their losses  at the ballot box and in  the public opinion polls,   the dead-enders  are trying a different strategy--attacking the patriotism of politicians who want to limit the number of US troops in Iraq and withdraw them from what many see as a sectarian civil war.   And when attacks on patriotism of their opponents doesn't work, they resort to outright lies concerning the level of support given to soldiers already on the ground in Iraq.

Attacks on the patriotism of those who do not support this war is nothing new.  It happens in all wars.  But the dead-enders on the right, frantic to keep up the useless struggle in Iraq are especially vicious.   William Kristol in his Weekly Standard,  the other day, said that  Democrats and some Republics, by supporting the anti-surge resolution are 'hurting the country.'   In other words that they are somehow 'unpatriotic.' 

Kristol goes on to say  that politicians like Jack Murtha want to "block further relief and reinforcement for American troops, leaving them exposed and unable to succeed".  Leading Fox News dead-ender Charles Krauthammer put his two cents in last Sunday,  stating that a vote  for the anti-surge resolution in Congress, was in reality, a vote to deny the soldiers in the field support. 

These allegations are simply outright lies. American personnel already in a combat zone in Iraq   are getting and will get, all the provisioning and support they need.  Congress is not going to cut their support.    

The Congress will, however prevent any more soldiers from being sent to Iraq.    The American people have spoken on this issue, they've rejected the president's policies and they've rejected the Neocons. 

The next step is to simply cut funding for Mr Bush's surge or at a minimum place place restrictions on their use.     

Posted  10:30 AM  PST

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