Road to Nowhere
Reid: Bush in denial. This from a member of the Democratic leadership that is pushing a symbolic retreat plan he knows won’t survive a veto, simply to make the petulant point. This from the bearers of a mandate who have so far managed to enact exactly one meaningless non-binding, self-negating resolution.
Broder: Reid a “bumbling” “embarrassment.” (thanks Think Progress! Good catch!)
Michael Barone with the sausage-making, in a House and Senate divided against themselves.
Hotair sums it up thusly:
Sen. Harry Reid says that the war is lost, then backtracks.
Rep. Nancy Pelosi declares that the road to peace is through Damascus, and offers to meet with Iran’s apocalyptic pirate president but declines to meet with the President of the United States.
Together, these two and their allies are doing all that they can to de-fund the war in Iraq through the Jack Murtha “slow bleed” strategy.
Call all of that what you want, but it doesn’t amount to supporting the troops. It amounts to supporting the enemy.
I’d say Bryan at Hotair is giving them too much credit. As you’ll recall, al-Zawahiri was chiding the Dems a couple of months ago for failing to live up to their campaign promises. He wanted the Dem Cong to get on with it. I can’t imagine their cavedwelling fellow travellers are very pleased with them and their futile gestures.
Details of this non-plan that is going nowhere:
Troop withdrawal begins Oct. 1, with the bulk of the troops out by April 1. It sets strict standards for resting, training and equipping troops, though it’s not clear why Democrats want to waste money on that, if they don’t plan to use them. It also sets benchmarks for the Iraqi government to reach on dealing with militias, re-Baathify, share oil revenues, etc. Not clear what incentive the Iraqi government has to meet any benchmarks, because all that is going out the window with the current government once open season starts, and any Iraqi official with half a brain is going to be actively working on an individual survival plan.
Some U.S. troops could remain after April 1, 2008 to protect U.S. facilities, train Iraqi forces, and pursue terrorists. Al-Qaeda only. Of course, al-Qaeda and others will not need to be pursued. They will be busy overrunning U.S. facilities and should be easy to find. Any Iraqi forces with half a brain will either be with al-Qaeda or with the Shiite militias by April 2, 2008.
Fortunately none of this matters. Because it is all a meaningless show. It serves exactly one purpose: This is the kind of dangerous nonsense you will get if you vote for a Democrat, or anyone who isn’t committed to victory in war, in November of 2008.
There is the issue of paying for the war until that election is over. The Dems have signalled that they intend to do that, as they lack the conviction not to. It’s just a question of how long they want to string this along, with half measures followed by half measures, and whether they will bother trying to bring their own nutfringe along with them.
There is actually an important lesson here for the Democrats, given their eagerness to negotiate with Iran and Syria: You don’t attempt to negotiate from a position of weakness. When you stand for nothing, or worse, for surrender, there is no reason anyone should take you seriously.
Sayanything reckons they slipped a surrender clause into their surrender clause.
Jawa: No al-Qaeda in Iraq!
Ledeen: I’ll see your al-Qaeda and raise you one Iran.
Hinderaker: Reid’s “Mission Accomplished” speech.
Welcome Punditeers! Stick around. Mullah Cimoc is in the house. Baghdad Mental is on the tube. Yeah, that’s mujahid-chic pop terrorist Dadullah, in a spot of troubullah. Pigs aloft … OK, bad choice of words … as Arab newspapers slam Islamic terrorists in their editorial cartoons: more like this, please. Hey, I thought fences make good neighbors! Meanwhile can’t take this two anywhere. Sheryl and Laurie, bent on making an inconvenient nuisance of themselves.
Posted by Jules Crittenden at 11:00 pm on Monday, April 23, 2007
13 Responses to “Road to Nowhere”
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April 23rd, 2007 at 11:18 pm
2007.04.23 Dem Perfidy // Islamism Delenda Est Roundup
How can people like Reid and Pelosi and Murtha stand to look at themselves in the mirror every morning, knowing they’ve placed personal power and privilege above doing what’s best for this country, our troops, the Iraqi people, and ultimately the wor…
April 23rd, 2007 at 11:25 pm
Jules, IIRC, a while back you got in the habit of emailing me your latest columns at Russ Vaughn’s suggestion. Every time I’ve ever tried to copy poetry into your comments it’s come out Murthad up but I do want to let you know there are Russ Vaughn poems dedicated to Fairy Harry here and here. Copy ‘em and post ‘em if you want; we ain’t selfish.
April 23rd, 2007 at 11:27 pm
This is why I can’t vote for a Democrat for president, no matter who they pick. The party itself simply isn’t trustworthy anymore. It doesn’t make me happy to say that, either, because the Republicans haven’t done a whole lot to gain my trust either, but that’s how I’ll be voting in 2008.
April 23rd, 2007 at 11:42 pm
There are only a couple of questions I want prospective candidates to answer: Sir or Madam-your country is at war, do you want us to win? If so, what will you do to help secure victory? If not, well there’s a word for that.
It really is that simple.
April 24th, 2007 at 2:20 am
I find myself disgusted with them all, from the White House to Congress, from Defense to State (well, I’m always disgusted with State), and most especially with every one of our pathetic intelligence groups. I’m sure there are people who work hard and honestly for the country, but there are too many in top positions who do nothing but vie for power, their own agenda, and revenge against their “enemies” within the government. Those of us who are paying for it all aren’t even on the radar–except as fodder. I’m not sure that a vote for anyone will make much difference in a divided country with a government intent on eating itself.
I’m sick of voting against people. Just once before I die, I’d like to feel right and good about voting FOR somebody.
April 24th, 2007 at 7:04 am
Powerline makes note of the fact that Moveon will be doing a commercial with a vet denouncing the war. They are really pulling out all the propaganda for this. The terrorists helped them out by killing 9 troops in a suicide bombing. I bet the Democrats will be on that like a vulture on road kill.
BTW powerline notes the fact that when prowar vets did a commercial supporting the war the Democrats tried to get it yanked. That whole freedom of speech for the troops is a bit onesided me thinks.
April 24th, 2007 at 8:27 am
[...] ANOTHER UPDATE: “Fortunately none of this matters.” [...]
April 24th, 2007 at 8:35 am
Bill
How can people like Reid and Pelosi and Murtha stand to look at themselves in the mirror every morning
They do look, but they see nothing looking back.
As I’ve mentioned in comments, Operation Rubble for areas of Iraq would have been a dandy way to go. Not one of our leaders had the mindset, nor the stomach, for an Operation Rubble.
You see, I would have spelled Shock and Awe, Shock and Awwwww.
April 24th, 2007 at 9:14 am
[...] H/t to Jules Crittenden. [...]
April 24th, 2007 at 9:59 am
Web Reconnaissance for 04/24/2007
A short recon of whats out there that might draw your attention.
April 24th, 2007 at 10:33 am
Reid and Pelosi’s record so far as leaders of the majority cannot in any way be described as successful. They are basically stuck in the mud, able only to stage meaningless show trials (”democratic oversight” ) and to beg for various resignations of Bush administration officials.
April 24th, 2007 at 12:57 pm
[...] H/t to Jules Crittenden. [...]
April 24th, 2007 at 6:09 pm
Harry Reid’s Bloody Hands
Harry Reid seems quite determined to drive over the cliff and take his party with him. While I’m all for the Democrats self-destructing, by denying the troops the necessary funds for the war, he’s endangering both their lives and ours. If the Democra…