On Iraq, What's More Disgusting: Being Lied To, Or Hearing the Truth?
If you read the news very carefully, you can see exactly what is going on inside the Washington debate over the Iraq War. One party is lying, and one party is telling the truth - but which ones are doing what may surprise you (or, perhaps, not).
First, the lie, otherwise known as the Innocent Bystander Fable.
In a story headlined "Democrats Retreat on War End," The Politico notes that congressional Democrats are - once again - moving towards endorsing a legislative effort to cut the most unpopular president in contemporary American history a blank check to continue the most unpopular war in contemporary American history. Within this story, comes the lie to justify it all:
"The strategic shift is certain to anger some war critics, but it reflects the reality that Democrats lack the votes to force President Bush's hand. 'We are trying to manage expectations that we can't end the war today or next week or next month,' said one Democrat involved in the discussions. 'We have to make sure everyone understands that.'" (emphasis added)
Anyone who has read the U.S. Constitution knows this is a fabrication. Congress has the power of the purse, meaning it has the ultimate veto over the war. Democrats control both chambers of Congress, meaning they have the ultimate veto over the war. If they chose not to schedule a vote to give Bush a blank check, the war would end. The whole idea that they "can't end the war" is the highest form of dishonesty. It is the Innocent Bystander Fable - the oft-repeated lie where Democrats claim they are powerless even though they control an entire branch of the government, and their public efforts to try "to make sure everyone understands" the lie as truth is just another insult in a long string of insults (the latest of which is the one where Democrats have the audacity to suddenly portray a non-binding bill by Colorado Sen. Ken Salazar that Democrats themselves had previously called "toothless" as now - without any change at all - supposedly a heroic bill that ends the war).
How about the honesty? That comes from the Republicans. Here's what a top Senate GOP leadership aide told Roll Call about the Iraq War:
"Our strategy in Iraq, in the short term, causes a lot of pain, but in the long term, prevents a lot of problems for the party." (emphasis added)
Wow. I mean...wow. The Republican Party is now on record admitting that even though the war is "caus[ing] a lot of pain" (ie. American casualties, Iraqi casualties will refuse to support ending, weakened American national security, etc.), it will nonetheless stonewall efforts to end the war specifically because continuing the war indefinitely "prevents a lot of problems for the party." GOP operatives may try to spin their way out of that one post facto - but no amount of spin can change such a crystal clear direct quote like that.
I can't tell what's more disgusting: Being lied to by Democrats about their supposed powerlessness, or having the GOP tell the American people the war must continue and American troops must continue getting killed, all because it is supposedly good for the Republican Party's political fortunes. What I can say is this: It is clear that less than a year after a national election that saw the American people demand an end to the war, both parties are going out of their way to continue it - because to folks in Washington, D.C., no matter how many people die, the whole tragic affair is all just a big game.
Cross-posted from Working Assets
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The Truth is always harder than the lie!
How hard would it be to explain why they really attacked New York on 11 September 2001?
I can tell you one thing, that they can’t tell the truth about that, that's to hard for them to handle. Christ is the Truth and Christ could carry that burden. Politicians can’t, that’s to heavy for them!
It's about money, a proped up war economy, donors to both parties, and making a ton o'cash.
To stop it will have to be an armed
citizens police action with some donkeys and
elephants hanging from tree limbs and it will stop this crap. I reason thus because my father
studied this 50 years before I began my study, of the same corruption that the call on the hill American government.
So if 50 years from my father that said it had been going on since he was alive and 50 years from my study to give it a century of observation. And I say, as he said that nothing has changed. The only way we can get it change is to show these buffooned nazis we mean business. And if there's blood in the land of ma, home, and apple pie, it's all a result of their criminal behavior.
As Ben Franklin said, "We must all hang together or they will surely hang us all separately. And I for one would hang most
politicians separately or together. Their choice.
Surely there should be a better way than the one of bloodshed but rigged elections doesn't permit us to make the real changes necessary.
Unless there is a change soon I don't see America as we know it surviving much longer.
The U.S. constitutions gives us the right to
peaceably assemble. The other day, I read a
report of a group of people who had assembled on public property in front of the whitehouse. It was a press conference on the coming Iraq
report. Mainstream media was there to cover it.
Police on horses charged the crowd breaking it up, seizing podium and microphone, and arresting some people.
Some might say what have written here has broke the law. Preaching armed resistance to our government? To which I reply, there are a lot of things going on in our present government
that are illegal, the least of these being the first amendment prose of, "Give me the America of our foundling fathers or we should give you death."
A very simple tactic
a sticker which says "GONE in 08"
It's added to EVERY lying cowards 08 campaign signs, next to every lying cowards bumper sticker. Doesn't matter which party...we
Hi David,
Either way, it's a lie by both parties. They have both given so many reasons for why things are happening and why they aren't that it's obvious they both are lying. Why? They both know the score and they both are making big money. I would LOVE at least one whistleblower to TELL US THE TRUTH!!! We deserve it.
The revelation that we have waited 7 months of this needless escalation, of an even more needless reckless war...and we don't even get the Report we were promised..
There is HELL to PAY, and it begins with every Republican in Congress becomes extinct.
Democrats don't you get too comfy either...a
Concerning lies.
How can we be certain Osama's latest communication is from Osama? If he shows up to lay claim he is dead!
I am reasonably certain it was written by some agent or stooge from within the American "Intelligence" in that like so many other recent statements "from him" the timing is perfect for the current "American Dream".
America R.I.P.
We must turn our attention to getting rid of the WASP mafiosi using the honourable name and occupying the space left by the deceased. This is an international problem that is oozing out of the North American continent. It is an international responsibility to fix it.
Action is required. How can we help? How can you help us?
I have one suggestion. Let us identify the problem by finding a name for what I have loosely called the WASP mafiosi above. The government of "America" is not democratic.
An old name is oligarchy, meaning a gang of wealthy people who often manipulate events and perceptions about events to favour their selfish thinking. This is clearly the case now and those buying it are beginning to look profoundly stupid
I don't understand all the hand-wringing about "whatever happened to the Party of the New Deal"... that was then, this is now. The fact that they "lack courage" is a dead issue, implying that there's some kind of illusory progressive principle being betrayed. The Democratic Party accepted the role of being the Republican jockstrap quite a while ago and will go down in history as such. I say vote Republican all the way, gimme the Full Monty. The sooner the Demos become extinct, the sooner the landscape is cleared of the clutter and the sooner the people face a clear image of the enemy dictatorship for what it is.
The Republicans can filibuster. The author is being disingenuous to support his anti-Democrat position. He is in the minority, because most persons back the Democrats.
I say give Bush every damned dime he asks for for Iraq... BUT NOT UNTIL AND ONLY AFTER all Congresional subpoenas have been answered, all materials turned over, and all involved testify under oath before the Judiciary Committee. Kind of the perfect Catch 22 dont ya think?
I have to agree with you. How come when the Repubs controlled Congress they could run over the Dems, but now the Dems can't?
But, part of the problem is the DINOS, the Blue Dog Dems that often vote with the Repubs. I am ashamed to say my two Senators are in that group, and many Dems here in Arkansas are thoroughly disgusted with them.
WHAT WILL IT TAKE...for Wimpocrats to actually do anything but name call, cave in and whine about how difficult it is to work with such a slim majority.! Baker-Hamilton ...just a foot note. Petraus report...m
Motion to prevent Bush from bombing Iran...we don't want to be obstructionists. Leave Iraq....we don't want to be responsible if things go poorly. Impeach...
The DLC ,Republican lite Democrats, the cockroaches Dean once talked about before he became a big tent guy, t....firml
Anybody for impeaching Pelosi, Clinton, or Reid?
While millions are being killed, wounded and displaced in Iraq, Democrats and Republicans are both lying to Americans about the reasons for continuing our military presence there. Not only do Democrats have the power of the purse, but they have the power to begin impeachment proceedings. With Pelosi's statement that impeachment is "off the table", that option is not an option until her rhetoric changes. A vast majority (76%) of Americans want the "war" to end, but Democrats refuse to cut off the funding. This must reflect their own self interests, rather than the will of the people who elected them. These two issues, which are vital to the survival of Democracy, have consistently been rejected by Democrats, while they investigate other, albeit dastardly, issues. Their strategy could be to refuse funding and call for troop withdrawal. When Bush veto's this, they slightly alter the bill and submit it again, and again, and again. There is enough money on hand to bring the troops safely home.
All of this moaning and groaning about Democrats and Republicans. Aren't they one and the same party? We don't have a two party system anymore. Who's kidding who about this? A strong third party would've have ended this fiasco long ago, but we'd rather be cocooned with the politicos who have evaluated their constituency and come up with zeroes, my friends. That's you and I, people... our individual and sum total worth, zero. I weep for the Republic while our sons and daughters bleed for it. Shame on us all.
There's some truth to what you say. The Republicans appear willing to say that it's about politics, and the Democrats appear unwilling to do so. Apparently when you admit you’re playing politics, it’s more acceptable. And of course it's about politics, but why would one party lie and another not? Well, let's first make it clear that what the TOP SENATE GOP LEADERSHIP may not have been appreciated by the actual TOP SENATE GOP LEADERSHIP. Nevertheless, when it comes to sensitive issues like national security, it's always easier to sell the People more protection than less, even if the product delivered is actually making them less safe. If the shoe were on the other foot, we would see the GOP trying to play both sides of the street, and would be accused of being cowardly. Alas, the GOP can afford to be honest in this situation. Lucky them.
Mr. Draper in his bio of Bush quotes Bush as referring to the Iraq invasion and occupation as "playing". As for the Democrats they must be denied contributions and e-mailed protesting their lies.
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Posted September 6, 2007 | 10:20 AM (EST)