It appears as though it's time to welcome Republican party chairman Michael Steele to the ranks of the anti-war protesters, on the eve of July 4 no less. Steele has repeatedly caused heartburn among Republicans for his own stubbornly independent streak. But this time the chairman may have jumped the shark by labeling Afghanistan President Obama's war of "choice."
Those are fighting words, at least among Republicans. Steele has challenged the most sacrosanct tenet in the GOP, the belief that America is fighting a righteous war against Islamic terrorists in Afghanistan and that the Democrats are always ready to cut and run. To be sure, some Republicans, such as congressman Ron Paul and his son Rand, believe that imperial adventures abroad will inevitably bring down the American empire. But they amount to a fringe. The bulk of the party belongs with Dick Cheney and Sarah Palin.
The funny part is that Steele himself might be right. It was kind of him to hold a tutorial for Obama and July 4 is an appropriate date to think about the difficulties involved in trying to subdue a foreign population, a good chunk of which views Americans as a new version of the Redcoats. What's more, the history of land wars in Afghanistan for foreign invaders, as Steele points out, has not been a happy one, as the British well know. It's so obvious that even Steele managed to pick up on that little nugget somewhere between his lucrative personal speaking engagements.
But Republicans have good reason to be nervous. Next thing you know Steele will be proclaiming that the deficit isn't something to worry about when the economy is faltering and that Obama should be spending more to stimulate it.
Here's hoping that Steele survives his latest faux pas -- if only to see what his next one will be.
Steve Clemons: Defending Michael Steele From War-Hungry RNC Members & Pentagon-Hugging Dems
This knee-jerk criticism of Michael Steele is wrong-headed by the Dems -- and all too predictable from neoconservatives like Bill Kristol. The recklessness is Kristol's -- and the hubris the DNC's.
Combating Israel has never appeared high on Bin Laden’s list of priorities.
"Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed. This world in arms is not spending money alone. It is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children. The cost of one modern heavy bomber is this: a modern brick school in more than 30 cities. It is two electric power plants, each serving a town of 60,000 population. It is two fine, fully equipped hospitals. It is some fifty miles of concrete pavement. We pay for a single fighter plane with a half million bushels of wheat. We pay for a single destroyer with new homes that could have housed more than 8,000 people. This is, I repeat, the best way of life to be found on the road the world has been taking. This is not a way of life at all, in any true sense. Under the cloud of threatening war, it is humanity hanging from a cross of iron. […] Is there no other way the world may live?"
–Dwight David Eisenhower, “The Chance for Peace,” speech given to the American Society of Newspaper Editors, Apr. 16, 1953.
Wouldn't that be great? It would be nice to have the leader of at least one political party (not the one we thought) advocating sound policy instead of constantly pandering and caving to the the right wing.
I voted for Obama in 2008 - but he's lost me.
I voted for him in spite of that, for all the other reasons, since McCain wasn't going to do anything for our soldiers anyway.
This is how out of touch the conservatives are,,, they really don't understand why they're policies failed America,,, and all anyone has to do is study the pre depression yrs to understand..
It was the belief that by taking care of the wealthy only,, the wealthy would take care of the rest of the ppl..
The trickle down theory failed in the 20's,, yet Americans allowed Reagan to bring it back in the 80's and
the conservatives are having so much trouble trying to bring back a failed belief system
The New deal calmed the citizens down enough not to take control of Industry which is what was being presented after years of starving the American workers, and the citizens settled for higher pay and better conditions only... The formation of unions saved the owners of big business from a very angry mob...
The teabaggers are phoney and clueless as they propose govt alone,, has caused all the problems..
The American family is losing everything because the corporations are trying to lower the American standard of living and we need a govt that will stand up to them and put a heel on the back of their necks..
Playing to Wall St instead of Main st has been the mistake of this generation.,.
Best Comedian ever!*
*Oh yeah, there's Rush, and Beck, Palin sheesh never mind.
I've always wondered how much trouble you created for yourself when your book was the first to breach political correctness and announce: Neocons = Jewish right wing.
While of course, not all Jewish Americans are right wing nuts, you allege most neocons are Israelis or right wing American Jews with heavy AIPAC leanings. Of course, this distorts our Israel policy as everyone knows and our policy will ALL Arab countries and oil rich Arab allies. It also distorts the American Jews on the left who think neocons and the Likud an absurd libel on them. They also feel distorted and misrepresented.
Just wondering how you survived the book...
Thomas Friedman was just accused of "blood libel" by another AIPAC crony on Huff Post this week for far LESS. Judge Goldstone was accused of anti-semitism outright. He's also Jewish. Obviously you're kidding or you don't understand the risks authors take when they criticize Israel, ESPECIALLY Jewish authors who get hit even worse and can have their CAREERS affected by blacklisting.