Josh Marshall : On terror, Dems should go after Bush from right

[Manix]

<snip>

We now know that the U.S. Central Command started cycling personnel out of Afghanistan while we were still in the hunt for Osama bin Laden and his top lieutenants to get ready for the invasion of Iraq. We know that a lot of our diplomatic capital with countries in the region is being expended on dealing with the Iraq issue rather than on assistance in the fight against al Qaeda. And of course we hear almost daily stories about gaps in homeland security — whether its airport screeners, port security, or bio-weapons sensors — which could easily be funded with the literally hundreds of billions of dollars we’ve already spent on a mix of war fighting and reconstruction in Iraq.

These arguments aren’t made for 30-second TV spots or quick rejoinders in presidential debates, but a summary of them easily can be: The president talks a good game on taking the fight to the terrorists. But after a good start in Afghanistan, he got bored with attacking al Qaeda and attacked Iraq instead.

Most voters now realize that the two things are basically unrelated. And to the extent they are related our errand in Iraq has exacerbated our problem with terrorism, not alleviated it.

The Democrats can play defense and complain that the president is questioning their patriotism, or they can take the offense and show that he has failed by the very standards he sets for himself.

A Democrat who can do the latter will be a formidable challenger.


http://www.hillnews.com/marshall/112603.aspx

[childslibrarian]

1. Which is exactly

What Wes Clark is asking...

[Donna Zen]

2. Well I thought someone did

"I'm not criticizing the president for going after terrorists, I'm criticizing the the president for not going after terrorists" Gen. Wesley K. Clark (ret.)

[eileen from OH]

3. Ayup. . .

And though I'm a Dean supporter, I like Clark a lot too and thought this was the single most brilliant answer I'd ever heard from any Dem candidate. Others (Bob Graham, for one) have said basically the same thing, but not as succinctly as that. And to get the proper emphasis the way Clark said it. . .

"I'm not criticizing the president for going after terrorists, I'm criticizing the the president for NOT going after terrorists"

eileen from OH

[pansypoo53219]

4. damn straight

bush has done nothing but fumbe our security. and made us worse off.

[papau]

5. Clark and Marshall are correct - 04 won't be a wedge issue values election

In October/November 04 we will be talking about

Iraq - and the draft, and deaths, and friends pulled from jobs to be in the military in Iraq

Life and death and ability to improve personal physical security,

Our job - how secure it is, has our kid found a job, or is a friend in danger of losing a job -Employment for friends and family - increase in wealth for the common man. The economy will be finally stopping its slide - but at a cost of huge deficits that will make the future worse because of tax cuts that have caused the recovery to falter - as it did after the Reagan tax cuts for more than a year - with too many people unemployed or underemployed, a the president not doing enough to fix it, and indeed with the 80's result of the unemployment rate that existed when Reagan took office being the same of higher when Reagan/Bush left office - indeed the first administration since Hoover to have a net job loss over its four years..

Free Trade versus fair trade that protects American jobs will mean more than "Bush is a good guy".

Social Security cutbacks planned by the GOP under the disguise of a private account push, all the while noting the GOP lie that the fact that in 2017 SS will pay out more than it takes is a crisis, when all it is an indication that taxes on the rich will need to be raised so as to repay the SS system for the money stolen to finance tax cuts for the rich

A Health care coverage bill that takes 400 billion - and then gives 30% of that to special interests rather than paying for drugs - and indeed prohibits the government from asking for lower prices for drugs sold in America.

And things like same sex unions will be either not be discussed - or those doing the talking will be thought of as idiots for having the discussion when far more important priorities are at stake.

There can be no time wasted on wedge issues that divide us when the question is how to get back to peace and prosperity.