Huffington Post diary: Howard Dean was right about Iraq, media was wrong.

[madfloridian]

This is a very thorough post which refers back to Howard Dean's speech at Drake University a month before the invasion.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/theblog/archive/cenk-uygur/dean-was-right_5772.html

"Howard Dean was right because he had the most complete warning – don’t do it!"

"For this Dean was labeled an extremist. I assume the mainstream media would like to apologize now for being so wrong about Howard Dean. They apologize at the drop of a hat if conservatives complain they got any detail of a story wrong. Where’s the apology to Dean -- you were right about Iraq, we were wrong!"

SNIP:""What we expected to achieve was never realistic given the timetable or what unfolded on the ground," said a senior official involved in policy since the 2003 invasion. "We are in a process of absorbing the factors of the situation we're in and shedding the unreality that dominated at the beginning."

SNIP..."It was “never realistic.” I remember someone saying that before the war – when it mattered. The mainstream press and the Democratic establishment have never understood why Howard Dean is so popular among the people when they find him distasteful. It’s so simple – he has the courage to tell the truth in the face of political pressure.

"He was vilified and labeled “unelectable” because he stood up for what was right. And they still wonder why people look up to him.

Remember when Howard Dean said capturing Saddam Hussein wasn’t going to make us any safer. Again, the media pounced. How dare he?! Again, they were wrong, and he was right."

"If you don’t believe that Howard Dean was right about the war, then read his February 17, 2003 address at Drake University a month before the invasion":

“The stakes are so high, this is not a time for holding back or sheepishly going along with the herd.
…
And I firmly believe that the President is focusing our diplomats, our military, our intelligence agencies, and even our people on the wrong war, at the wrong time, when our energy and our resources should be marshaled for the greatest threats we face. Yes, Saddam Hussein is evil. But Osama bin Laden is also evil, and he has attacked the United States, and he is preparing now to attack us again.

What happened to the war against al Qaeda?

Why has this Administration taken us so far off track?

I believe it is my patriotic duty to urge a different path to protecting America's security: To focus on al Qaeda, which is an imminent threat, and to use our resources to improve and strengthen the security and safety of our home front and our people while working with the other nations of the world to contain Saddam Hussein.

To this day, the President has not made a case that war against Iraq, now, is necessary to defend American territory, our citizens, our allies, or our essential interests.

The Administration has not explained how a lasting peace, and lasting security, will be achieved in Iraq once Saddam Hussein is toppled.

We have been told over and over again what the risks will be if we do not go to war.

We have been told little about what the risks will be if we do go to war.

The author appears to be connected with The Young Turks, whom I often listen to on Sirius when AAR is not properly streaming.

http://www.youngturk.com/xoops/modules/sections/index.php?op=viewarticle&artid=28

[lesab]

1. Howard is my hero....

I have always been an admirer of Howard. I agreed with him then and I agree with him now. He has the common sense aproach to problems and situations that is sorely lacking in our politicians. I have always thought that there are too many educated dumbies in office and there aught to be a balance between common sense and education.


GO HOWARD!!!

[Howardx]

2. mine too:)

n/t

[smoogatz]

3. Dean was the only Democratic candidate in '04 who was right

about Iraq, and/or had the cojones to tell it like it was. Hell, he was the only one who didn't vote to authorize the damn war. We need more like Howard Dean.

[KittyWampus]

5. #1. You Forgot About Wesley Clark. #2. Dean NEVER Came Out & Said

"don't do it".

#3. the reason he didn't vote for the resolution was because he wasn't a senator. We have NO proof how he'd have voted except his record as Governor which was as a corporate friendly centrist. Chances are quite likely he WOULD have voted for that resolution.

#4. NOONE voted to 'authorize the war' and at this late date, for DU'ers to repeat the same mistaken assertions about that resolution is pathetic.

#5. I support Howard Dean AND elected Democrats and the article that started this thread is counter productive to the point of being
idiotic.

[madfloridian]

7. Are you referring to my post? or to the author?

Or are you referring to the author of the article at The Huffington Post. In this statement, to whom did you refer?

#5. "I support Howard Dean AND elected Democrats and the article that started this thread is counter productive to the point of being
idiotic."

[AuntieM1957]

10. You don't make any sense at all

Long list, and I see you've mastered the art of using the HTML table nicely.

But, your logic is so unclear that I kept looking for references in the original post to see WTF you're talking about.

You mention in your #3 the resolution authorizing the funds for the war, and yes, as a governor Dean would have been ineligible to cast a vote for it. But then in #4 you say that no one (it's 2 words BTW) voted to authorize it. Which is correct - 3 or 4?

Dean/Clark aside, what are you so pissed off about?

[madfloridian]

11. I have requested this post be locked because of your anger.

I don't want to contribute to the anger here anymore.

Your allegations about my post and the article are absolutely shocking to me.

This forum is called Democratic Underground...referring to Democrats. All of us...not just a few.

I can take the anger toward me, but there is no sense tonight in building on it.

[smoogatz]

20. You're right about #1, anyway.

I did forget about Clark--but he was never really a factor in '04.

#3 (you forgot #2): Well, duh. His point was that he wouldn't have voted to authorize the use of force in any case. Funny, for a corporate friendly centrist, he did a pretty good imitation of a lefty populist in the '04 primaries--which is why I voted for him.

#4. Blah, blah, whatever. You and your boy Kerry can parse his votes on Iraq 'til you're blue in the face, but it's still gonna look to me and a lot of other Democrats like he voted wrong on the authorization and wrong yet again on the supplemental--which, as Dr. Dean pointed out, made it very hard for him to represent himself as any kind of anti-war candidate.

5.That's your opinion; I think it's worth remembering who had a coherent and correct position on Iraq in '04; the '08 elections aren't all that far away, and credibility counts.

[welshTerrier2]

17. umm, nope ...

let's see, there was Dennis Kucinich ... wasn't he a "Democratic candidate in '04 who was right"? How about Sharpton? I vaguely remember Moseley-Braun opposing the war ... and Wes Clark too ... that's 5 out of the nine ...

in fact, the supporters were in the minority: Kerry, Edwards, Gephardt and Lieberman ...

[madfloridian]

Duplicate.

[madfloridian]

19. Relax, welsh, I am requesting it be locked.

I want you and cryingshame to write the author and gripe to him as well.

This is totally ridiculous.

[Upfront]

4. Why

I have believed in Howard Dean from the first time I heard him speak on the issues of the day. Howard Dean is so far ahead of the pack it is unreal. He has not been bought and paid for and is trying to help the average American. Please listen to him and support him.

[KittyWampus]

6. "Not Been Bought And Paid For"? You Have No Idea Who Seeded His

primary campaign then. Before you even ever heard of him.

I like and support Dean as DNC chair but the bs that swirls around him is sickening.

[madfloridian]

8. You have been reading Counterpunch, I fear.

Why in the world are you jumping on Upfront? He is nice guy and does not deserve it...I am used to it. I don't mind.

[madfloridian]

14. Just leave Upfront alone.

He is one of the very few genuinely nice people here at DU. And when you make accusations like that, you need to be careful...sauce for the gander...and all that stuff.

[madfloridian]

9. I am going to ask the admins to lock this post. although it is a good one.

I am stunned at the anger it brought forth. There is nothing wrong with my post and nothing wrong with the article at Huffington Post.

The allegations by a poster here about how he got his campaign seeded are out of line.

The anger is out of line. While I think I posted quite pleasantly, and I think the Huffington Post article was nice.....it is not worth anger and hostility here.

[AuntieM1957]

12. Well, I enjoyed reading it -

I suspect someone has displaced anger -

you have no need to apologize

[madfloridian]

13. Thanks, I am not apologizing, just tired of the anger toward me.

I did not mention another politician in my post at all. None was mentioned in the article.

People are extra upset for some reason tonight, and I don't want to add to it.

[AuntieM1957]

15. Maybe it's the gas prices, eh?

maybe we all think we might have a prayer in the next election season, and are scrambling to back the right horse.

I appreciate your desire not to stir up any unnecessary and mis-directed hostility.

[Cha]

16. How Nice to see this after coming

back from a Candle Light Peace Vigil in honor of Cindy Sheehan and all the mothers who have lost children in Iraq.

"Yes, Saddam Hussein is evil. But Osama bin Laden is also evil, and he has attacked the United States, and he is preparing now to attack us again.

What happened to the war against al Qaeda?

Why has this Administration taken us so far off track?"

Dean is prescient about so much that effects our Country and the World..it's been an honor to support him through his campaign and his subsequent winning the Chairman of the Democratic Party.

I continue to wish him and his endeavors the very BEST!

[madfloridian]

18. Thanks. We had over 90 at ours.

It was over 90 degrees at 7:30. Over 90 people here in this area is a miracle.

[ncrainbowgrrl]

21. Locking

This thread has outlived its usefulness.