Pat Buchanan says Cindy fills in for spineless Dems

[quaoar]

http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=45815

Put bluntly, the bottom is falling out of support for the commander in chief. What is remarkable is that no Democrat has stepped forward, as Gene McCarthy did, to lead an anti-war crusade and call for a date certain for withdrawal of U.S. troops. Cindy Sheehan is filling that vacuum.

< snip >

"As the Iraqis stand up, we will stand down" is President Bush's exit strategy. But how can the Iraqis the U.S. Army is training defeat an enemy the U.S. Army has itself been unable to defeat in two years?

Americans do not want an endless no-win war, but they also do not want to cut and run, or walk away and leave a debacle, when they believe that 1,850 Americans have died and 13,000 have been wounded in a noble cause. If President Bush cannot describe "victory" in terms convincing enough to Americans willing to spend blood indefinitely, he will have to persuade them to stay the course by describing what a disaster defeat will mean for Iraq and for America's position in the world.

But to do that would raise a question: Why, then, in heaven's name, did America take such a risk, when Iraq was never a threat?

September could see the coalescing of an anti-war movement that both bedevils the White House and divides a Democratic Party that seeks to benefit from a losing war, without having to offer a plan to win it or end it, without being held accountable for having supported it, or responsible for undercutting it.

[kstewart33]

1. He has a good point

The Dems on Iraq--talk about MIA!

[blm]

2. It only works when it comes from the military and their families.

I'm a huge McCarthy fan, but, politicians are targetted for belittling and demonization, and it works every time.....the media gets stacked against them, especially today's media.

It took Vietnam vets to bring that war to an end.

It will take Iraq vets and military families to get the nation focussed on the wrongs of this war.

[MadisonProgressive]

3. I have a love-hate relationship with Buchanon

He surprises me like this as much as he pisses me off.

[mikelewis]

6. Me too - I love hating him. It makes life so much simpler...

I can agree with somethings he says but so far nothing he's said makes up for the shitty things he says everyday.

[MadisonProgressive]

9. I guess you're right

More like a like-hate relationship.

[mikelewis]

4. Our new reason for fighting in Iraq is what? to not lose?

That's our new war plan? We must continue fighting in Iraq because losing will show the world that we can be beaten and that's bad. We must continue killing people for what? Pride?

He has also made a very salient point: "how can the Iraqis the U.S. Army is training defeat an enemy the U.S. Army has itself been unable to defeat in two years?"

Answer: They can't.

[Soup Bean]

12. I don't think we've been "beaten".

Leaving wouldn't show that we've been beaten, either. However, the biggest, strongest kid on the block can't just go out and beat up the defenseless kid without being scorned by the rest of the world.

We weren't really "beaten" in Vietnam, either. We just chose to stop fighting, which is what we should do here. The US can't be "beaten", in an all out war. Of course, no one wins an all out war, but Iraq or Vietnam could never defeat the USA in a "no-holds barred" match.

The American People would not want to completely destroy a weak country. When we see images of Abu Gharaib, or the children in Farenheit 911, we realize we really shouldn't be doing this. In that way, we "lose". I don't think that's a loss, that's having a consciense.

Americans are basically good people. We may be lazy and uninformed, but we don't want to hurt anyone else. Most of us, anyway. We're really better people than our leaders are. I believe that strongly.

Declare Victory in Iraq, help the government not descend into chaos, and come home. It won't be quick, it won't be easy. But it's what we have to do, regardless.

[SledDriver]

17. That about sums it up n/t

[autorank]

5. He was right in 2000 about his S. FL support; Right now re: leadership.

Not about our Dems: Clark, Conyers, Hackett, etc. The "truth-tellers"

[Donna Zen]

13. New Blog Posting:

Wes Clark put up a new blog today in which he was critical of george's 5 week vacation.

He goes on to explain why diplomacy is the way out.

I wrote to him, you might too. Although I hestitate to suggest this knowing the sad cases who constantly fail the polite test, but still, it is an opportunity.

I told WKC that the problem with any plan for success is that this administration is incapable of following it. There's the rub.

There are ways to get out, but the bat-shit crazies that run our country have neither the will nor the means to do anything right.

[Pepperbelly]

7. I'm so conflicted by this ...

He is stone cold right, particularly that last paragraph ... but still ... it's Pat fucking Buchanan, old Cannonball himself (or is it 'loose cannon'?).

Damn ... I hate agreeing with this asshole.

[quaoar]

19. Buchanan has been very consistent on the war

He has been against it and against the whole neocon philosophy from the beginning.

When it comes to the war, he has been as harsh with Bush as anybody on the left.

On social issues, however, Buchanan is the head cheerleader for the American Taliban.

He's really sort of out there on his own. Republicans loathe him for his lack of support for the war and Democrats loathe him for his Neanderthal views on abortion, religion, etc.

[tsuki]

21. Do you remember when Pat Buchanan was a Right Wing Nut? Now,

he's the voice of the moderates. Sends shivers up my spine. But, not to worry, he'll say something soon that will be wingnut out there.

[tsuki]

8. A random, unrelated thought that just skittered through this old

brain. Were American Patriots called insurgents by the British?

Forgive me, old person here. Must articulate before the thought is lost forever.

[Jacobin]

16. A similar derogatory name

the british lined up on the battlefield in red coats and expected the enemy to do the same and the side with the most troops and guns would win.

Instead American revolutionary forces hid in the bushes and shot at the marching british troops in what was considered to be a very backward and undignified manner of war.

of course, the superior power always wants the weaker power to fight on its own terms and insurgents from time immemorial have fought with what they could gather against stronger forces to win.

That's what American revolutionary forces did then and that is what Iraqi nationalist forces are doing now to rid their country of the invading infidels

[quaoar]

20. Actually

Most engagements in the American Revolution were of the standard "line em up and shoot at each other" variety.

The big exceptions to that were Francis Marion in South Carolina and the Green Mountain Boys of Vermont, both of whom engaged in guerrilla warfare.

[Kolesar]

10. Jesus. Kucinich

Russ Feingold. Sherrod Brown. Has fat Pat never heard of them???

[idlisambar]

22. Yes, but most other people haven't n/t

[Cocoa]

11. of all the opinions about the Democratic Party

Pat Robertson's is way down on my list to give a shit about.

[liberaliraqvet26]

14. Why do I like Pat Buchanan??

You guys probably think im nuts but I like to listen to the guy. He actually makes sense on the mideast and the deficit. Like 6 months ago I ran ionto him & his wife in a Delray Beach supermarket and talked to him in the dairy aisle for fifteen minutes. I actually believe he is honest & speaks his mind unlike the rest of the party. Anyone else agree or u think im a crazy freeper?

[Emendator]

18. That's a cool story

You're right. He was probably thankful that you didn't throw any tomatoes at him. He's a decent guy who is, from what I've read, very well liked even in Washington. With his staunchly conservative views, maybe that's the only way he can friends. Surprisingly, he knows a lot about pop culture and has a good sense of humor.

[Lexingtonian]

15. he's always a fun read

He's such a good scold....

Well, the reason the Cindy Sheehan thing has worked so well on Republicans is because it is so instinctive and unsophisticated...perhaps even a little dumb. They can relate perfectly. Cindy can do what politicians can't do in the way of emotional pull on these folks.

As for Buchanan's whine about Democrats...I dunno, I'm fine with them standing on the sidelines while the Bush Administration scores own goals. I'm bothered by the ones who want to help the Bush folks.