Ben Stein: Iraq Better Off With Saddam

[deadparrot]

Political commentator Ben Stein said the decision to invade Iraq was a huge mistake and the U.S. was better off with Saddam Hussein in charge of the country.

In an interview with NewsMax pundit Steve Malzberg, who was filling in as host on "The Mike Gallagher Radio Show” on Salem Radio, Stein declared: "We’re losing the war. We’re three years in and things are getting worse.

"I’m positive we will leave Iraq soon,” he added, saying after the U.S. withdraws its forces "it will be a disaster.”

Stein, a former speechwriter for Presidents Nixon and Ford and a frequent contributor to the "CBS Sunday Morning News,” went on to castigate the Bush administration for its invasion of Iraq: ”I’ve never seen a foreign policy mistake quite this bad. (Bush) just made a terrible mistake..."

http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2006/11/15/92619.shtml?s=ic

Apologies for the source.

[AlCzervik]

1. "Does Ben Stein love Saddam?" i'm not saying that, just asking.

"Does Faux news support Ben Stein in his love for Saddam" "Does Faux news taking no postion on the Stein/Hussain affair mean they approve of it?"

[QuestionAll...]

6. do Iraqis have to fix the chimperor's errors?

that's my big question. hearing talking heads on MessMedia. 'The Iraqis have to take control' (now that George the II has FUCKED IT SO BAD WORSER THAN SADDAM)

[babylonsister]

2. Wow, another worm turning. nt

[SusanaMontana41]

22. My thoughts exactly.

"find Ben Stein's conscience"

[wakeme2008]

3. We now have a religious war between three groups

that we never had under Saddam. While Saddam was not a nice guy, he would have never invaded Kuwait if he did not THINK he had Bush 41 approval. Clinton kept him under control and Bush 43 should have done the same.

[hwmnbn]

4. Fuck Ben Stein AND his money!!!......

He's been a neo-con apologist and chimp supporter from day one. He is as RW as anyone. He thinks now he is dispensing valuable information with his about-face.

We were saying invading Iraq was a disaster waiting to happen in 2003. We had worldwide demonstrations against it. Ben Stein's head was so far up this administration's ass he couldn't see our message, the one he's stating today.

Too late, sit down and shut up so we can fix this mess without your interference. We don't need any more of your "insights."

[partylessinOhio]

5. Wow, Ben Stein, I thought you were a dud but you rock!

:yourock:

[babylonsister]

14. He doesn't really. He's just another rat jumping ship. nt

[AngryOldDem]

20. No, he doesn't.

This story proves how clueless he really is.

[ComerPerro]

26. Why are people here so quick to embrace conservatives just because

they diss Bush once?

[wholetruth00]

7. Ben also said that taxes should be RAISED on the wealthy. The country needs the

revenue. Two things he said that i agree with.

[Graybeard]

10. Even a stopped clock shows the right time...

...twice a day. This jerk's clock stopped a long time ago.
Ignore.

[gumby]

8. LOL

BEN STEIN?? luvs Saddam????

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[BootinUp]

9. What an amazing Flip Flop that is.

I'm speechless.

[lapfog_1]

11. This coupled with his comments two days ago on Cavuto

where he suggested that increasing taxes on the rich was the right course AND he argued that trickle down has not been proven.

If we can save the video of these, he'll never be an effective pundit for the right again.

Next thing I know, he'll be endorsing Al Gore because he believes that Global Warming is a serious threat.

[EFerrari]

13. Don't push it.

:rofl:

[BootinUp]

15. OMG, I want to see that!! video link anywhere?

[lapfog_1]

17. I thought for sure C&L would put it up.

after all, especially for Ben, it was a huge reversal of opinion. I posted about it here with very few comments other than the usual collection of "Ben was a speech writer for Nixon" and similar.

I haven't seen the video anywhere, perhaps Fox has a transcript up, but given that its near heresy, they might have scrubbed it.

I've always respected Ben as being a pretty smart guy (unlike 99 percent of wing nuts) so I could never understand how he could hold the opinions that he holds... maybe there is hope for him. I think Bush has completely disgusted him. OTOH, it is just a couple of interviews so...

[leesa]

12. The US was better off with Saddam in charge? So were the Iraqis.

I seeem to remember this idiot backing all this foolishness in his oh-so-snobbish-way.

[CatWoman]

16. Buehler???

BUEHLER????

[FyurFly]

18. Stein is an idiot! n/t

[bling bling]

19. Nothing like calling it like it is.....in hindsight. True RW style.

Typical RW'er waits until the preventable situation turns into a mess and then slides into a fucking chaotic disaster before deciding they were wrong.

Oh no, Ben. You're not going to put ALL the blame on Mr. Bush now that you're forced to admit how wrong you all were. You and all the Bush cheerleaders in the public eye who led the parade are going down with him.

Thanks for your insight on the matter, Einstein.

Screw you.

[Jed Dilligan]

21. I don't know about Iraq being better off,

but our own regional interests were certainly better-served by his regime than the current situation.

There are a few bitter-enders here who still think we should keep fighting for something called "Democracy in Iraq." But it is obvious the choices for Iraq are dictatorship or partition.

[Hissyspit]

23. Ben Stein last December:

Host Neil Cavuto introduced the panel discussion by asking, "So, given the positive turnout in Iraq, will it be a positive for our U.S. markets and will it help finally take the Dow back above 11,000?" He added, "We didn't quite see it today, but it's sort of like Waiting for Godot. Eventually it will happen." In the play, Godot never actually shows up, though given that the Dow is currently at 10,878.16 -- and closed at 10,883.51 the day before the elections -- "eventually" could come very soon.

From the December 15 edition of Fox News' Your World with Neil Cavuto:

CAVUTO: So, given the positive turnout in Iraq, will it be a positive for our U.S. markets and will it help to finally take the Dow back above 11,000? We didn't quite see it today, but it's sort of like waiting for Godot. Eventually it'll happen.

<...>

CAVUTO: Ben Stein, Ben Stein? What say you?

STEIN: I think it's an incredible plus for Mr. Bush. I think Mr. Bush is going to go down in history as one of the great peacemakers and democracy-builders in the history of the world. I think his reputation is going to grow by leaps and bounds after this.

[gumby]

25. 'Priceless'

that calls for another :rofl:

[TexasLawyer]

24. Stein was busy pimping this war a few years ago

And Bush is his little buddy. I hope that Stein's bit part in bringing this war about will torment him always. I'm glad he has changed his mind, but it is waaaaay too late now.

Video clip available at the Media Matters site, if you have the stomache for it.

Ben Stein: "Bush is going to go down in history as one of the great peacemakers"

Summary: Ben Stein claimed that President Bush "is going to go down in history as one of the great peacemakers and democracy-builders in the history of the world," and that his reputation will grow "by leaps and bounds."

On the December 15 edition of Fox News' Your World with Neil Cavuto, Fox News contributor and former Nixon speechwriter Ben Stein announced that President Bush "is going to go down in history as one of the great peacemakers and democracy-builders in the history of the world." Stein further predicted: "I think his reputation is going to grow by leaps and bounds after this {the Iraqi election]. I think it's good for the market in the short run, although the market didn't do much about it today, as we know."

Stein's comments came during a panel discussion on whether the "positive turnout" for the December 15 Iraqi election would push the Dow Jones Industrial Average above 11,000. Stein said, "Dow 11,000, it seems to me, is virtually a certainty barring a new terrorist attack, but alas, the election and democracy didn't make it happen."

http://mediamatters.org/items/200512160009

[calimary]

31. He's correct on one count there: bush is going to go down in history.

Period. Down rather extremely.

[ComerPerro]

27. So when does he finish his thoughts and get to slamming Dems and liberals?

I know its coming

[arewenotdemo]

28. When Perle jumped the sinking ship

all the remaining rats took notice.

[LittleClarkie]

29. Why does Ben Stein hate America

And his boss Nixon was a liberal pussy too.
:sarcasm:
(gee, this guy IS smart)

[Kerrytravelers]

30. A little late to the party. Past fashionably late.

More like the guy who shows up to finish up the kegger when everyone else is drunk and passing out.

[Why Syzygy]

32. Is this the biggest Duh of

the centuries? Of course they were. There were a lot more people alive before george got his hands on whatever escapade.

Nuclear stuff, gone, and no one knows where. Let us not forget.
National treasury of two nations, poof. Gone.
More terror than Bin Laden ever thought about.
And we are shamed on the planet.

Sum up. Who won here? Smirking monkeys? Grim chainies?

The Iraq people themselves say they were better off. At least then there were not killer people on the streets every day. Then they could eat and have fuel and expect to see their children live.

gw is a huge war criminal. He's an absolute outlaw. I don't even know why this is open for debate.

ps .. I have no idea who Ben is. And I betcha he doesn't know who I am.