Helen Thomas: w should "acknowledge a colossal mistake".. ?

[Philosoraptor]

http://www.commondreams.org/views06/1117-34.htm

Former White House speech writer David Frum who coined the "axis of evil" slogan for Bush to single out Iran, North Korea and Iraq as dangerous, also blames Bush for the Iraq quagmire.

Rose quoted Frum him as saying that the insurgency has proved "it can kill anyone who cooperates" with the U.S. -- and the U.S. has "failed to prove it can protect them." That situation, he added "must ultimately be blamed on failure at the center, starting with President Bush."

There is an irony in the president's diplomatic visit to Vietnam this week, evoking memories of another U.S. military misadventure. But he will also see a silver lining even in defeat, as old wounds are forgotten and new friends are made.

For that reason Bush should swallow his pride, acknowledge a colossal mistake, restore our moral image on the international stage and set the nation on a peaceful course in the 21st century.

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God knows I love Helen Thomas, and I agree completely with this article, but the last lines got me thinking. She suggests it's all over for the neo cons dreams, they blame bush, but then says it's not too late for bush to publicly admit the whole thing was a mistake, I just don't think the word 'mistake' quite describes what happened.

There's blame and there's blame, but whomever is the president will absorb the most blame, those are the rules. bush wanted all this, the neo cons got what they wanted only it's an utter failure, now they try desperately to dilute their own blame and dump it on the number one blame target.

And there were no mistakes made, that word softens it too much. All this was deliberate, every bullet, every bomb, every death, every dollar was contrived, and people conspired but there were no mistakes. MIscalculations and major fuck ups, yes, mistakes, no.

And I don't see how it would help to see the ape stand before the camera and look us in the eye and read a stupid speech written for him and acknowledge that it was all simply a huge, colossal mistake, and we now need to just move on.

Not. Gunna. Happen.

[madokie]

1. a colossal miscalculated fuck up, nothing more, nothing less

[Skidmore]

2. It would provide the neocons cover so they could go underground

and try to figure a way for their dreams to come true down the road with a different cast of characters. We need to keep an eye on these people for some time to come.

[JohnyCanuck]

3. Who bears the ultimate responsibility for the "mistake"?

It's certainly not Dubya. It was Jesus's mistake. Jesus is the one who told Dubya to invade a country which was not a threat to the USA. What was poor Dubya to do if Jesus was continually whispering in his ear, "invade, invade, invade." Being a good Christian, he could hardly tell Jesus to go take a hike.

[WinkyDink]

4. Bush to nation: "My bad. Heh heh, heh heh."

Psychologically and temperamentally incapable of admitting to any error, mistake, crime, or sin.

[Philosoraptor]

5. Hey, everybody makes mistakes, let's all move on