December 23, 2004, The (Democratic) Silence is Deafening
Just another one of those depressing things you see in the Washington Post, in this case, a photo-compendium of "the fallen" service men and women who have perished amidst the Mesopotamian Abatoir known as "Operation Iraqi Freedom". You see, we won't talk of the abomination that all but 21 Democrats valued political expedience (and in John Kerry's unique case, not being burned by voting against the potentially popular Gulf War II, as he was for voting against the more "successful" Gulf War I) over these people's lives (and yes-- it IS that crass; btw, Republican In Name Only Linc Chafee and by then pissed off Independent Jim Jeffords also had the decency to vote no to the blank check for aggression-- something neither the presidentially ambitious but chronically unprincipled John Kerry, and yes, sadly, my man John Edwards-- did not either. Interestingly, current majority leader Harry Reid ALSO voted "yea", while deservedly ousted Tom Daschle voted "yea". Well... (pro-life Mormon) Reid's ridiculous remarks re: Clarence Thomas already have us off to an auspicious start with him...
But their cowardice (and yes, that's the word) was understandable: Iraq might well prove to be a successful cakewalk, like Gulf War I, where the principle job of our soldiers was to shoot at sitting ducks and then accept surrenders.
But its now well over two years later, and Iraq is clearly in a cocked hat. We have around 1,300 dead Americans in the Iraq adventure, which has no end in site. And yet Democrats still fantasize about "winning" or "stabilizing Iraq" or "bringing in our allies" or "training Iraqis", or at times, unbelievably, sending more American troops who will all have targets drawn on them (as if we had any, given that our reserve system has been largely decimated thanks to this adventure that 58% of Democratic senators gave their imprimatur to.)
Who (besides Howard Dean, of course, and the sainted Al Gore, and maybe the likes of Kucinich and some very low profile Congressmen and women) on the Democratic side are stating the obvious opinion of nearly ALL ACTUAL DEMOCRATS: this war was a mistake. This war IS an unmitigated fucking disaster, that Americans should be screaming to bring the boys and girls home from faster than humanly possible-- indeed, BEFORE Bush's politically ass covering Iraqi "elections" (which, if we're VERY lucky, won't trigger an all out civil war when the Sunnis finally realize how fucked they are going to be by their soon to be Shiite overlords).
But we're not hearing it. Other than the 21 Democrats (fewer now, as that number included the late Paul Wellstone and the retired Bob Graham and others) who voted against this atrocity-carr-ed-out-in-our-name, and the likes of Gore and Dean... and me (who, other than you, dear readers, no one pays any attention to)... what... Democratic... leaders... are... screaming... to end this war... and get our people HOME... NOW?
Let me go a little further: I'm not debating the merits of the war, anymore. It is conceivable that contrary to all planning, contrary to everything we have seen, somehow the election or some other unforeseen event turns the Iraq situation into anything resembling "a good outcome" (if you're not related to any of the 1,300 or so American or tens of thousands of Iraqi dead)... but that does not mean that, by and large, Democrats, the people who are allegedly represented by Democratic representatives... think this war is anything but a fucking disaster.
So... I'm going to say that we should have a hit list. Anyone on this list who voted "Yea"
(and sadly, that includes the sainted John McCain... although he at least, unlike Kerry and Edwards was probably sincere in casting the vote) should be targeted for defeat by people of good will. And yes-- that includes both of
my own state's Democratic senators (to whom a hearty good riddance would feel oh so good), and senators from other states who I kind of like (such as Evan Bayh or Joe Biden). But the Republicans have no truck with sentiment-- just the program. And you're with it... or against it... period. SO...
You're with us, or you're against us. And when 28 of our own senators (fewer now, as the likes of Daschle and others who have retired or been defeated) vote against US, then I say, who needs them. That means (seriously) we should support primary challengers, and, assuming they are of like mind with our values, liberal or moderate Republican opposition.
LOOKIT: either we are serious enough to purge our own party of people who support what we find evil (and I have no other word to describe the Iraq war of aggression at this point) or we do not. And if we start wimping out with "but we can't afford to lose the seat", then we deserve to have every last Democratic seat occupied by clones of Zell Miller; because, God damn it, that's pretty much where we'll be anyway. SO...
Who's with me?
Comments
There are clones of Zell Miller? Oh TD, say it ain't so!
Again...Happy Holiday wishes to all.
Posted by alicia at December 24, 2004 9:21 AM
WV Senator Robert C. Byrd voted against the war and has been fighting the President all along. The creepy part is that he's got a lot in common with the Strom Thurmond set, KKK past and all. It's good to see him rearing up on his hind legs like that, but he's only doing it to protect what he interprets as the Constitutional powers of the Congress. He's big on the Constitution. It's his own authority he's protecting.
Of course I support him. I just can't forget he's a Good Ol' Boy.
But that rich bastard Sen. Rockefeller (yeah, in WV) can take a hike.
Posted by irisclara at December 26, 2004 5:24 AM