My Beef with Bush's Beef Bull
Since I ragged on the local rag yesterday, it's only fair that I point out the LA Times doesn't always hit its editorials out of the park, either. I actually missed this editorial that ran on March 12, but when President Bush goes and quotes you approvingly, you pretty much have to assume you've done something really really bad. In a speech today to the National Cattlemen's Beef Association (who you'd think would know about all hat and no cattle, but I guess not), Bush said:
I want to read to you what a major newspaper editorial page said -- and by the way, this editorial page, like, generally not singing my praises -- (laughter) -- "Imagine if Dwight Eisenhower had been forced to adhere to a congressional war plan in scheduling the Normandy landings -- or if, in 1863, President Lincoln had been forced by Congress to conclude the Civil War the following year. This is the worst kind of congressional meddling in military strategy."
Then I heard Senator Mark Pryor (D, supposedly), who voted against the timeline for a pullout from Iraq, use the same analogy on a news clip on NPR this afternoon.
So, to set the LA Times, the President, and Senator Pryor straight....The war in Iraq is not WW II (which also means Saddam is not Hitler, but nice try resurrecting that one). An invasion is not a strategic withdrawl. In one case you're moving into territory you don't occupy (can I say occupation here?); in the other you're already someplace and decide to leave. It's hard to leave by surprise--people usually see you packing up, unless you just abandon all your posts and run pell-mell. So even if we kept the pullout date a big secret, Iraqis would figure it out pretty quick. Also, we were fighting one enemy in Germany, and it was Germany. In Iraq it seems everyone gets to fight everyone, but when in doubt, take out some Americans. Don't forget to do so not wearing any uniform, either.
One last item on this silly D-Day and Iraq comparison: we had to fight WW II, and were attacked first (maybe while pretending not to know we were to be attacked, but let's not quibble over conspiracy theories). We attacked Iraq first, for a series of reasons that have all amounted to no reason, and haven't made the world safe for democracy in the process.
P.S. Comparing Bush to Lincoln, FDR, and Eisenhower does not do Bush any favors. Might as well put Eddie Gaedel, Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, and Willie Mays in the same sentence.
I want to read to you what a major newspaper editorial page said -- and by the way, this editorial page, like, generally not singing my praises -- (laughter) -- "Imagine if Dwight Eisenhower had been forced to adhere to a congressional war plan in scheduling the Normandy landings -- or if, in 1863, President Lincoln had been forced by Congress to conclude the Civil War the following year. This is the worst kind of congressional meddling in military strategy."
Then I heard Senator Mark Pryor (D, supposedly), who voted against the timeline for a pullout from Iraq, use the same analogy on a news clip on NPR this afternoon.
So, to set the LA Times, the President, and Senator Pryor straight....The war in Iraq is not WW II (which also means Saddam is not Hitler, but nice try resurrecting that one). An invasion is not a strategic withdrawl. In one case you're moving into territory you don't occupy (can I say occupation here?); in the other you're already someplace and decide to leave. It's hard to leave by surprise--people usually see you packing up, unless you just abandon all your posts and run pell-mell. So even if we kept the pullout date a big secret, Iraqis would figure it out pretty quick. Also, we were fighting one enemy in Germany, and it was Germany. In Iraq it seems everyone gets to fight everyone, but when in doubt, take out some Americans. Don't forget to do so not wearing any uniform, either.
One last item on this silly D-Day and Iraq comparison: we had to fight WW II, and were attacked first (maybe while pretending not to know we were to be attacked, but let's not quibble over conspiracy theories). We attacked Iraq first, for a series of reasons that have all amounted to no reason, and haven't made the world safe for democracy in the process.
P.S. Comparing Bush to Lincoln, FDR, and Eisenhower does not do Bush any favors. Might as well put Eddie Gaedel, Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, and Willie Mays in the same sentence.
Labels: bad analogies, bush, los angeles times, the stature of eddie gaedel
posted by George at 3:41 PM
2 Comments:
george, I just lost everything I wrote! ARGH. Let's just say I agree with you 100% and anyone who questions Dubya's authority is cool by me.
This blog has received the Coop Seal of Approval. I link to you, you link to me! Gracias!
Coop--look over at the links as you're there right after Mike's Neighborhood. Sort of the Mets fan community of my links (indeed, there's another Mets fan 2 spots up from Mike, but she only posts photos of her darling daughter).
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