Last week, Harry Reid was widely criticized for saying that the Iraq war "is lost." On
Power Line, I explained why I thought Reid's comment was both incorrect and politically misguided. Today, Reid
backed off his claim, and, almost as though he were taking my advice, couched his criticisms in terms of a "failed policy" rather than a "lost war:"
The Senate majority leader drew criticism from Bush and others last week when he said the war in Iraq had been lost. He did not repeat the assertion in his prepared speech, saying that "The military mission has long since been accomplished. The failure has been political. It has been policy. It has been presidential."
There is an irony here; Reid is echoing the "mission accomplished" banner for which President Bush has long been abused. But news accounts haven't focused on this point, instead, they have emphasized Reid's claim that the President is in "denial" on Iraq:
Reid noted disapprovingly that in a speech last week, Bush repeatedly said there were signs of progress in Iraq in the wake of a troop increase he ordered last winter. "The White House transcript says the president made those remarks in the state of Michigan. I believe he made them in the state of denial," said Reid.
In fact, though, there are signs of progress in Iraq, both as
measured statistically and as reported by many observers. It is Reid, not Bush, who doesn't want to address the evidence, but rather seeks to achieve his objective by bullying. There is an interesting parallel here to the Democrats' tactic on global warming. There, too, they refuse to engage the evidence offered by skeptics, and instead insist that the debate is over and anyone who disagrees with them is "in denial." This is, in general, not an approach that is followed by people who have strong arguments and evidence on their side. So it shouldn't be surprising that many people conclude that what Reid fears in Iraq is not failure but success, as suggested eloquently by
Chip Bok:
Reader Comments ( Page 4 of 16)
46. Face it Conservitives are followers - they would follow George to hell.. after all he is the Commander in Chief. What part of this war was a mistake and people are DEAD do you not get ? This war has created more Terrorists than it has killed . So winning is ? Getting the Sunnis + Shites to kiss and make up ? Don't hold your breath. Those who would support George and his crew are the scariest of them all . Army Vietnam Vet 1968 .
Mel Karl at 8:49PM on Apr 23rd 2007
47. do you notice that everyone sticking up for dingy harry, has to use name calling tactics
. they have no intelligent arguments. but i do know that president bush is the only president to have a masters degree. now i will stop my comment so all you libreals can call me names to. that will make me feel good. thank you
curt at 8:49PM on Apr 23rd 2007
48. THE WORLD IS FULL OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE A MASTER DEGREE BUT CAN'T WALK AND CHEW BUBBLE GUM AT THE SAME TIME: GEORGE BUSH IS A MURDER AND ALL OF YOU DAMN REPUBLICANS AND ANYONE ELSE THAT VOTED FOR THAT CRAZY BASTARD IS ALSO A MURDERER AND THAT'S THE TRUTH IS A NUTSHELL SO IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT REID OR ANYONE ELSE SAYS OR DOES, BECAUSE WE HAVE NOR HAD ANY BUSINESS OF GOING OVER THERE IN THE DAMN FIRST PLACE. THOSE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN FIGHTING SINCE THE FIRST BOOK IN THE BIBLE AND THEY'RE NOT GOING TO STOP NOW. BRING OUR TROOPS HOME NOW- NOT TOMORROW BUT NOW AND STOP THIS KILLING OF OUR SOLDIERS FOR A DAMN BARREL OF OIL.
BRENT at 8:56PM on Apr 23rd 2007
49. All you Bushie idiots need to wake up!!!!!!
Bush and cheney need to be impeached for treason war profitering- No "real investigation into the hundreds of millions of dollars in insider trading prior to 911-which would lead us directly to the perps.Try to find a investigation yourself?????? look dam it- look!!!! You just listen to the boob tube.....
What about torture- 7 out of 10 innocent- The 100 plus Iraqis everyday who are killed - our troops now 3k!?!?!? Outsourcing almost all of the good jobs- Then tell the kids-be software engineers you'll be all set, only to send even those jobs to India......
Land locked Caspien Sea oil- remember Fareinheigt 911???
Um lets see, Trying to join the US with Mexico and Canada with the first leg of this project to begin as a superhighway set to start this year?!?!?!
Say hello to the Amero. Wire tapping thosands of us. New ID act- but open borders!$!$!$ Are you stupid?-really or are you just brainwashed like I used to be.
I wonder who supports this maddness, and the only type of person I can think of that fits this image in my mind is like the middle of nowhere hick like the one in the rodeo in Borat- Wake up!!!! Becauase I know you'll be the first to b*!tch as soon as you have Mexican neighbors.
It's peak oil!!! Ever hear of it?!?!?!
You think we would even give Iraq 5 min of our attention if Oil wasn't involved?!?!?!?!?
wake up!?!?! Your a tool literaly........................
Wake up!!!!!
If The P.N.A.C group (look it up) got there way and everything went well in Iraq there's no dobt in my mind we would be well into a war with Iran allready. Do you like being an unrespected b#@tch to the 1% elite NWO?!
Is America getting better- Better yet- When was the last time America was on the up and up as a whole?!?!?!
The future has 3/4 outcomes I'm not going to tell you what they are- You need to find out yourself and get of your ass and think for a change- It's all about $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
If it wasn't then why didn't we help to stop the Genocide in Dafur?!?!?!?!
But Iraq well we gota stop Saddam from using the expired chemical weapons Rumsfeld gave to him back in the 80s?!?!?! Wake up- there where 12 years of sanctions and no fly zones over Iraq millions died!!! and another million aqre dead from this war and you'd shut your stupid mouth as soon as you heard the screams from under the ruble of another bommed home- What about white phosfurus?!?!?! Melted faces of children- war crimes- radio active bullets- War crimes
They knew there was nothing and the fact that they where almost defensless.... It was all part of the plan....
The entire world is laughing or scoffing at us.. That dosent bother you- Bushs and his cronies acts now have left us in a position where we could be bitch slapped by the oil producing nations witch makes us WEAK!!!!!!!
AND more pron tp terrorism and no peace ever and a war economy that will drive us into a DEEP depression...... Did you know that KBR and subsidiary of Haliburton has allreay constructed many concentration labor camps all over the contry- ya they got 385 million of your tax dollars for it!! Some complete with crematoriums with trains that pull right up?!?!?
Do you wonder at all- These are FACTS I've just stated- just look for yourself- Peak Oil is comming and they think they need to do somthing about the poulation it's all in there own literature........
I don't belive they actually remotely flews the planes into the trade towers but they absolutely knew.......This is what is most true and so has it that it fit into thier global paln.......I could go on and on... Wake up America Wake up..................... and look into it yourself...I've had it...
paul at 9:05PM on Apr 23rd 2007
50. HEY DUMBASS ALL THE TROOPS THERE JOINED THE MILITARY. NO ONE WAS FORCED TO JOIN. IF YOU JOIN THE MILITARY YOU KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT. AND THERE NOT YOUR TROOPS. YOUR A DISGRACE TO MY COUNTRY.
curt at 9:12PM on Apr 23rd 2007
51. Harry Reid needs to retire..simple as that. When a person, who is representing our U.S. opens mouth and inserts foot. He needs to rethink his whole reason for working for 'us' the US citizens.
What has happened to our country? Even our representatives are against us and our well-being!
What in the Hell happened to being a TRUE AMERICAN!
What will these democrats (liberals) do next to degrade our country? He should be held responsible for his actions!!!
A Concerned U.S. Citizen and proud to be an American!
Ellie at 9:12PM on Apr 23rd 2007
52. For those of you who say we went in because of WMDs and terrorists we all now know that was a lie that simple and thats the facts. Our boarders and ports are not closed so when we get attacked who is Bush going to blame of course we the people. Bush keeps saying we have to fight them over there and not here well here is my question have all the big cargo planes that the terrorists are hiding somewhere in Iraq going to be ready to load up hundred of thousands of men and fly them here to our nation without us knowing or has Bush found out where these terrorists are hiding all those big air craft carriers and just waiting to get the word to load them up with hundreds of thousands of men and land here without us knowing? If someone has the answer please let the rest of us know. Now lets see boarders not closed trying to sell our ports, borrowing half trillion from other countries and leaving us this mess or I should say the next president to fix. Oh yes just how many more body bags is Bush willing to accept let alone all of our kids being maimed for life and oh yes lets not forget that the VA is trying to find a way not to pay the correct amount but a lower amount to our kids who have been maimed. What is wrong with these pictures. Now add in an imcompetent attorney general that Bush believes is the best thing that has ever happened to our nation and it goes on and on. I know I havent covered everything but these are the facts not my facts but Bush's facts so WHAT IS WRONG WITH THESE PICTURES. Any one have any answers?
Diane at 9:13PM on Apr 23rd 2007
53. I just had to laugh when i read "jdial's remarks about Reid not having served in the military. You can always tell when a constipated conservative gets his or her mouth ahead of their feeble brain. Maybe by that time there may not be enough Reps left to vote for if we keep smoking them out of their corrupt ways!!!!!
Ray S Woods at 9:31PM on Apr 23rd 2007
54. Besides their cowardice, one of the reasons Defeatocrats have turned against the President is because they think they were fooled into believing that Hussein was responsible for 9-11. Oh really? Who's the fool????
http://thinkprogress.org/2006/08/21/bush-on-911/
Later,
lil_turk at 9:18PM on Apr 23rd 2007
55. WOW I THINK DEPT. OF MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS TO KEEP THERE EYE ON PAUL 48. I WOULDNT WANT TO BE IN THE SAME SCHOOL AS HIM.
curt at 9:19PM on Apr 23rd 2007
56. Senator Reid has used many different means of describing his concept of the war on Terror. However, all of his proposals add up to the same thing: UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER TO THE TERRORISTS!"
Does he really wish to humiliate our country? I will try to make up a nice, white surrender flag and send it to him just in case he runs into a terrorist to whom he can surrender.
The man has no shame.
Robert M. Sizemore at 9:24PM on Apr 23rd 2007
57. AND HOW ABOUT DIANES RANT. THIS IS A SCARRY COUNTRY. HOW ABOUT EDUCATING YOUR SELF WITH FACTS. TAKE A LITTLE TIME, AND READ BOTH SIDES OF THE STORY. AND THEN CHECK THE FACTS. THE TRUTH IS HIDDEN UNDER ALL THE HATE BUSH RETORIC. AND REMEMBER HE IS THE ONE THAT WAS REELECTED, AS OUR PRESIDENT. WE HAD A CHOICE AND THE MAJORITY CHOSE BUSH. AND THATS A FACT QUIT YOUR CRYING, AND EDUCATE YOURSELF.
curt at 9:29PM on Apr 23rd 2007
58. This is all politics... Does anyone seriously believe we can just walk out of Iraq?
The democratic left does'nt even want that. we have to leave them with a strong government. If there is not a sustainable government there the entire middle east will be in civil war. some taliban like government will take over all that oil money and make the world trade towers look like a firecracker
Steve T at 9:35PM on Apr 23rd 2007
59. I live in a world of fear that my children will grow up to be liberal tree huggers and forget what we are all fighting for. It is so ridiculos that putting down your pres or country is all of a sudden cool.Wake up people and take a stand. our enemy beheads our people over relegion. We had bin laden and clinton let him go.If the gipper were only here. bombs away. our soldiers safe. god bless.
joey at 9:39PM on Apr 23rd 2007
60. In 2008, the Republican party is going to be "shot down in flames" all because of a bunch of lies that their beloved president and his staff mentioned. Oh, and by the way, I believe this beloved president ran from the draft.
The only "Mission Accomplished" that going to be final is the Republicans not becoming President or leaders of Congress.
Troy Miller at 9:47PM on Apr 23rd 2007