There are two critical things that will happen within the next year that will decide the fate of this country. One is the 2008 election. I believe the current Republicans have slipped over the edge. They are authoritarians with serious fascist tendencies.
I was a Republican my whole life until the Bush administration and I was called fascist countless times, so I don't use the word lightly. Even Sandra Day O'Connor, the former Supreme Court Justice that put Bush into office warned about the beginnings of dictatorship in this country.
Republican nominees like Rudy Giuliani and Mitt Romney are constantly justifying and excusing torture, spying on innocent Americans, bombing countries that are absolutely no threat to us and running roughshod over the United States constitution. None of these are conservative principles. The Republican Party has become radicalized.Mike Huckabee is an evangelical Christian who doesn't believe in evolution, a position I find laughable and embarrassing, but I think he might be the most sane among them (Ron Paul is roughly right about foreign policy, but he is a different kind of radical in domestic policy). That's how bad the Republican Party has become.
If one of these guys wins next year, I really don't know what terrible direction this great country is going to spin off into. Luckily, they don't have a very good chance of winning. Every poll indicates the country gets it. They are sick of these radicals and want some sanity back in the country. But don't put it past a Democrat to blow this one. If ever a party was built to lose, it's the current Democratic Party built on weakness and capitulation. So, this election will be pivotal.
The second moment -- or non-moment -- that is absolutely critical is whether George W. Bush orders an attack against Iran. The results of this order would be catastrophic. Iran would retaliate all over the world, but mainly against our troops in Iraq (with their Shiite brethren in Iraq). Even more importantly, we would inflame the whole Muslim world. We would create this absurd world war against Islam that the idiot neo-conservatives are dreaming about. Let alone what it would do to oil prices and the world economy.
The same incompetent fools who gave us the Iraq War are now claim attacking Iran would be easy (apparently, according to these nuts the Iranian people would welcome an attack on their country). I don't think they even believe that. They're doing the same thing they did before the Iraq War -- try to imply that the war will be easy so that we are more likely to enter it. These band of merry fools are led by Dick Cheney.
ABC News is reporting today that giant bunker-buster bombs have been included in the latest Pentagon request as urgent needs in the battlefield. As the ABC story explains, the only place where we can use a Stealth bomber to drop these massive bunker-busters are ... Iran.
But luckily, there appears to be another side in this fight within the administration. And it is led by Defense Secretary Robert Gates and the head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen. These men appear to be arguing for sanity. Adm. Mullen warned this weak that attacking Iran would lead to risks that are "very, very high." He made it clear that it would in fact be a last resort, as opposed to the fake last resort that Cheney can't wait to fast forward to.
I know that even that kind of language is silly. Last resort to what? Do we have to strike before Iran takes over Cleveland? The whole thing is ridiculous. But Adm. Mullen was giving clear signals through his choice of words. And the signal was that he did not want to attack Iran on his watch.
They are also joined by the head of Central Command, Admiral Fallon, in their opposition to attacks against Iran. Apparently, Admiral Fallon has indicated that he would resign before giving such an order.
The head of Central Command, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs and the Defense Secretary make for powerful allies. But never, ever underestimate the power of Dick Cheney. The force is strong with that one. Cheney has never really lost a bureaucratic war within the "Bush" administration. He has lost some battles, like the peace deal we made with North Korea (he was, of course, against it; it had the word "peace" in it). But Cheney always win the big ones.
So, I really don't think it's overstating it to say that the future of this Bush administration, this country and even the world turns on this internal administration battle. Unfortunately, the man who will decide who wins this battle is -- George W. Bush. The single most incompetent, unwise, and thoughtless leader this country has ever seen. The battlefield is his tiny mind. Who will gain control of it? Which way will "The Decider" go?
There's your great suspense for the next 15 months. Will Bush pull the trigger and start an even more colossal and disastrous war or will Gates and Mullen walk him back from the edge?
I don't know which way it's going to go. I wait nervously as the clock winds down. I have never wanted 15 months to go by quicker. Will we able to make it out of this administration in one piece? Will we be able to contain the damage done so far? Or will Bush open Pandora's box? Stay tuned.
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The Great War Within the Bush Administration
Posted Oct 25th 2007 4:28PM by Cenk Uygur
Filed under: Middle East, George Bush, Young Turks, Dick Cheney
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Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 8)
1. I really don't see what is so "radical" about Ron Paul. He's against the war and for financial responsibility. He's a Constitutionalist--the basis of the government. Doesn't seem radical to me.
I am a moderate Republican and have no fondness now for the Bush administration. I voted for him in '04 because he seemed like the better choice over John Kerry, and perhaps a large part of it was because I, like so many others, were duped by the drum-beating and talks of security, security, security. I really don't think, in retrospect, a Kerry victory would have been such a great improvement. The two of them are of a kind, the same social strata, the same Yale background, the same pampered lifestyle. The fact is, George Bush, Dick Cheney, or even Hillary Clinton need not fight the wars they start--other people do: the "common" people trying to get by day to day, some of whom find it in within themselves to serve their country. But so long as he and the neo-cons who benefit from these disasters continue their foolish designs, the regular American public is going to have to pay for it with rising overall costs and, most unfortunately, some with their very lives.
We don't need religious fanatics in office, we don't need adventurists, we don't need people with personal vendettas to carry out on the international stage. What we really need now is someone with some common sense and more thought for his country and the people than his "legacy" or some other egotistical motive that bankrupts the nation and kills our soldiers. So, for me, that person is Ron Paul. I'm not pushing him down anyone's throats, but I agree with most of his positions as simply common sense. We cannot fall into the trap of one-dimensional, short-term thinking like the neo-cons have. To do so is neither democratic nor healthy. There's my two cents.
John at 6:18PM on Oct 25th 2007
2. Yep, and the candidates for the Democratic ticket are all all-star politicians and hold fantastically irrefutable views and solutions to America's problems. Especially John Edwards. lol.
jmrwacko at 6:25PM on Oct 25th 2007
3. You said:
"Ron Paul is roughly right about foreign policy, but he is a different kind of radical in domestic policy"
And what does that exactly mean? How is abolishing the IRS and returning more money to your wallet "radical"? How is controlling illegal immigration and the unbearable strain it puts on our infrastructure and economy "radical"? How is letting waiters and waitresses, hairdressers and cab drivers, etc., keep all of their tips (The Tax-Free Tips Act) "radical"?
You have to do better than that. Since you made the assertion, please back it up.
Tannim at 6:25PM on Oct 25th 2007
4. This article is the latest in a string of stories that worries me. The information is somewhat relevant. However, the writing is horrible. The author is not a person with whom I am familiar. I apologize for my critism if english is their second language.
How did this mess get by the editor and posted on a national news site? I see poor grammar and misspelled words in news pieces more and more frequently on AOL. This article is most certainly the worst example of that trend.
Reporters and reviewers need to brush up on the language skills prior to publishing their submissions. Authors, more than anyone else, should know the rules writing.
beinbigd at 6:54PM on Oct 25th 2007
5. Mr Ugly,
You dis Ron Paul and then go on to outline his entire platform as if it were your own idea. Nice try.
CD at 6:27PM on Oct 25th 2007
6. This is nothing more than war propaganda and i am sick of it.
We don't need to attack Iran for they are no threat to our national security. Iran is no threat to Isreal for Isreal has over 200 nuclear weapons and can blow Iran back to the stone age without the help of anyone.
Last time i check Osama Bin Laden was the threat although after 5 years we still haven't found him.
You people can laugh about Ron Paul all you like because i will continue to support him and the more people put him down the more i support him.
I do not agree with him on every issue but i do agree with him on most and he has the most sound voting record in congress so why do people talk down about him atleast he is honest and we will know where we stand if we elect him.
Do you have any clue what is going to happen if any of the other republicans get elected? Yes we will for sure attack Iran and more of our soldiers will die. Isn't it time the UN did it's job? Isn't it time other countries chipped in and played thier part? Why does america need to go bankrupt to protect other nations? Why do our soldiers need to die to protect other nations? Why are we attacking 3rd world countries that our no threat to our national security?
When are we going to put our damn foot down america and say NO MORE for it is time we stand together and take our country back.
Does anyone remember that the power was supposed to be given to the people? Do you know the only right we have left as americans is the freedom of religion? Don't believe me, read the patriot act and see for yourself.
I am fed up and i won't take this laying down anymore, I WILL NOT BE A SLAVE IN MY OWN COUNTRY.
Dr. Steve Parent
STEVE at 6:32PM on Oct 25th 2007
7. Look....there is nothing 'laughable' about someone's beliefs....ok? You can laugh at there behaviors...if you want...but we are allowed to believe what we choose...ok? We aren't living in Myanmar...yet!
I am very educated in science and theology...
and that there is a Creator...doesn't seem that irrational to me either. Ok? Back off the Creation jokes, please!
Paul Thompson at 7:03PM on Oct 25th 2007
8. I am a conservative and have been giving more and more thought towards giving Ron Paul my support. From all I've read and seen of him I do not consider him a radical but a moderate with common sense. Unfortunately he is not one of the "chosen ones". I would hope serious people consider this man. He may be the nearest thing we have to we "silent majority".
Don Stagnaro at 7:15PM on Oct 25th 2007
9. So funny. Who are these guys? It is odd that between the three of these people, none of them have an original thought. It's easy to blanket-ambush Republicans. But the point is simple; not all Republicans support Bush. As a matter of fact, most of the Conservatives I know, dislike the manner in which the Administration handles domestic and foreign issues.
John Sanchez at 7:19PM on Oct 25th 2007
10. Cink,
How blind you are. The biggest threat to democcracy today comes from the democratic party. There is actually serious talk among democrats about eliminating talk radio. That is the most outragous attack on freedom in the history of this country. You are just to blinded by BDS to see it.
Greg at 7:35PM on Oct 25th 2007
11. Cink,
How blind you are. The biggest threat to democcracy today comes from the democratic party. There is actually serious talk among democrats about eliminating talk radio. That is the most outragous attack on freedom in the history of this country. You are just to blinded by BDS to see it.
Greg at 7:35PM on Oct 25th 2007
12. Over three hundred million people in this country and this is the best we can come up with? In the immortal words of Howard Beil, I'm mad as hell, and I'm not gonna take it any more!
Jenn at 7:46PM on Oct 25th 2007
13. This article would have been interesting and relevant had you at least addressed the concerns regarding a nuclear Iran. When you gloss over Iran's quest for nuclear weapons (or just plain omit them) your entire analysis becomes useless. I'm not for bombing them either, but you can't pretend they're not a huge danger if they get nuclear weapons.
Mel at 7:51PM on Oct 25th 2007
14. Well Paul #7 I agree with you that there may be a Creator...I think what Cenk meant was that Mike Huckabee made a fool of himself when he raised his hand at a debate and said there was so such thing as evolution. I doubt he truly believes this but either way politically it just makes him look ridiculous.
I agree there is nothing wrong with believing in both God and evolution.
I could not vote for a man who completely dismisses science.
David S. at 7:54PM on Oct 25th 2007
15. David S.
I'm not going to get into this again....go to the carpetbaggers report where Steve Benen...calls this 'wacky'. Look...evolution is a pretty bad theory..that's all I'm going to say...
Paul Thompson at 8:01PM on Oct 25th 2007