An Internet hub with domestic and international news, analysis, original reporting, and popular features from the left, center, indies, centrists, moderates, and right
Bill Kristol and the bloody Iraq War
Over at The Reaction, new co-blogger Libby Spencer responds to Bill Kristol’s assertion on Fox News yesterday that critics of the Iraq War are “irresponsible”. I suppose it’s much easier to vilify the critics than to defend the failed policies of the war’s architects. At least Juan Williams was there to point out that Saturday was a rather bloody day for U.S. forces in Iraq. You can find Libby’s post here.
Meanwhile, fellow co-blogger Capt. Fogg looks back at the bloody weekend that was, with a Blackhawk helicopter shot down on Saturday and bombs going off on Sunday. You can find his post here.
opinions powered by SendLove.to
10 Responses to “Bill Kristol and the bloody Iraq War”
Kristol’s rhetoric was indefensible. Everyone knows that those of us who criticize Bush’s party and his policies are traitors and dirty damned hippies. Geez, get it right, Kristol.
(I think his head’s been three sizes too big ever since they named that over-priced and not worth the money champagne after him. Personally, I prefer the Veuve Clicquot Grande Dame).
Frderick Kagan & Bill Kristol in latest edition of the Weekly Standard:
Not that’s funny (in a sick kind of way). Back in November, Generals Abizaid and Casy offered their “profession evaluation” but Bush didn’t didn’t like what he heard. So he dismissed them.
The hypocrisy here is astounding. Kagan and Kristol to congress: We at the Weekly Standard demand that recommendations regarding the siz of American forces in Iraq be left solely to the commanders on the ground…uh…that is…unless they disagree with us. In that case, not only should they not be listened to…they ought to be fired.
Is the Weakly Standard self sustaining, or does Murdoch still fund that roll of toilet paper.
Just a thought, but that indelible smirk on Kristol’s face seems like constipation to me. Cd that explain much of what he thinks? And says?
Did you know that the Weekly Standard is hosting a winter cruise to Alaska with Bill Kristol? Its billed as a trip for like-minded conservatives , and prevents the unfortunate event of having to sit next to a wild-eyed liberal or pinko lefty at dinner. Interested parties should sign up immediately at their website, before all berths are taken. Read about it in the “Inside the Loop” column in Wapo today!
I am sympathetic to Kristol. He saw what might have been a reasonable idea and ideology, that he publicly defends, turned to poop by chronic incompetence.
If Rumsfeld had put 250,000 troops into Iraq in 2003 we would likely be dealing with a different outcome.
Paul:
Yep.
Just the same, Kristol is a twit.
Paul, with all due respect, you can’t bomb a third world country into a Democracy no matter how competent or resolved the Commander-in-Chief is. It’s a bad idea, and I don’t think the fact that the Administration hasn’t prosecuted this war well excuses Kristol and his fellow neoconservatives for getting us into this disastrous war in the first place.
Nic:
We bombed Germany, Japan and in effect, Italy into democracy. In each case their local experience of democracy was exceedingly limited. We burned Japan down, wrote them a constitution and said “here, do this.” They’ve been a good freind and all ever since. So, yes, it can be done. It’s been done. It just wasn’t done in this case.
But that strategy failed us in Vietnam, where more bombs were dropped than in WWII. I don’t think it was an option here, because of the cost in world opinion, especially of those moderate Arab governments whose rulers still support us. We had been attacked by Japan at Pearl Harbor, but never by the country of Iraq.