Stay The Course…A Retrospective

2 Responses to “Stay The Course…A Retrospective”

1. Kevin H says:

   October 23, 2006 at 5:02 pm

   Well, I’ll try and treat the issue with a bit more nuance than the administration ever did, as we all should.

   It seems like the current round of ‘denials’ are aimed at the same things said by Bush on Nov 30 ’05 (which is cited on Justin’s page as well)
   

   Some critics continue to assert that we have no plan in Iraq except to,� stay the course.� If by “stay the course,� they mean we will not allow the terrorists to break our will, they are right. If by “stay the course,� they mean we will not permit al Qaeda to turn Iraq into what Afghanistan was under the Taliban — a safe haven for terrorism and a launching pad for attacks on America — they are right, as well. If by “stay the course� they mean that we’re not learning from our experiences, or adjusting our tactics to meet the challenges on the ground, then they’re flat wrong.

   If they are, as it seems to me now, just trying to deflect criticism of any change in tactics or strategy, but continuing to stay in Iraq until a stable democracy is in place, then this refutation is ok in substance even if it is argued in a factually inacurate way. I’d say save the jokes and jabes for when the administration is advocating a ‘rest for the troops’ or some such other double-speak. Or maybe the’ll make those type of disguised withdrawl statements soon and I’ll eat some crow.
2. Slamfu says:

   October 23, 2006 at 7:23 pm

   Wait a minute, I thought Kerry was the flip-flopper? Sonuva….