In the face of a petulant, pig-headed, pertinacious President, for weeks both Reid and Pelosi claimed the moral high ground. They promised to insist on timelines for the withdrawal of our troops, currently stuck like fish in a barrel.
Let's review what is happening in today's IraqNam. General David Howell Petraeus was appointed to take over command after four years of lies and misreporting, after four years of worsening conditions and growing turmoil and death. His prior success in a small region was his biggest selling point. Anyone who could actually make friends and earn the trust of several factions, despite the brain-damaged policies of Bremer, Rice, Rumsfeld, Cheney, Bush, Feith, Wolfowitz, had to have something going for him. Congress approved his promotion by an overwhelming majority.
Three years ago, President Bush called for the first surge (a rose by any other name still has thorns). Six months later, he increased troops again, (many thorns), and a year ago, there was a fourth, perhaps fifth surge. Each surge had a minor, temporary impact. For example, people forget that we re-invaded Baghdad no less than three times, AFTER we invaded the very first time. Each time resulted in a slight lowering of the kidnapping, death and torture rates, while there was a noticeable increase in violence and death outside of the capital.
In December, as violence levels rose across the country of 24,000,000 disenchanted, suffering, unhappy, occupied people, Bush proposed his latest surge as a Final Solution. Despite generals and experts claiming that 20,000 troops would have little or no impact, Bush and his spin team painted his many critics as being unpatriotic, intent on losing and more intent on playing political games than doing the right thing. As usual, his oration was filled with half-truths, half-assed cliches, and half-brained arguments.
Were it not for the blogs, the liberals, the moderates – the true patriots, the Democratic majority would have caved in back then. Instead, the hue and cry from the grassroots caused the Democratic leaders to take a step back and reconsider their standard, spineless, yellow-belly response to a power-hungry, fascist White House. Even though Bush got his surge, the Democrats seemed willing to stand up for the first time in six years.
We learned that the 20,000 quickly grew to 29,000. Then we learned that 50,000 additional support troops were needed to supply, arm and support the new targets. This week we learned that another 50,000 might be necessary and that the military plans to stay in Iraq for at least 10 years.
So much for a Final Solution, unless you happen to be one of the 386 dead US soldiers, including 15 over the weekend, 2 on Monday and 9 more wasted lives today.
So what happened to those brave, smart, politically savvy Democratic leaders like Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid? Where was the long missing spine that 70% of the US population wants to see in action? How will these two bravely stand up to an abusive, misguided and arrogant administration that lies as a matter of practice, and deceives out of habit? And what sort of timelines, deadlines and demands for withdrawal would the pass, in the face of a second presidential veto?
“For heaven's sake, look where we've come. It's a lot more than the president ever expected he'd have to agree to,†chirped the brave Harry Reid, explaining why he and Pelosi caved in like a poorly regulated and uninspected Virginia coal mine.
You are right, Harry. He did not expect you to cave in so quickly, removing the best chance our soldiers had.
Just last week, that center of integrity, Nancy Pelosi promised that timelines were an integral part of the funding package. Yesterday, she cravenly explained that she might not support the entire bill, sans timelines, yet the reality is that she stood up to the president about as strongly as a mature, white dandelion bud to a tornado.
But, they argue, WE HAVE STRONG BENCHMARKS, SIXTEEN OF THEM! Yeah, except by the bill's own language, the president can waive each one of them on a whim. Some benchmark.
There is just one way to describe the actions of Pelosi and Reid. Turncoat comes to mind. Traitor to our troops also springs forth. Negligent, lacking, and dilatory in upholding their oath to the constitution might work, too. Your choice.
The problem with Harry and Nancy meeting George on his terms is that 70% of America has been figuratively stabbed in the back. Instead of removing the funding, saving our troops by getting them home, and leaving a quagmire of our own making, the Democrat Party leadership has just signed on as co-owners of Bush's war. From this day forward, every US death is as much on their hands as the president's. From now on, every drop of blood spilled by our boys and girls is a stain on the Democratic leadership as much as on this administration.
Shame seems to be a missing emotion inside the Bloatway. Must be something in the water. It is time for a voters' revolution. Unless and until the will of the people is expressed by our elected officials, it is our duty to work on replacing the miscreants, the turncoats, the persons responsible for getting our soldiers killed and maimed.
31 thoughts on “Reid & Pelosi: traitors and turncoats to our troops, the voters, the constitution”
The Dems need to take a stand right now. They should–right now–lay out some rigid benchmarks that have to be met this September. And to hell with Executive branch benchmarks. If these benchmarks are not fulfilled to the letter, then Dems will stand and fight to the death. They will not withdraw a timeline. All military operations in Iraq will be de-funded if Dubya doesn’t sign the legislation with the timeline. It is his choice. Period.
The Dems had two choices, either take the heat from the Republicans for a bill with timelines or take the heat from their constituents for a bill without timelines. So what did they elect to do? Well, we know the answer to that. So I say, let’s give these craven SOBs holy hell. We will make them rue the day they took us for their stooges.
We now have a one-party state, a totally corrupt rubber-stamp Congress, a fully-paid for judiciary…The US has taken over from the USSR…The America of the founders, RIP.
Ominous words, recalling another “Final Solution” fifty eight years ago. I find it more and more difficult to discern any differences between Adolph Hitler and George Bush. I won’t bother to enumerate the similarities, you all know and abhor them as do I. But the question is: “What can we do to stop it?”
The few Jews left in Europe were saved by a victory by a real coalition–the USA, Russia, and Great Britain and a minor force frappe from France.
Who is there to save the Iraqui People? Certainly none of the above although Russia is working behind the scenes to strengthen Iran and thus undermine the efforts in both Iraq and Afghanistan. It is too little too late, and there doesn’t seem to be a viable solution.
We, the American voter, tried to enforce a withdrawl from these insane actions only to be stabbed in the heart by those who we elected to end the involvement. I disagree that what America does not need is a Constitutional Crisis. It might be our only hope short of a real, take to the barricades, revolution. But who will institute it? The hopes that the Democrats would bring change are gone. They have been bought and paid for.
I don’t have answers, just questions. We’ve been sold down the river by the Congress that is pledged to represent us. Seventy plus percent of us want the war to end now and our troops to be brought home ASAP. Unfortunately the balance, the 20 some percent is comprised of all our elected representatives from the President to Senators to Representatives in the House.
What a pathetic lot they all are, selling us and our noble warriors out for what can only be pecuniary rewards. “Shame shame shame”, I say!
Vote them ALL out of office and change the rules. Three year terms for all, and only one term. An idiot could do as good a job as those in power now, so we have nothing to lose.
Captain Bill
I can’t let that comment pass unchallenged. Someone might believe it. “Broken” and may never be rebuilt? That describes a defeated military force in total disarry. Obviously, that is an inacurate description of what presently exists. Overworked, tired, abused, and many are disillusioned would be accurate. But yell “INCOMING” and watch what that amry go into action and kick ass.
It’s the leadership that’s broken.
As I previously stated the information you get is what Bushco wants you to hear. Trying to draw any conculsions from that is a waste of time. I talk to some of the personnel in Iraq every week. Most of them are really pissed off about the way they are being treated equipment, mission, and assignment-wise. But the big thing for them is the lack of any point to it.
A soldier wants to fight, win, and get it over with. They really did want to help these people but they know they are no longer wanted and the longer the present policy exists the worse that will get. They do not understand why the Iraqis will not help themselves, are disgusted by that, and are tired of being targets. They want change. Time to shit or get off the pot.
They sure as hell aren’t broken. Give the word and they will go. Which ever way is ordered. But most would prefer to come home.
The U.S. Army in Iraq is broken. The Marines are not far from that condition. The Army may never be rebuilt. It is time to extract what’s left of our forces while we can. The implications and consequences of this can’t be estimated.
Bush and the Demo-publicans have ruined our military, our schools, our economy, and left our borders unprotected. Time for a change. Vote for Ron Paul. Read Karen Kwiatowski.
Nancy Pelosi & Harry Reid are FULL OF CRAP LIKE A CHRISTMASS TURKEY!!!
And there is no Roll Call for the vote so it will make it hard to know which
Democrats voted for the PIMP Bill for Bush’s war.
Pelosi, who in hell do you work for anyway? It damn sure isn’t for the people who voted for you!
How do you explain your taking impeachment off the table?
How do you explain taking out of legislation the requirement that IdiotBush come to the Congress for authorization to go into Iran? Who do you represent?
OK , so that’s more than one question,,answer them anyway! Or resign and join AIPAC as a full time member.
I have the following comment. I, too, am sorry that the Democrats have not had more sucess but that is not their fault.YOU ALL DID NOT ELECT ENOUGH OF THEM FOR A CLEAR MAJORITY. There are still enough GOP members in both House and Senate that can stop or dilute certain votes. Have none of you ever served on a board of directors where votes and actions would not go exactly the way you wanted because you did not have a majority behind you? I have and understand a lot of the procedure.
I would quit bitching so much and work harder to 1) get more Democrats elected next election or
2)try to influence your GOP Senator or Representative to consider a different line of thought.
I attended a local district DEM convention last week as a precinct delegate and I can assure you we are working hard to unseat one GOP congressman.
You should see if you can find a rerun of C-Spans speech by Rep David Obey this morning.
He told it like it is.
John Hanks wrote:”With Republican money you can buy blackmail, extortion, assassinations, media hype and even wars”
Apparently with democratic money you purchase nothing.
John also stated that the republicans are the bad cops and the democrats the good cops – well -I take issue with that my friend.
Good cops don’t stand by while a crime occurs, they do whatever is required to stop the crime and apprehend the criminals involved. The democrats are doing nothing but blowing hot air -they might as well state, in public, their fealty to the republican party and George W. Bush.
Now let’s all hike a cheek and sound off for the cocktail party liberals ….
SEAL: “Therefore, the “reality” is that as long as those in control of our government suffer the delusion of “winning” that which does not exist to be “won,” the result will be continued chaos with deadly and/or catostropyic consequences a veritible certainty in the hands of our present leaders.”
Bingo!
And it will be enormously profitable to those in power here with their crony capitalists writing legislation for the rubber stamp congress. Therefor it must continue for that among other reasons. The Straussian Neocons believe in continual warfare and “creative destruction” and as long as we leave their ilk in office that is what we shall have.
The United States had been interfering in both Iraq and Iran since at least the early 1950’s. Imagine that happening here. Continuous upheaval and destabilization in this country by outside forces. Wouldn’t you be just a tad annoyed? Wouldn’t you kill as many of the bastards as you could while they occupied your country?
But really “no one” much cares. Websites like this one reach maybe 1% of the population at most and here we all just preach to the choir. As long as there is no draft and as long as the SUV tank is full no one gives a damn. Oh, wow, 9 more killed today. Hey, can I borrow your sports page, and I hear there’s a great sale on at Walmart today.
John Hanks, Laramie, Wyoming
I wish we could get away from the personal element in politics. It is far less important than the institutional pressures (money), which were placed on the Democrats. They are the good cops. The Republicans are the bad cops. They are both cops, of course.
With Republican money you can buy blackmail, extortion, assassinations, media hype and even wars. Since our Constitution did not address the power of money, it has taken over.
“There is just one way to describe the actions of Pelosi and Reid. Turncoat comes to mind. Traitor to our troops also springs forth. Negligent, lacking, and dilatory in upholding their oath to the constitution might work, too. Your choice.”
I don’t know much about Reid, but Pelosi is literally a billionaire. Why is she even a democrat? Cynically, just to be elected out of her liberal district, surely. Why would a billionaire have in mind the security of the troops or the plight of the working man in America. She is simply one of the club. To express dismay at her actions implies a bit of naivete in my opinion, which, of course, is worth every cent you just paid for it.
Kent
and looking for Middle Eastern investors. During a so-called ‘war’ with Middle Easterners in which they are playing a huge part as private contractors.
Didn’t that tell Reid and Pelosi anything about the reasons for this wasteful war?
Donnat
constitutional crises tend to appear PRECISELY when many other damaging, dangerous and potentially disasterous situations exist.
My hope is that the vituperative language would get the attention of some of the leadership and wake them up to the fact that the natives are restless, and their patience is running short.
Can’t believe that Reid and Pelosi still allow the republicans to ride rough shod over them – as well as Bush. Without his syncophants behind him Bush couldn’t continue to do as he pleases. Don’t the democrats know that yet? Are they wimps?
Cut off funding and abandon the troups? Total garbage! If funding for the war were cut off at midnight today it would take many more months and even a year to phase out the troops. It is total ignorance to think that they would be without food, weapons, supplies, etc. during that time. Did Reid and Pelosi fall for that nonsense?
Who says the money will support the troops anyway? Did anyone look into that? Isn’t it likely that the money will be used to build the Taj Mahal US Embassay, another swimming pool in the Green Zone, pay the more than 150 thousand mercenaries and civilians on the US side, give bonuses to Halliburton execs? Will any of the money be spent to provide armor for the troops, as well as the arms that they need.
Stupidity infuriates me!
I realize this post might make me very unpopular since everyone seems very happy to bash and attack. However, let’s take a minute to recognize some of the political realities. While the Dems won control of the Congress because of their position on the war, the truth is that they don’t have enough of a majority to do much. They cannot overturn a veto so they are forced to play ball with the White House.
Another factor to remember is that we have new elections coming in 2008. The Dems need to make sure they don’t make stupid mistakes if they hope to increase their margin of control in the Congress. That means, in part, not allowing the Republicans to paint them as the party who did not support our troops because they wanted to play politics with the money. Nothing will destroy the Dems majority faster than appearing to not support our troops. Forget benchmarks! The only way we will get our troops home is to elect a Democrat to the White House in 2008. Bush will never allow any redeployment out of Iraq! You can count on that.
What everyone seems to forget is that the last thing anyone needs right now is a Constitutional crisis. Let’s say the Congress passes a bill to remove all troops from Iraq and has enough votes to overturn a Bush veto. What happens if Bush just chooses to ignore the Congress? Don’t pretend that this cannot happen. Of course it can happen. Then what? How do we resolve this Constitutional crisis? Impeachment? Revolution? Military coup? As you can see there are no good options.
The point is, the Dems in Congress are in a tough position. They have enough votes to pass the bills they want, but not enough votes to overturn a presidential veto. Basically, they are forced to negotiate with the White House on any legislation, whether they (or we) like it or not. And the minute you have to negotiate, you can be branded a traitor or a turncoat.
It’s time to stop with all the vituperative language. We need a serious dialog, with serious people in this country. Getting mad and crazy will accomplish nothing. The game of politics is chess, people, not checkers. You win with long-term planning, forward thinking, a little deception, and most importantly, not making critical mistakes.
We’ve been sold down the river again. Public financing, term limits and elimination of perks are the only ways we can save our nation. We are in deep sh*t and the dems are piling it on along with the repugs. Good article. Keep it up.
“Never stop questioning.” Einstein
Pelosi does not have the fortitude to stand up against the Republicans and will help the Democrats lose the clout they hold at this time. The Democrats got the majority because of the stance they took on the war and now they are doing an about face. What a shame for the Party. Hope she like her term because she has failed and will probably lose her speaker positon soon. At least I pray so.
Mr Kezelis: an excellent article, sir.
I heard on the radio this morning that King George said that Americans should double their efforts to bring democracy and freedom to the entire world.
Oh really?
I’ll tell you this King George: “when you resign the presidency, enlist as a private in the US Army, go to Baghdad, get in a Humvee, go on suicidal patrols and put your sorry ass on the line – I’ll be right behind you.”
Comments are closed.