Reply #69: Tinoire, let me offer my take on this.

[Merlin]

I know and respect your position, and know how genuine your views are. You ask a very difficult question here. As one who, as you know, shares completely your position on Iraq and your disdain for all Dems who voted for the war resolution, and as one who supports Kerry and Dean, let me suggest the following.

Not long ago, Clinton dealt with this question, I believe during his speech at the JFK library on May 29th. He said the problem is that when you are responsible for making life and death decisions for a nation, and your intelligence is telling you the nation faces a grave threat, you just cannot walk into a meeting of the National Security Council and say, "Well, you know, I don't really feel all that good about this intelligence I'm getting. I think I'll ignore it."

It brings home in stark terms the situation facing these Dems. Sure, there was a political aspect, and no doubt that was weighing heavy on their inclinations. But there was also all this intelligence they were being given--originating from Chalabi's INC and piped through Wolfy's OSP--that said there was a serious threat.

Those of us who watched this situation develop from the outside felt completely confident that intelligence was utter and complete bullshit. We saw through the neocon's manipulations from the beginning, and predicted precisely what would happen. But those on the inside had to answer the question of which side they should err upon.

So, though I think Kerry blew it bigtime on this, I am inclined to let it pass. The other reason for giving him the benefit of the doubt is I know he feels as deeply as I do and as you do about never ever letting this nation get our troops in another impossible quagmire without raising utter hell about it, which I think he's doing now.