Loose talk / The Bush rhetoric on Iraq is sounding desperate

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06244/718081-192.stm

There are at least three pieces of falsely based rhetoric that are beginning to emerge in the fall political campaign that need to be put into context now, early in the game.

All three are being put forward by senior U.S. government officials or Republican candidates, notably Vice President Dick Cheney, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and Pennsylvania's own nonresident peddler of nontruths, Sen. Rick Santorum.

The first of these is that any American who does not believe that the United States should stay in Iraq, to pursue President Bush's vanity war to the end and continue to lose young fighting Americans as well as burn up formidable amounts of cash, is somehow not only wrongheaded but also a traitor who does not really love freedom.

This is a scurrilous lie, insulting and a disgusting slur on good Americans -- Democrats, Republicans or independents -- who believe that it is time the nation found a way to bring an end to a war that is now more than 3 years old.

[indepat]

1. More and more lies must be told to perpetuate the big lies

[Demeter]

2. Bush Tried To Pull a Blitzkrieg In the Middle East in Iraq

Then he talked Israel into trying it in Lebanon, and somehow it just didn't work either time. Now he wants a third chance with Iran.

No Anschlus, no flowers and candy, not even a thank you letter. Bush is so disappointed, that now he calls everyone else fascist Nazis: tribal Muslims defending their lands and families, Democrats trying to save their country and soldiers and civilians, seekers of peace everywhere in the world, and the Coalition of the Unwilling, who will soon lay the boom on BushCo.

If it weren't a matter of life and death, it would make a great situation comedy, or a new 3 Stooges skit.

[ixion]

3. the last 'graph really knocks it out of the park

I'm so happy to see this in print:

"What would be most useful for America at this point is that its 2006 electoral campaign be waged on the basis of truths -- about its economic situation, of primary importance, as well as the current position of the United States in Iraq and the rest of the Middle East. Feeding lies into the system -- with claims that advocacy of withdrawal is disloyalty, "Islamic fascism" is the problem or the situation in the Middle East is like that in 1930s Europe -- is stupid and counterproductive to useful debate among competing candidates. It needs to stop now before it goes any further."


That really needs saying. EVERY news outlet that is truly concerned about objectivity should be singing this from the treetops.

It should never have been allowed to reach the printed page as a serious quote. The ONLY context in which repuke talking points should appear in is when they are mocked for what they are: ludicrous.

[enough]

4. k&r