Rep. Shimkus: Iraq War Is Like ‘My Beloved St. Louis Cardinals’ Facing ‘The Cubbies’

[babylonsister]

Just...ugh. Does he not realize how offensive this is?

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/05/02/shimkus-cubbies/

Rep. Shimkus: Iraq War Is Like ‘My Beloved St. Louis Cardinals’ Facing ‘The Cubbies’

Today on the House floor, Rep. John Shimkus (R-IL) compared the war in Iraq to a Major League Baseball feud, asking fellow members of Congress to “Imagine my beloved St. Louis Cardinals are playing the much despised Chicago Cubs.”

The Cardinals are up by five finishing the top of the ninth. Is this a cause for celebration? Is this a cause for victory? No. Unbelievable as it may seem, the Cubbies score five runs in the bottom of the ninth to throw the games into extra innings. There the score remains until 1:00 AM five innings later. However at the top of the 15th, the Cardinals fail to field a batter. The entire team has left the stadium. … Who wins? We know it’s the team that stays on the field.

Watch it at link~

The war in Iraq isn’t a baseball game. No one gets killed in a Cardinals v. Cubs game. U.S. troops need to withdraw from Iraq not because the other “team” is beginning to catch up, but because our presence there is helping to fuel the violence and forcing our troops to referee an intractable civil war.


Transcript:

Imagine my beloved St. Louis Cardinals are playing the much despised Chicago Cubs. The Cardinals are are up by five, finishing the top of the ninth. Is this a cause for celebration? Is this a cause for victory? No. Unbelievable as it may seem, the Cubbies score five runs in the bottom of the ninth to throw the games into extra innings. There the score remains until 1:00 AM, five innings later. However, at the top of the 15th, the Cardinals fail to field a batter. The entire team has left the stadium. It seems that they are more worried about next day’s 1:00 PM game at home than finishing the game at hand. Who wins? We know it’s the team that stays on the field. Arbitrary deadlines and a date certain accept defeat before the conclusion of the contest. It is our national security interest that continue to take the field and support a moderate Arab state. Leaving prior assures a loss for us and victory for our opponents which will lead to another extremist Islamic state.

[Greeby]

1. He didn't say that, tell me he didn't say that

:wow:

[Fresh_Start]

2. Are baseball players killing one another now?

I'd have thought it would have made the news.
Or perhaps, Shimkus is clueless.

[Ganja Ninja]

3. Iraq is like a baseball game where the pitchers are throwing ..

hand grenades.:nuke:

[Richard Steele]

4. What a complete and utter shithead. nm

[unhappycamper]

9. That sums it up nicely. n/t

[TwilightGardener]

5. How do these people ever make it into elected office?

[sinkingfeeling]

6. Rep. Shimkus needs to get on a plane, take his Kevlar vest and fly to Iraq. Then he needs to be

handed a gun and put out on patrol in Southwestern Baghdad for about a month. Then he can compare that to a stupid ass baseball game.

[Norquist Nemesis]

7. Ok, then...Three surges and we're out!

Or are we just pitching for a walk these days with four. :shrug:

Latest I'm hearing is that September seems to be the Con's "deadline" with Petreaus' report and (get this!!!)--even Boner's talking about possibly putting into legislation where exactly in Iraq troops will be allowed to be deployed. Now, if THAT'S not "micro-managing" the generals in the field, I don't know what is!

[babylonsister]

8. I think they want to enjoy their summer vacations; I can think of no

other explanation for the rethugs waiting til September. Meantime, how many will die?