DO NOT LOSE FAITH!!! The Escalation Didn't Work-Repugs Not Confident At All-by John Kerry

[kpete]

The Escalation Didn't Work--UPDATED
by John Kerry
Wed Sep 05, 2007 at 09:19:03 AM PDT

The escalation failed to do the one and only thing it was supposed to do. The entire Iraq policy of George W. Bush has failed since the fall of Saddam Hussein’s statue in Baghdad. No amount of parsing or spinning can change those simple facts: the escalation is and was the wrong answer.

........................

update: A lot of you are asking about what we can do about it. That’s the right question. I can't guarantee success, but we're closer than we've ever been. The media swirl around this debate doesn't capture the dynamics I see in Congress. Republicans are much more nervous about this, and there's far less Democratic disunity than the media storyline portrays. I'm talking to my colleagues every day (I just got out of a caucus meeting), and the Bush-advanced fallacy that the escalation is working just isn't a big part of our discussions. I think we hammered that reality home pretty hard yesterday at the Foreign Relations Committee with some important validation from Sen. Lugar.

Meanwhile, the Republicans are not confident at all. Their party is being driven over the cliff by the President’s stubborn insistence on sticking to this failed policy. And they know it. No one wants to consign themselves to a permanent minority, but that's what's happening. They're not unified at all on this.

But the main question is: what can we do about it? I'm going to make this case in any way I can. Television, newspapers, you name it. There's no magic bullet to this; we simply need to apply as much pressure as possible in as many ways as possible. I'll be back with some specific actions from time to time because concerted action by many people toward a single goal gets the best results. But do as much as you can all the time. Drop by your representatives’ office and let them know your feelings. Write, call, fax, email, get in contact any way you can. These actions aren't glamorous, but they really do make a difference. And don't lose faith. The other side in this debate is intent on outlasting us, convinced that we'll give up. You and I have to make sure that they are wrong on that.

more at:
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/9/5/121020/0010

[bryant69]

1. It's interesting to consider that the image of Congressional Democrats

as head in the sand feckless pansies might, in fact, be a media generated deception.

Seems to have worked.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[iconoclastic cat]

3. It's sure worked on me.

I totally hallucinated that capitulation on the FISA tweaks.

[Raster]

7. Ahh, the cowards and collaborators in Congress are just a "media generated deception."

:rofl:You have got to be fucking kidding, right?:rofl:Aren't you missing a:sarcasm:?

[bryant69]

9. No - I support Congressional Democrats

Which of course makes me a Bush Sympathiser.

Bryant

[Raster]

10. No it doesn't. No one--except you--said ANYTHING about being a "bush* sympathizer."

I want to believe in the Congressional Democrats. I really do. But I've seen very little action, except for appeasement. Here's a simple little action item: begin impeachment proceedings against dick cheney*. Stand up, be counted and co-sponsor the resolution to impeach. Once I see the Congressional Dems do something besides make excuses why they can't do something, I will believe. Until then, well, I'm not holding my breath.

Wake up America!:kick:

[bigtree]

2. "Republicans are much more nervous about this,

. . . and there's far less Democratic disunity than the media storyline portrays."

Not surprising.

[leftchick]

4. I hope he clues in Durbin and Levin

apparently they are all wobbly on Iraq.

[rosesaylavee]

11. I missed that about Durbin...

He just came back from Iraq - and he's on the fence? Best get over to his website to have a looksee.

edit to add:

This is all I found regarding his stance on Iraq:

Legislative Agenda

A New Direction in Iraq

As one of 23 Senators who voted against invading Iraq in the first place, I have voted in favor of every proposed timetable to bring this war to a close. At the same time, if my son or daughter were in the situation of our men and women in uniform, I would want them to have everything necessary to stay as safe as possible. I have supported the troops over the course of their deployment, consistently voting for all funding requests for our nation's military needs.

Now, our original military mission in Iraq has long been completed, but our young men and women remain overseas, fighting to provide security in the midst of an Iraqi civil war. Thousands have been killed. More have been injured. Many are coming home, but with serious mental health problems.

At the same time, the crucial fight in Afghanistan continues but with limited resources due to the much larger conflict in Iraq.

We need a new direction.

If he's wobbly - post a link and I will give him a call. He has seemed anything but wobbly to this point imho.

[BeFree]

5. We've won the war

Iraq as we knew it has been destroyed. They won't be able to get their shit together for a hundred years.

So why do we stll have soldiers walking around kicking in doors?

Time that peacekeepers were all we send to Iraq. Bring home the gun-toting killers and send just diplomats and help from neighbors.

It's over.... any further violence on our part is continuing the sin of bushco and those who think we are there for revenge.

Now we must severely reduce the size of our military.... before another idiot like bush comes along and uses the large standing army to invade another country.

Having the large standing army is like leaving a loaded pistol on the table.
And now we see how doing so has allowed the idiots to pull the trigger.

ENOUGH!

[daa]

6. Remember

" since the fall of Saddam Hussein’s statue in Baghdad"

Our mililtary pulled this down for the cameras.

[sandnsea]

8. Well, note the wording

It's probably not something he considers worth fighting about at this late date, but you notice he doesn't play to the whole Iraqi's tearing down the statue nonsense either.