Just last week every Republican ( as far as I can tell ) and many Democrats voted to yes on a resolution to condemn MoveOn’s ad in the New York Times General Petraeus or General Betray Us? Many folks can’t seem to get past the title or don’t wish to because they do not want to deal with the substance of the ad,
Every independent report on the ground situation in Iraq shows that the surge strategy has failed.
GAO report, 9/4/07
NIE report, 8/23/07
Jones report, CSIS, 9/6/07
Independent AP investigation, 9/1/07
Independent L.A. Times investigation, 9/1/07Yet the General claims a reduction in violence. That’s because, according to the New York Times, the Pentagon has adopted a bizarre formula for keeping tabs on violence. For example, deaths by car bombs don’t count.
“Time to Take a Stand,” by Paul Krugman. 9/7/07The Washington Post reported that assassinations only count if you’re shot in the back of the head — not the front.
“Experts Doubt Drop in Violence in Iraq,” by Karen DeYoung. 9/6/07According to news reports, there have been more civilian deaths and more American soldier deaths in the past three months than in any other summer we’ve been there.
The Associated Press, “Violence Appears to Be Shifting from Baghdad.” 8/25/07
National Public Radio, “Statistics the Weapon of Choice in Surge Debate,” by Guy Raz. 9/6/07
Associated Press, “Key Figures About Iraq Since the War Began in 2003.” 9/5/07
Two of the most inept wankers to ever serve in the U.S. Senate said this,
Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY): “This amendment gives our colleagues a chance to distance themselves from these despicable tactics, distance themselves from the notion that some group has them on a leash.”
Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT): “It is MoveOn that is the disgrace. And I think it is important that the entire Congress publicly repudiate these absurd charges.”
Not one Senate Republican to date has addressed the documentation in the ad. Ironically the Democrats that went along with the puppet show that deflected attention away from the facts in the ad have the following posted on their web site,
GAO Found Iraqis Had Met Just 2 of the 9 Security Benchmarks. “Our analysis shows that the Iraqi government has met two of the nine security benchmarks.” While the Iraqi government “has established political, communications, economic, and services committees in support of the Baghdad security plan and, with substantial coalition assistance, 32 of the planned 34 Joint Security Stations across Baghdad. Of the remaining 7 benchmarks, the Iraqi government partially met 2 and did not meet five.” The five benchmarks met are, 1) Reducing the level of sectarian violence in Iraq and eliminating militia control of local security. 2) Providing Iraqi commanders with all authorities to execute this plan and to make tactical and operational decisions, in consultation with U.S. commanders, without political intervention, to include the authority to pursue all extremists, including Sunni insurgents and Shiite militias. 3) Ensuring that Iraqi security forces are providing even-handed enforcement of the law. 4) Increasing the number of Iraqi security forces’ units capable of operating independently. 5) Ensuring that Iraq’s political authorities are not undermining or making false accusations against members of the Iraqi security forces. [GAO Report: Securing, Stabilizing and Rebuilding Iraq, September 2007]
The Senate Democrats own fact sheet supports MoveOn’s ad on the substance. Rather then then pointing out that even when the nation is involved in foreign conflicts the 1st amendment is still in effect. That grass roots organizations like MoveOn still possess the right to express themselves even if the wording offends a few people. Now will those same people that voted to condemn MoveOn for nothing more then petty partisan reasons vote on a resolution to condemn Fox News and David Hunt,
Fox News’ attack on the honor and integrity of our war generals
Fox News Contributor and frequent O’Reilly guest David Hunt — is even more Despicable, as it repeatedly attacks the honor and integrity of members of the United States Armed Forces in one smearing paragraph after the next, beginning with this first sentence:
Our generals are betraying our soldiers . . . again.
What has Hunt so worked up. The Pentagon is going to stop setting “bait” ( weapons, ammo, etc) and letting snipers kill the people that pick it up. There is under some circumstances ( Hunt mentions Vietnam) where the argument can be made for baiting, but that is beside the point. Hunt didn’t just accuse one general, but accused all the generals of being traitors. This after the over the hill right-wing gas bag Rush Limbaugh clearly said in chorus with one of his fans that any soldier that opposed the continued occupation of Iraq was a phony – Presto! False Associated Press Reporting Makes Limbaugh’s Bogus Pushback Sound Perfectly Reasonable
In the AP’s telling, Limbaugh says he first mentioned the specific phony soldier, and then “followed” with a reference to “phony soldiers.” This description, of course, makes Limbaugh’s pushback sound completely reasonable: Limbaugh says he established the specific context — a discussion of MacBeth — before using the controversial phrase.
But this is not what Limbaugh’s transcript says at all, of course. Indeed, not even Limbaugh himself is arguing this. Rather, Limbaugh’s transcript shows that the mention of MacBeth came long after his initial reference to phony soldiers. He hadn’t established this context first at all. This is just a pathetic error.
