December 07, 2006
Drip Drip Drip, In More Ways Than One
Now that the leaked report has come full faucet, wiser persons than I had much to say about it , so I'll just pass you right along to them.
Most relevant was Russ Feinglold speaking to Keith Olbermann (whose ratings are through the roof these days). Senator Feingold, unlike anyone on the "bipartisan" commission, was prophylactically wise. He thought the invasion of Iraq was a terrible idea in the first place, and now suggests that resources should be dedicated to real threats, like terrorists.
Al Gore reminds us that there are a number of reports in the pipeline, all of which say that Iraq is an utter disaster. He "urged the president not to try to separate out the personal issues of being blamed in history for this mistake and instead recognize it’s not about him." -- an assignment that is much too psychologically complex for Bush, particularly due to his narcissistic character.
Speaking of narcissism, Arthur Silber does a smashing moral psychopolitical analysis of the report. One juicy tidbit: "The myth of Western, and more particularly, of American "exceptionalism" is a fundamental part of our nation's view of itself. It is deeply embedded in our national psyche, and I strongly doubt it will be dislodged in the foreseeable future. I recently quoted from Hampton Sides' new book, on the subject of the U.S. war against Mexico. Recall this sentence especially:"To conquer Mexico, in other words, would be to do it a favor. "
In his Boston Globe editorial, aptly entitled "Pie In The Sky", Peter Galbraith takes on "The Report" point by point and laments "By not facing up to the reality of a disintegrated Iraq, Baker's panel has missed an opportunity to forge a consensus around concrete steps that could contain Iraq's civil war and extricate the United States from the quagmire.
On departure, Donald Rumsfeld took it upon himself to make a few recommendations which are dramatized here by ze frank. You deserve a treat, for paying attention through all the dry stuff.
And, as the cherry on top, you may have Jon Stewart commentary.
To summarize -- the smart people didn't like the report very much, and don't think it will change anything. Inquiry: Didn't Rumsfeld have a nerve?
Photo note: Metaphorophotographically speaking, not quite enough light coming through patchwork, over new construction, some overlapping -- Concretely, a new building in Copley Square .
Posted by Dakota at December 7, 2006 06:34 AM