So says, John Edwards.
In an address to the Council on Foreign Relations, Edwards urged the U.S. Congress to use its funding power to force an immediate pullout of up to 50,000 U.S. combat troops from Iraq, then a full withdrawal within a year.
“The war on terror is a slogan designed only for politics, not a strategy to make America safe. It’s a bumper sticker, not a plan,” Edwards said. “It has damaged our alliances and weakened our standing in the world.”
In an interview with CNN, Edwards said President George W. Bush and his administration were responsible for Osama bin Laden still being at large.
“The reason there are terrorists actively engaged in what’s happening in Iraq right now is because of the mess George Bush and his administration have created there,” he added.
The Council on Foreign Relations has invited all the presidential candidates to speak. Edwards was the first in the series.
Tee hee.
I suppose somebody has to point out the obvious for the troglodytes.
If a war on terror entails creating an incubator and safe haven for terrorists, I’d call it a well-designed and well-executed strategy.
Bravo, Mr. Bush.
Remember the “Bring them on!” statement. It seemed to me at the time that it was only a way to get the jihadists to come to us so we didn’t have to go country to country, cave to cave fighting them. So they’re in Iraq. Where would you rather have them be?
This reminds me of something I occasionally throw out at people I’m listening to:
“You there, the one over there making sense — STOP IT! You’re scaring the ‘norms’…”
Is that lifted from somewhere?
There are people who believe in magic, so why wouldn’t there be people who believe Edwards?
Hey, if the Reagans can believe in astrology, then I guess people will believe just about anything.
Whether or not invading Iraq was a terrible idea, if the Democratic candidate next year takes the position that the “war on terror” is slogan and not a real war…. well, that’s actually the only way I can think of the democrats COULD lose the election. I know that the anything-Bush-says-is-wrong groupthink pervades here, but lots of us conservative liberals (or liberal conservaitves – whatever you want to call us) feel Edwards’ comments are insane. Bush will be gone next year. The Islamists won’t – they’ll will still be plotting. Ignoring them is not an option.
#5 – “norms?” Did you mean morons?
#8 – I know that the anything-Bush-says-is-wrong groupthink pervades here,
What makes you think its groupthink? I know everything Bush says is wrong and I didn’t need anyone else to help me come to that conclusion. I just listened to Bush and checked his words out against reality. Turns out, Bush is a clueless idiot who has done more to damage America and put us all at risk than our enemies ever could.
Just because a critical mass of people have arrived at a conclusion doesn’t mean there is a hive mind at play.
#10 – I agree: The groupthink on the left has been that side’s undoing for far too long. It’s a shame no one can break out of it enough to change the Democratic party.
Personally, I think Edwards is right… but it’s a hard message to deliver during a campaign. Whomever is the left’s choice will have to have a stronger security message than “the last guy wasn’t so hot”.
“Saying you’re at war with terrorism is like saying you’re at war with Blitzkrieg during the 1940’s.”
12 – mxpwr03 – Dayum, what a great quote. Is it yours or did you pick it up someplace? It totally nails the mental confusion behind the whole “war on terror” er, slogan. It doesn’t work as well for the war on drugs since not all drugs are bad, not all recreational drug use is destructive, and the government had no business redefining a perceived problem as a crime in the first place. But for the war on terror – what a great quote!
#11 – James Hill – There you go making sense again.
#12 – Mark May 24, 2007 on your calender. On this date, I agreed with you! 🙂
#11 – I hate to say you make sense. Being a Democrat is like being a Cubs fan sometimes… But that’s the price we pay for being the inclusive party and not being monolithically thinking neanderthals, like the other guys.
Brace yourself… that quote was from Rick… Santorum.
#15 – You know what they say about a stopped clock…
The Democrats have backed down on the time table for withdrawel because they read the latest polls. Congress has dropped 5 points since passing the time table bill and Bush went up 3 points since veto’ing it. Bush is now more popular than Congress for the first time since early 2006.(not that is saying a whole lot.)
We need to get out of Iraq. But if Edwards or anyone else thinks doing so before the Iraqi’s are able to at least make a try at saving themselves from oblivion, will help our standing in the world at large and especially in the Middle East, or make people think they can count on the US to be there for them when needed, then you all need to wake up and smell the coffee.
Bush has all but destroyed what was already a shakey respect for us around the world. Leaving the mess we created, without a hope, will make us persona non grata for a very long time to come, everywhere.
All it will do is accelerate our decline as a first tier nation.
To many people think the Democrats are some sort of salvation and that electing a new President will make the skies blue with fluffy clounds and smiling children will play peacefully in the green meadows. Nothing is further from the truth. Once we walk away from Iraq, we put the final nail in the coffin of the US as a power to be reckoned with, economically or militarily.
Edwards is just an opprotunist. He voted for this war, but now he needs to kiss butt with the left wing of his party and make himself different than Hillary. Him and Obama have nothing in their resume’s to suggest they would make even a mediocre President.
The Democrats have just turned their back on free trade, withdrawing from Iraq, and have done nothing but hold pointless hearings about crap no one cares about anymore. Thats why their poll rating is 31%.
So far, there is one solid Democrat running, and one solid Republican running….and Edwards isn’t the Democrat.
#17 – Thats why their poll rating is 31%.
Much of your post makes a valid point, and your commenst are well taken. However, nothing you said has anything to do with that poll rating.
We live in the most jaded and cynical time I can remember, and we routinely hear statements like “all politicians are corrupt” or “all politicians are in the pockets of special interests” or “they are all crooks who don’t care about anything but re-election.”
If you don’t understand how Washington works… No, I mean how it really works and why it works… Civics 101, 201, and maybe Advanced Civics… then it probably looks like a big corrupt bubble of bullshit.
But the average American appears to care more about voting on American Idol than on voting in the American political arena and they can’t seem to be bothered to learn about world around them.
I don’t trust that number at all. In fact, I don’t trust Bush’s low numbers really, despite the fact that I think he deserves them. I think its fashionable to hate politics and that’s a shame because politics is the process by which government spends our money. Only an idiot thinks all of anything is bad and only an idiot thinks politics don’t affect them.
#18, OFTLO
But the average American appears to care more about voting on American Idol…
Or perhaps the candidate who’s the most ‘beautiful’ and/or spouts the most palatable promises? And they better keep ’em, remember “Read my lips, no new taxes?” Out of curiosity, I wonder whether the broken promise or the fact that handsome Bill played the sax got him elected? (Just thinking about the average American.)
#15. goes to show that even a stopped clock is right twice a day.
But calling it a war allows the Bushies to maximize the power of the executive branch. calling it a war on “terror” lets him play PC and leave out that the people that we are really fighting are Islamists.
what is this, really? this is a global counterinsurgency struggle against those dedicated to overthrowing the existing order and willing to use whatever means necessary to do so.
But calling it such means less claim to “war” powers. it also invokes the PR aspect – winning “hearts and minds” in the Arab Islamic world to drain the fetid pond that breeds the plague. We know the Bushies are not happy with that aspect. In particular, they have no interest in resolving the Israel-Palestine issue, which would draw a lot of the rot from Arab politics.
They also have no interest in a reapproachment with Iran, which could serve to quash Iranian support for anti-Israeli terrorists. They would much rather pursue the pipe dream of “regime change,” when everyone with two brain cells to rub together knows that the only thing that would make an unpopular Iranian govt popular again would be the threat of US intervention.
As of May, 2007, they have a one-dimensional “strategy” and that is military force, largely employed in a vain attempt to squash the Islamist haven in Iraq that their own actions created. This will probably take yet another hit this year when Gordon Brown pulls the Brits out and the US has yet more territory to cover.
What is needed now – as with any counterinsurgency struggle – is a multidimensional approach combining diplomacy, law enforcement (yes, arresting the domestic knuckleheads and their wacky plots is part of this) and focused force.
We will not get it at least until some time in 2009.
19. Bubba, as a Texan, I would be interested to hear your take on Ron Paul, if you know anything. I am interested in how he fares with his constituents.
21, mark, I feel that anyone smart enough to take the job would be smart enough to never take it. That said, it seems Dr. Paul surrounds himself with very smart people, is very honest, hasn’t flip-flopped (that I can find), has a very consistent voting record, and would probably make an excellent pres. I wish I knew more about his true ideas for the economy and who he would appoint to important positions. His constituents appear to be from every class and demographic. Were I in his district, I’d approve of his voting record. Ten terms ain’t too bad for S. TX. I think his last election was unopposed? (Now donning Nomex suit.) Hope that helps.
#21 and #22…….Ron Paul is a Republican, but really a Libertarian. While I agree with many Libertarian views, he also espouses all of their truly out in left field stuff.
After his little tiff with Rudy, I googled him and in just 3 articles found a lot to like and a lot to be afraid of.
He’s not just against raising taxes, but for eliminating almost all of them. He’s against Social Security (believes only in private pensions), Medicare, international treaties, involvement outside the US, basically a complete halt to immigration (the legal and the illegal), the Equal Rights Amendments, abortion rights, and is for sealing our borders.
And that was from his own site……lol
But, he appears to be honest and sincere in his beliefs. Plus I saw that he was the Libertarian Presidential candidate once. Got half a million votes I think it was.
On the polls……they have been pretty consistent for Bush for almost a year. High of 38% around election time last year, to a low of 32%.
Congress hasn’t been above 40% either, but this is their lowest in a few years.
Sounds like my guy. Also wasnt he a War Vet and flight surgeon? I didnt see anything scary in your list. Is he for the Fair Tax?
bullsiht flows from his mouth like every lawyer/politician.
and the same media system which allowed the bush storylines to pass without analysis will allow this garbage to pass as news.
check the democrats dealings in the bakans in the 1990s with bin laden. terrorist groups and the iranians who furnished them arms and then you will realize how utter BS this is.
the democrats were deeply involved with muhajeddins because they served their goals and hillary and horse face daughter even did their little ‘we love thde koran’ lapdance in s.arabia.
you know that country that finances fanatics but that we never bother.
rob
24, mark, Dr. Paul didn’t support H.R. 25, the so called Fair Tax act of 2005, as he (and many others) thought it was basically a govt. ponzi scheme. As for his thoughts on a rational fair tax act, I’d also like to know.
http://www.mises.org/story/1814
And yes, he is a vet and was a flight surgeon.
26. Like you I am suspicious of anyone who would want the job. But I have looked at the contenders and NONE impress me. I like the fact that he speaks against what I believe to be our downfall, and that is our interventionist policies.
Not sure why, but my somewhat lengthy comment of over 24 hrs ago was not moderated into this space. Don’t think it was either offensive, off topic, or political hackery, and have no idea how to ask a mod except by writing this, so apologies to everyone, but i was just wondering (not my fist time posting btw)
-bzb