December 07, 2005
Point / Counterpoint
Hello, Tuning Spork here. For tonight's lame post (and while I wait for my breadcrumb-caked pork chops and potato to bake) I'd like to try out a new feature: Point / Counterpoint. Tonight's topic is Pulling our Troops out of Iraq: When and Why? The first argument will be presented by the Congressional Minority Leader, Nancy Pelosi. Ms Pelosi?
Thank you, TS.
The status quo is not working. The 'Plan for Victory' backdrop against which the President appeared at the Naval Academy two weeks ago was no more accurate than the 'Mission Accomplished' backdrop he used over two and a half years ago on the USS Abraham Lincoln. The President did not have a plan for victory when he went into his war in Iraq, and he does not have a plan for victory today.
What the American people want from the President is some evidence that he has heard their concerns. Clearly, the President fails to understand that a new course is needed in Iraq. The President has dug us into a deep hole in Iraq; it is time for him to stop digging.
He offers a status quo plan that would not accelerate the training of Iraqi security forces, would not motivate Iraqis to assume security responsibilities more quickly and bring American troops home. Instead, he suggests that we send more troops and spend more money in Iraq. That is not what the American people want.
The President says that the security situation in Iraq is getting better. But just because the President says it, does not make it so. 226 American soldiers have been killed in Iraq in just the last three months. The Generals have told us that the presence of large numbers of U.S. forces in Iraq encourages the insurgents. The President provided no specifics on how, or when, the number of troops will be reduced.
With more than 2,100 American soldiers killed, thousands more wounded grievously, and hundreds of billions of dollars spent, the President owes the American people more than he has provided. We should follow the lead of Congressman John Murtha, who has put forth a plan to make America safer, to make our military stronger, and to make Iraq more stable. That is what the American people and our troops deserve.
Nancy, you under-educated shill. The President is defending the mission in Iraq because he believed in it then and he believes in it now -- unlike some who shall remain nameless. So, what do you expect him to do, Dum-Dum?
The 'Mission Accomplished' sign was put up by the crew of the USS Abraham Lincoln because they were coming home and their mission was, thus, accomplished, which is painfully obvious to anyone who isn't frothing at the mouth with an abject fear of success.
The plan for victory is victory and will be measured -- as in all conflicts -- by milestones not timetables, Dum-Dum. No matter how quickly the Iraqis make their amazing transformation from living in fear and insecurity to living in freedom and security, it will never happen fast enough for you, will it, you fair weather freedom fighter you?
You mouth-breathed that just because the President says that the security situation is getting better doesn't make it so. Is everything that you hope isn't true a lie? Oh, heaven forefend good news. That would be such a Party pooper, I know, I know. On my planet we call that sarcasm, by the way...
So, large numbers of U.S. forces in Iraq encourages the insurgents? As an old aquaintence of mine once said: Yabba Dabba Doo. That's when they get all active and such and our troops know where their oily orbs are converging. Ice, meet fire. Y'see, that saves time and we can get our troops home sooner, Dum-Dum.
But, I suppose that actually accomplishing the mission in Iraq is less important to mal-learned hussies like you than accomplishing your own mission at home: to convince us that -- the defeat of our troops being a defeat for Bush -- we need to cut and run within six months instead ofwell, immediately, regardless of whether or not Iraq has stabilized.
You voted for the Iraq war and you recently voted against an immediate withdrawal. I just hope that you'll keep in mind that -- unlike some well-read Iraqi prude during Saddam's reign -- no one put a gun to your head, Dum-Dum.
