Iraq Judgment Time

Iraq Judgment Time –updated–

The graphic should actually say no good way out.

The Senate can\’t even talk about it. Think about that one for a moment.

… … .. .

Got it in your mind?

Now listen
to Senator John Warner. Remember Chuck
Hagel\’s words? This is not a monarchy. Well, evidently, it\’s not a democratic
republic either.

By the end of the day on Tuesday, Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the majority leader, said he saw little prospect that Democrats and Republicans could reach agreement on a plan to bring the resolution to the floor. “The negotiations are over,” said Mr. Reid, who dismissed Republican efforts to force a separate vote on the war money as a ploy intended to distract the public from the matter of whether senators supported or opposed the president’s policy. … Many Voices, No Debate, as Senate Is Stifled on War

If the greatest deliberative body in the country can\’t handle a debate it\’s
unlikely they can handle reality.

Here it is: The moment we leave it\’s not going to solve anything in the larger
picture.

Republicans are running from that reality. It\’s not pretty, but it\’s easy to
see why. They. Own. This War.

Democrats in the Senate are running towards non-binding nonsense instead of
putting teeth into a resolution that will end the war. It\’s not pretty, but
it\’s easy to see why. They\’re. Scared. To. Death.

Enter the Gregg Amendment, which is meant to trap Democrats: Gregg\’s proposed non-binding resolution opposing any reduction in funds for U.S. troops in Iraq. This is a direct challenge to Democrats who want to cut war funding, but continue to fund the troops in the field. Nuance gets lost. Republicans are betting on this and Reid is scared they\’re right.

No one wants to face what we\’ve done in Iraq, certainly not any presidential
candidate. The \’08 horse race has started far too early and they\’re stuck. The
Republican Party is in shambles. Democrats have the wheel but they don\’t want
it. Could it be any clearer?

Somehow, after four years, the debate on Iraq is still animated by wishful thinking. The White House talks as if a surge of 20,000 troops is going to stop a civil war. Democrats argue that when America withdraws its troops, Iraqis will finally take responsibility for their own security. But we all need to face the likelihood that this story isn\’t going to have a happy ending. … .. Expect The Worst In Iraq

There\’s chaos right now. It\’s not going away when we leave. Our troops will
be out of harm\’s way, but the fight won\’t be over and neither will the fall
out, which will begin to get worse. Or haven\’t you been paying attention?

However, the spectacle we\’re seeing in the Senate right now is an outrage.
I want to slap them all.

Have the debate. Argue it. Senators need to quit acting like there is an outcome
that won\’t cast them all as abject failures for allowing this to happen in the
first place.

It\’s time to face facts. Because if anyone believes the Sunni and
Shia are going to join hands under some central government they\’ve lost all
contact with reality.

Enter Mr. Bush, aided and abetted by the Republican Party still. They
can stall the debate all they want but it won\’t change the facts. Deal with
it.

As for the Democrats, take
a stand and make your arguments one resolution at a time. But
whatever you do stop acting like you can get out of this by yelling Obstructionists! Because if
Democrats don\’t shake up the Senate with outrage and do something about Iraq the American people will never
trust us again. Blow the roof off the Capitol with your arguments. Fight.

UPDATE (3:56 p.m.): Via Steve Clemons we\’ve got some ticked off Republicans? Oh, really. I guess they looked in the mirror after their vote and got decidely ill. Now move on it, boys and girls.