Comments on: Bush, Murtha And The Tipping Point http://donklephant.com/2005/11/21/bush-murtha-and-the-tipping-point/ Big Teeth. Huge Ass. Surprisingly Reasonable. Tue, 14 Feb 2012 14:03:13 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: lgude http://donklephant.com/2005/11/21/bush-murtha-and-the-tipping-point/comment-page-1/#comment-3980 lgude Mon, 21 Nov 2005 15:31:24 +0000 http://donklephant.com/2005/11/21/bush-murtha-and-the-tipping-point/#comment-3980 I just don't see that we are not winning the war, but in the end I think it is the Iraqi army that is going to win the war and they are getting stronger all the time. It has been obvious to me since the decision to put an interim government in charge that Iraqization was the policy and that it would be the Iraqi people who would pull Bush's irons out of the fire. I had my doubts that the Iraqi's would fight but if what I read on Bill Roggio's and Michael Yon's blogs is accurate then we have made significant progress in the last year. Violence was way down for the referendum compared to the Jan elections. Lets see what happens next month. I think Murtha and the discouraged public are reacting to the anti war media barrage, not the reality on the ground in Iraq. I couldn't believe the emotional impact of TV coverage when I visited the US for much of 04. No wonder people are fed up. Treat traffic deaths like that and the sales of horses would skyrocket. I just don’t see that we are not winning the war, but in the end I think it is the Iraqi army that is going to win the war and they are getting stronger all the time. It has been obvious to me since the decision to put an interim government in charge that Iraqization was the policy and that it would be the Iraqi people who would pull Bush’s irons out of the fire. I had my doubts that the Iraqi’s would fight but if what I read on Bill Roggio’s and Michael Yon’s blogs is accurate then we have made significant progress in the last year. Violence was way down for the referendum compared to the Jan elections. Lets see what happens next month. I think Murtha and the discouraged public are reacting to the anti war media barrage, not the reality on the ground in Iraq. I couldn’t believe the emotional impact of TV coverage when I visited the US for much of 04. No wonder people are fed up. Treat traffic deaths like that and the sales of horses would skyrocket.

]]> By: kreiz http://donklephant.com/2005/11/21/bush-murtha-and-the-tipping-point/comment-page-1/#comment-3978 kreiz Mon, 21 Nov 2005 14:52:56 +0000 http://donklephant.com/2005/11/21/bush-murtha-and-the-tipping-point/#comment-3978 Just ran across a great post at Bull Moose (bullmooseblog.com) called "The Third Camp". Moose argues that folks like McCain, Biden, Warner and Graham are pragmatists who are trying to figure out how to win the war, if possible. After listening to Murtha, I'm convinced he falls in this camp too, although he views the war as unwinnable. The Third Camp is open to this possibility but hasn't rejected the idea that all is not yet lost. Just ran across a great post at Bull Moose (bullmooseblog.com) called “The Third Camp”. Moose argues that folks like McCain, Biden, Warner and Graham are pragmatists who are trying to figure out how to win the war, if possible. After listening to Murtha, I’m convinced he falls in this camp too, although he views the war as unwinnable. The Third Camp is open to this possibility but hasn’t rejected the idea that all is not yet lost.

]]> By: Joshua http://donklephant.com/2005/11/21/bush-murtha-and-the-tipping-point/comment-page-1/#comment-3976 Joshua Mon, 21 Nov 2005 14:13:27 +0000 http://donklephant.com/2005/11/21/bush-murtha-and-the-tipping-point/#comment-3976 As I said in a previous thread, Murtha is at least close to being right about the U.S. having done all it can - I don't think we're quite at that point yet but with Iraq's constitution ratified and the first round of elections under that constitution coming up, we're awfully close. I hope Fineman is right about this whole episode having a transformative effect on Iraq war politics, at least if that means the Democrats returning the pre-war intelligence flap to the back burner where it belongs. Our Iraq policy should be a response to the war as it stands now, and at least Murtha is speaking to that instead of merely piling on with the "Bush lied" meme. As I said in a previous thread, Murtha is at least close to being right about the U.S. having done all it can – I don’t think we’re quite at that point yet but with Iraq’s constitution ratified and the first round of elections under that constitution coming up, we’re awfully close.

I hope Fineman is right about this whole episode having a transformative effect on Iraq war politics, at least if that means the Democrats returning the pre-war intelligence flap to the back burner where it belongs. Our Iraq policy should be a response to the war as it stands now, and at least Murtha is speaking to that instead of merely piling on with the “Bush lied” meme.

]]> By: Mild Mannered Reporter http://donklephant.com/2005/11/21/bush-murtha-and-the-tipping-point/comment-page-1/#comment-3975 Mild Mannered Reporter Mon, 21 Nov 2005 13:45:43 +0000 http://donklephant.com/2005/11/21/bush-murtha-and-the-tipping-point/#comment-3975 John Murtha, Democrat from Pennsylvania, has come out against the Iraqi War with a good report. Blog site Moderate Republican has a good discussion about this topic. While I commend Murtha, hold him in high esteem, and agree with his view of the war in Iraq, I must question his idea about immediate redeployment of troops. "My plan calls for immediate redeployment of U.S. troops consistent with the safety of U.S. forces, to create a quick reaction force in the region, to create an over-the-horizon presence of Marines, and to diplomatically pursue security and stability in Iraq". "Immediate Redeployment" was a poor choice of words. Regardless, he was correct in his general evaluation of the war. We should set a time table and put the Iraqis on notice that we will be leaving as soon as the new government is installed. For sure, we should leave next year. We gave the Iraqi people the most precious gift in the world. Namely, they have an opportunity to form a more perfect union. Now, it is time we start thinking about our own homeland security. We need to secure our borders, waterways, and airports. And, we need to address terrorist cells in America. Those that want to do us harm should be expelled from America and we should develop a secure and humane immigration policy that is consistent with our need for workers in all fields. John Murtha, Democrat from Pennsylvania, has come out against the Iraqi War with a good report. Blog site Moderate Republican has a good discussion about this topic. While I commend Murtha, hold him in high esteem, and agree with his view of the war in Iraq, I must question his idea about immediate redeployment of troops. “My plan calls for immediate redeployment of U.S. troops consistent with the safety of U.S. forces, to create a quick reaction force in the region, to create an over-the-horizon presence of Marines, and to diplomatically pursue security and stability in Iraq”. “Immediate Redeployment” was a poor choice of words. Regardless, he was correct in his general evaluation of the war.

We should set a time table and put the Iraqis on notice that we will be leaving as soon as the new government is installed. For sure, we should leave next year. We gave the Iraqi people the most precious gift in the world. Namely, they have an opportunity to form a more perfect union. Now, it is time we start thinking about our own homeland security. We need to secure our borders, waterways, and airports. And, we need to address terrorist cells in America. Those that want to do us harm should be expelled from America and we should develop a secure and humane immigration policy that is consistent with our need for workers in all fields.

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