Tuesday, September 04, 2007

Banging the Drum

Once again the Bush administration has begun to bang the war drum--this time with Iran. TPM's Todd Gitlin writes up why we should take this drumbeat seriously and the necessity more than ever before to contact our representaives and not let this go the way of Iraq. From Todd Gitlin's article:
If there’s anything we understand about the occupants of the White House, it is that worst-case scenarios are, if not dead certain, to use the phrase of the day, worth taking seriously.
But here’s the point of this post: Forget what Ollie North means by passivity. There’s a genuine passivity to fear. The Democrats have to stand up this week, loud, clear, and demonstrative, and declare that they will not get hustled into supporting a mindless, counterproductive attack on Iran. They will not appropriate funds for it. Half of them in the Senate got hustled at the equivalent moment in 2002 and now regret it, even if are only willing to use the euphemism “if I knew then what I know now.”
One thing they all must know now is who they are dealing with in the White House. The mania of George Bush and Dick Cheney is not the sum of all dangers today but it is, after all, a known quantity.

This time, for sure, post-facto regret won’t do.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

The Democrats have to stand up this week, loud, clear, and demonstrative, and declare that they will not get hustled into supporting a mindless, counterproductive attack on Iran.

We're screwed.

Anonymous said...

I like how they cave when Dubya just needs a simple majority, then promise that they'll somehow fix it when they need two thirds.

I'm pretty much convinced that their opposition is a sham at this point. There may be progressives in the House & Senate, but the Dem leadership is completely in the tank.

HopeSpringsATurtle said...

Sadly, I must agree. I think our only hope is to write them about our opposition to ANY attack on Iran and including a voided check can't hurt. Tell them NO MORE MONEY until they vote in a way that reflects our values.

Naj said...

Where are the protesters Hope?
I cannot look at this screen without tears ... WHERE ARE THE PROTESTERS HOPE, WHRE ARE THE 70% AMERICAN VOICES?

I feel so helpless ...

HopeSpringsATurtle said...

Asleep at the wheel Naj. I pray this unprovoked attack on Iran never materializes. I'm hoping the we awake before it's too late.

Naj said...

So much is happening in these hours that I am somewhat dizzy:

- Bin Laden's Video
- Neoconservative Judge fining Iran to 2.6 billion $s
- Petreaus' report due tomorrow
- Bush's address re Iraq
- Al-Baradei and Rice getting in eachother's hair
- Iran's top mullah urging talks
- Nuclear warheads "mistakenly" being flown!

This has "GAME" written ALL over it! They are disorienting us! Muddying the waters. I FEAR a big disaster is being planned; with American's lives in immediate danger, to be followed by the massacre of perhaps Iranians or Iraqis after!

This is a criminal cabal, capable of EVERYTHING!