Another stupid Republican Congressman revealed

Congressmen Jim Moran (D-VA) and Trent Franks (R-AZ) were on Hardball to discuss pulling troops out of Iraq. One had knowledge of the situation in Iraq and the larger and longer term view of US foreign policy. One had scripted talking points and no knowledge of the basics -- he didn't even know the difference between Sunni and Shia. Watch for yourself and see which is which. By the way, that's Franks in the top photo and Moran in the second one.

As a 25 year military veteran who served in Iraq, I feel compelled to say my GOD, what a dumbass Franks is.

Franks says he believes that Al Qaeda is the main threat in Iraq. That view is one hundred percent wrong — there is a group in Iraq that CALLS itself Al Qaeda, but it has no real connection to THE Al Qaeda, and it’s responsible for only a tiny number of the attacks on Americans in Iraq.

Franks clearly doesn’t know the difference between Sunni and Shia and he doesn’t know the Iraqi history of these two groups. Saddam’s Sunni minority ruled Iraq and oppressed the Shia majority, also involving the Iraqi Shia in a war with Iran, which is a Shia nation. The Shia are now running Iraq, and they want closer relations with Iran and payback on the Iraqi Sunni who used to oppress them.

At the moment, the Shia are running the Iraqi government, and the Sunni won’t join them in a unified effort. Instead, the Sunni carry out attacks on Americans and Iraqi Shia in an effort to reestablish Sunni control over Iraq. The end result of the US invasion and occupation, whenever it comes, is going to be a Shia religious government that’s sympathetic to Iran, oppresses Sunnis, and disregards the rights of women and other minorities inside Iraq. There’s no question that’s what will happen because of America’s mistakes, the only question is when.

In addition, the US is creating a situation where the pro-Iran Shia are governing Iraq at the same time we’re threatening war with Shia Iran, so we’re working at cross purposes.

In addition, the US is doing NOTHING to stop the main supplier of weapons and money to the Sunnis that are carrying out the attacks in Iraq — namely, Saudi Arabia.

Further, the US is doing almost nothing to actually carry the fight to the REAL terrorists — the ACTUAL Al Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan, the guys who attacked America in 2001.

All of this is playing into the hands of America’s enemies — we’re not catching and punishing real terrorists, we’re allowing those who support the insurgents in Iraq to do so with impunity, we’re working at cross purposes when it comes to Iraq and Iran, and we’re slowly grinding down America’s military in an Iraq occupation that WILL NOT produce any long term benefit to the United States, Iraq, or anyone else.

That Democrats in Congress and running for President are willing to continue this debacle shows how badly they’ve judged the situation on the ground. It also shows that they’ve misjudged the will of the American people — we know we were lied to, we know there’s no good end to the Iraq occupation, and we know it needs to stop NOW. Instead, from some Democrats we get temporizing, buck passing, dodging, bobbing and weaving. From others, we get continued blind support for the Bush administration’s failed policy.

Franks and the rest of the Bushbots in Congress should be ashamed of their ignorance and their support of a failed policy that’s based on lies.

The Democrats who continue to support it should be more ashamed, because they know better.

God bless Jim Moran for putting the lie to Franks’ comments on Hardball.

Rush, I'm not a "phony soldier"

During the September 26 broadcast of his nationally syndicated radio show, Rush Limbaugh called service members who advocate U.S. withdrawal from Iraq “phony soldiers.”

He made the comment while discussing a conversation he had with a caller, “Mike from Chicago,” who said he “used to be military,” and “believe[s] that we should pull out of Iraq.”

Limbaugh told a second caller, that “[t]here’s a lot” that people who favor U.S. withdrawal “don’t understand” and that when asked why the United States should pull out, their only answer is, ” ‘Well, we just gotta bring the troops home.’ … ‘Save the — keeps the troops safe’ or whatever.”

The second caller, “Mike from Olympia,” who also claims to be a military member, replied, “No, it’s not, and what’s really funny is, they never talk to real soldiers. They like to pull these soldiers that come up out of the blue and talk to the media.” Limbaugh interjected, “The phony soldiers.” Mike from Olympia agreed, replying, “The phony soldiers.”

I find it amazing that a guy who dodged the Vietnam draft because of a cyst on his ass thinks he can get away with criticizing REAL SOLDIERS.

God, what a jackass. Service members take an oath to defend the Constitution, not an oath to a particular individual or political philosophy. Dissent from the policies of the Bush administration does not make me or anyone else in the military "phony."

Soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division serving in Iraq wrote a New York Times op-ed criticizing the war in Iraq, and had the bravery to suggest that it was time to develop an exit strategy. Two of them recently died. Are they phonies?

I now DEMAND that all the members of Congress who denounced the MoveOn.org newspaper ad condemn Limbaugh's comments. They said the ad "impugns the honor and integrity of General Petraeus and all the members of the United States Armed Forces."

Well, Rush Limbaugh has "impugned the integrity" of the United States Armed Forces, too. Let's go, Senator Cornyn, get that anti-Limbaugh resolution going.

Deep Thoughts from Atrios

From Atrios:

Deep Thought of the Day

It'll be so awesome if we elect Rudy Giuliani president, because then we could celebrate 9/11 every day!

Second Deep Thought of the Day

If Rudy! is elected president we can mint a special coin worth exactly $9.11.

It'll double as tokens to his fundraisers, of course.

Third Deep Thought of the Day

If Rudy is elected president, then every year we can sing 9/11 carols around the 9/11 tree.

Fourth Deep Thought of the Day

If Rudy is elected president Independence Day will be moved to 9/11. And there will be fireworks!

Fifth Deep Thought of the Day

If Rudy is elected president we can rename apple pie as "9/11 pie" and apple pie a la mode as "9/11 pie with a side of Iraqi freedom."

Giuliani, Mayor of 9-11

A spokeswoman for Rudy Giuliani says it is unfortunate that a supporter throwing a party that aims to raise $9.11 per person for the Republican's presidential campaign is asking for that amount.

Abraham Sofaer is having a fundraiser at his Palo Alto, Calif., home on Wednesday, when Giuliani backers across the country are participating in the campaign's national house party night.

Jesus Christ, are you kidding me? Can you imagine a Democrat trying to host a terrorist attack themed fundraiser? Is there any line of good taste that Republicans in general and Giuliani in particular will not cross?

And Fuck You Too, Mel Martinez

Following the vote on the Webb Amendment, which would mandate that the Defense Department follow its own policy that troops serving in combat theaters spend as much time at home as they did overseas before they're required to go another deployment, Senator John McCain praised the high level of the Senate debate on the proposal.

McCain must have missed this speech by Republican National Committee Chairman and Florida Senator Mel Martinez:

"I think we would demean their service if we were to say to them that there had to be a parity between the time in service out of the country and the time at home."

Mel Martinez, a Bush crony who has never served a day in uniform, clearly doesn't know or doesn't care about how unit readiness and morale suffer after continued deployments. He doesn't know how many individual service members lose marriages and miss time parenting their children because of the constant time away from their families. He doesn't know or doesn't care about Reservists and Guardsmen who lose income and businesses because they're away from home so long and so often. He doesn't know or doesn't care about how many service members have to deploy for th second or third or fourth time, even when they have untreated mental or physical health concerns.

Mel Martinez clearly thinks my colleagues in uniform and I are disposable and expendable. We deserve better. Where's the so called liberal media on this?

For his callousness, obtuseness, and down the line Bush asskissing, I say "Fuck You" to Mel Martinez.

Fuck Yourself, Dick Cheney

Dick Cheney, talking about MoveOn.org's ad questioning the Congressional testimony of General David Petraeus. Cheney was speaking at a fundraiser for Republican Congressman Sam Graves of Missouri:

"It's bad enough when politicians turn their backs on a war they voted for and supported when it was popular," Cheney said Monday. "But no one in politics, regardless of party, should hesitate to object when an American soldier at war is mocked and insulted."

REALLY? Dick Cheney thinks members of America's military should not be "mocked and insulted?"

Remember Max Cleland?

Al Gore?

Mike Dukakis?

John Kerry?

Kerry again?

And again?

And again?

Remember that the Bush-Cheney administration thinks THIS is acceptable health care for veterans?

George W. Bush, Dick Cheney and the rest of their supporters shit on REAL veterans at every opportunity. Their protestations of "support the troops" when it's convenient for them ring hollow. That's why I want to throw out a big "fuck yourself" to Dick Cheney.

Bush puts foot in mouth again

Bush, speaking today to Military Support organizations:

I want to thank the service organizations and those who have come together to support our families and our troops. I can't tell you how important it is for organizations like the Vets for Freedom or the VFW or the American Legion and other groups to -- Gold Star Mothers, got you, okay, thank you -- Blue Star Mothers, Gold Star Mothers, all the mothers, yes. (Applause.) Every day is Mother's Day as far as your concerned, isn't it?

Yeah, every day is a HOLIDAY when your child is either fighting in a war or was killed in it.

God, what a clueless jackass.

489 days to go.

Tony Snow is delusional

In an AP interview, White House Press Secretary Tony Snow says the United States is "winning" in Iraq:

"If you had asked two months ago, 'Is the surge succeeding?' people would have said, 'Ah, we're getting killed.' I mean literally," White House press secretary Tony Snow said in an interview. 'But now it's very obvious that on the military side there has been some profound progress. And that progress also has real political implications in terms of the Iraqi people standing up to the folks who have been trying to blow up the government."

He's lying or delusional or both:

Seven U.S. troops were killed in Iraq yesterday, bringing the month’s total to 18.

August was the second month in a row that Iraqi civilian deaths rose.

Bomber in Baghdad's Sadr City kills 15.

And what does he mean when he says "WE'RE" getting killed? That jackass hasn't spent a single day in uniform.

General Gordon Sullivan's book is called Hope is Not a Method. Well, delusion isn't one, either.

Arlen Specter, partisan hack

Senator Arlen Specter (R, PA) claimed that based on his experience as a prosecutor, Senator Larry Craig could never have been convicted. That’s just ridiculous.

Craig looked into an occupied bathroom stall on and off for over two minutes — long enough for the police officer to determine his eye color. Looking into a place where someone is likely to be undressed is a crime, be it private home, gym locker room, or public bathroom.

Craig was clearly attempting to have sex in a public place. Soliciting someone to have sex in public or doing so are crimes.

Does Specter or anyone else really thing what Craig did is subject to more than one interpretation?

Tapping of the foot is pretty standard for men who cruise in toilets,” said Keith Griffith, owner of Cruisingforsex.com, a Web site on which visitors post locations popular with men looking for anonymous sex.

————————————-

Next, one of the men will slide his hand under the divider. This usually means he’s inviting the other person to present himself, as if to say, “Show me what you got.” The partner can respond by kneeling on the floor and presenting his penis or rear end underneath the divider. Or he can swipe his own hand under the divider, as if to say, “You go first.” Some married men make a point of displaying their wedding band (like Sen. Craig allegedly did) to make themselves more alluring.

Specter says he hopes Craig will withdraw his guilty plea and fight the charges. To do so, he’d have to show there was a problem with the plea, such as that he didn’t understand the charges. Does Specter really believe a legislator with over 30 years experience couldn’t read and comprehend a simple one-page document?

In addition, in signing the plea, Craig acknowledged his guilt and indicated explicitly that he was not pleading guilty to a charge of which he was innocent. To now claim innocence could open him up to charges of perjury.

If this is the best Specter can do, it’s a wonder anyone in Philadelphia was convicted of anything during his tenure as District Attorney.

Stop Iraq war funding NOW

Congressman Jason Altmire:

“The president has made the decision to continue the mission at its current level, and I am never going to vote to withhold funding to our brave men and women when they are out in the field of battle serving in harm’s way.”

Jackass. Cutting the funding is the method for getting troops OUT of harm’s way.

Democrats need to know four things:

1 — The Bush administration will ALWAYS say “we’re making progress. Just give us six more months.”

2 — The Bush administration will ALWAYS say that support for the Bush administration equals support for the troops — unless Democrats give Bush what he wants, service members will be killed.

3 — Bush’s Iraq policy was based on lies and is an utter failure. When it is finally halted, Bush and his Republican clones WILL BLAME DEMOCRATS, because being a Republican means never acknowledging error and never accepting responsibility.

4 — When the next terrorist attack inside the US happens (and it will happen, because we can’t catch them all before they strike), Republicans WILL BLAME DEMOCRATS. If only we had given Bush the powers of a dictator, if only we hadn’t tied his hands, if only we hadn’t hamstrung the efforts ow law enforcement, the Dear Leader, who only has our best interests at heart, could have saved everyone.

Knowing that the Bush administration is a failure in every respect, and knowing that Republicans will blame Democrats for Bush and Republican failures, why should Democrats give Bush and the Republicans anything? It won’t stop Republicans from blaming Democrats, so Democrats have nothing to gain by continuing to cave in.

And then there’s THIS jackass opinion:

“But he said he’s willing to negotiate the details of withdrawal within that framework, both with the generals at the Pentagon and with his Republican colleagues.

“We need to get their input, because without their buy-in, we’ll be stuck with the president’s veto, because it will always be sustained,” McNerney said in an interview.”

I’m tired of being told how many members of Congress it takes to pass legislation and how many to override a veto — I KNOW HOW TO COUNT. Here’s how it should work — pass the legislation. If the President vetoes it, pass it again. And again, and again.
It should be obvious that making Republicans expend considerable effort to get their way will make them change their course or negotiate a compromise. In addition, every bit of energy they have to expend on passing their Iraq funding is energy they can’t expend on some other misguided, corrupt, thieving scheme.

In addition, Democrats seem to be under the mistaken belief that legislating is all about running the government. Republicans understand the value of symbolic votes that have no practical effect, but can be used to create a record that shows up in negative ads during campaigns. Democrats should learn from that example and seek every chance to put Republicans on the record as favoring the war so that they can’t run away from their own failure.