Thursday, February 15, 2007

American Troops Held Hostage





















So, the Iraq War has kinda torn this country apart, eh? At least congress is finally talking, debating...contemplating the future. Obviously, there is no way to get politics' dirty little fingers off of this one. That's just the way we roll here in America. Always have, always will. 'Tis the reason for this essay. I want to give my opinion on the debate consuming capital hill the last two weeks. You know, the escalation of the Iraq War. I want to focus on the republican's insistence of having a vote guaranteeing funding for the troops. In my opinion, it's just a back door way of shifting blame. Bad things could happen to the troops if funds were pulled and the demarcates would be blamed. Yet that may be what it comes to in order to save lives. However, If the republicans are forced to vote for the escalation, they will be blamed when it all falls apart. And just who is stuck in the middle? The troops. Typical.

Do you not believe the republicans are jostling to shift blame? They openly admit mistakes. There is no doubt the fear of disaster consumes both parties, but the republicans clearly have the monkey on their back. If they had any illusions of who the public blames, those illusions were replaced with reality after the mid-term elections. They know their about to take the fall for this mess, and it scares the shit out of them.

So now we play the blame game. Of course the democrats thought they had this one in their pocket. I mean, the republicans got us into this war...right? Not so fast. The republicans are quick to site all the demarcates who voted to give authorization for the occupation of Iraq. But will, at the same time, avoid giving credit to those who called "bull shit" from the start. They pose the biggest problem for the republicans. Hmmm? What to do about those who called it correctly from the start? Well, you get them to fuck up at the end, that's what. Demand they use their "ace in the hole" and pull the funding for the troops. Start by escalating the war, to ruffle their feathers a bit, then double dog dare them to pull the purse strings. If they do, and disaster after disaster ensues for our troops, then all that's needed is a little rhetoric to start shifting the blame. All the republicans have to do is be patient, let chaos creep, until the demarcates have no choice but to cut off the funding for the war. Then all the "if they just would have listened to us" talk would start, and the trap would be set. It almost worked out that way, but, the democrats didn't just fall off the turnip truck yesterday.

How to stop the blame switch, by Nancy Pelosi. Have a vote to separate those who support the president's escalation and those who support the troops. Geniuses. It doesn't help the troops at all, but it escalates the debate, and that's a start. Nevertheless, it's a body blow to the republicans. Now they will be on record as supporting the escalation, and in the same vote, deny support for the troops. Politics? Yes, but the playing field is what it is.

Too bad the troops are caught in the middle. They just do what their told. They didn't ask to be pawns. They're just stuck in the sick screen play of a madman's dream and cant get out. But the drama has to be played out, good or bad. It's the system our forefathers left us, like it or not. The coming weeks will get more and more contentious, for sure, but it's how our country works. You just have to decide, now, what happens after the dust settles? Because it is our country after all...we're in charge. So my question to you is, do you really support the troops? Because they're being held hostage, and need to be saved...from us.

13 Comments:

Blogger Elmo said...

I'd give myself a grade of...94. Sounds fair to me.

Thu Feb 15, 12:33:00 AM CST  
Blogger Timmy said...

97 --

very well written, love the loaded question at the end!

Thu Feb 15, 06:30:00 AM CST  
Blogger --Blue Girl said...

Excellent post! Glad I followed the link from Political Animal.

Instead of giving another big-time blogger the keys to the kingdom the next time Kevin goes on vacation, he should open it up to his readers and commenters to handle the posting...

Thu Feb 15, 09:58:00 AM CST  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

what a mess

Thu Feb 15, 10:43:00 AM CST  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Of course, any troops pulled out of Iraq will just be redeployed to Iran...

Thu Feb 15, 10:53:00 AM CST  
Blogger --Blue Girl said...

Just a heads-up - since you have commented on my site, be on the lookout for Charlie to plague you. He stalks me across the blogosphere and spams the comments section of the blogs of those who post at my site.

He is quite obsessed and extremely pathological.

Several of us have had to enable comment moderation simply because of him.

Thu Feb 15, 11:21:00 AM CST  
Blogger Elmo said...

No worries blue gal, we eat trolls for breakfast around here...

Thu Feb 15, 11:26:00 AM CST  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Is this the same Charlie from Drum's place (completely irrational and homophobic, claims to be a lawyer?), or a different nutcase?

Thu Feb 15, 06:23:00 PM CST  
Blogger Smartypants said...

Nice job, Elmo!

I'd give you at least a 96. = )

Thu Feb 15, 08:46:00 PM CST  
Blogger Elmo said...

Yes Eli, but I think Charlie is a cabal of multiple nutcases.

Thanks Smarty!

Thu Feb 15, 10:01:00 PM CST  
Blogger Unknown said...

I love your suggestion. I only hope Pelosi would have the balls to do it (certainly, only a House Representative would -- expect nothing but stentorian posturing from the Senate...)

PS Please tell me that Bush pic is photoshopped.

Fri Feb 16, 12:13:00 AM CST  
Blogger Elmo said...

I think so teh, but I'm not sure, I got it off the google...

Fri Feb 16, 12:02:00 PM CST  
Blogger Elmo said...

I got the pic from google teh, not the essay, I wrote that. In case there is any confusion.

Sun Feb 18, 08:53:00 PM CST  

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