Friday, May 07, 2004

Is the American voter gonna have to choke a bitch?

This is the arrogance of empire. They think that 'if only we can refine our message,' if only we can put Bush on TV, then our problems will be solved.
- Dr. As'ad AbuKhalil, better known in the blogosphere as "The Angry Arab"
Oh, Professor, why stretch for "the arrogance of empire" when "the arrogance (and stupidity) of the Bush Administration" is well within reach?
A familiar song is being sung in Washington, one that all career beltway politicians live in fear of hearing, at least when it's being sung about them. Step down, Secretary Rumsfeld, resign. It's over.
....
Watch for Senator Someone to ask [Rumsfeld] if he plans to resign from his post at the Pentagon now that his failure of leadership has contributed to a scandal that -- and this is coming from Karl Rove, mind you -- "it will take a generation for the United States to live ... down in the Arab world."

But of course, Abu Ghraib and what it represents isn't the only reason Rumsfeld should go. Rumsfeld was the architect of a war waged with a bogus rationale based on intelligence ginned up at a special office in his Pentagon -- and he clearly didn't have an adequate plan for what came next. He has alienated our allies in Old Europe, and he has belittled the relevance of the Geneva Conventions, which many see as laying the groundwork for the abuse that's come to light. Because of his failure of leadership and planning, U.S. soldiers are dying by the score for a war they didn't have to fight, and one that's losing support at home. Abu Ghraib, and Rumsfeld's responsibility for the abuses there, is just one more insult, one more item on a growing list of reasons he should resign.
....
If [the president] really wants to fix the debacle that is our occupation of Iraq, and start the process of rebuilding our demolished global reputation, he will replace the architect of Bush's failed, misguided war. And on Nov. 2, America will get its chance to fire the man ultimately responsible for this mess we're in.
- Geraldine Sealey, "Will he stay or will he go?" Salon.com War Room '04, May 6, 2004.
Word, especially on the latter.

That said, even if Rumsfeld ceases to be Secretary of Defense, that only punishes one of the guys responsible for the mess. It doesn't really do anything to clean it up.

|