While I was serving stateside in the War on Terror, and more recently while I was serving in Iraq, I was a soldier first, and a politician last. Since I’ve gotten home, I’ve become somewhat of a political analyst. And what I think I’m realizing is that the American military in Iraq is doing much better than it probably ought to be, considering the hand it has been dealt by ‘the civilians’.
I’m disturbed that Orrin Hatch is just barely getting around noticing something that I figured out in about 3 months (I returned home in June 2006). As one of our premier politicians, he has had nearly 5 years to figure out that something has been rotten in Denmark, D.C.
Here’s what he said yesterday in the Senate:
Those who prepared only for the military defeat of Saddam’s forces committed such a profound error that it will be a lesson learned in the history books long after we’re gone.
Orrin has been a US Senator since I was in high school. One would think…that he has had access to the same intelligence information that everyone else has had. Either he’s been a yes man for President Bush, and is just coming around to an admission of something he’s known for quite some time, or he’s been a bit daft.
“You’d have to tarnish every young American who served over there [if you question the Bush administration]“
said Hatch (or at least that was the implication) when once he was asked about Donald Rumsfeld’s competence.
You know what? As a soldier who was asked to serve in “Operation No Plan”, I’m feeling a bit “tarnished” by the Bush administration.
#1 by Lynette on February 8, 2007 - 9:45 pm
As to your question, “Either he’s [Hatch] been a yes man for President Bush, and is just coming around to an admission of something he’s known for quite some time, or he’s been a bit daft.”
Hmmm….
OK, that was a bit cynical of me.
As one who has watched Hatch closely including Senate Floor testimony on C-Span since 2002, the answer is “yes man” and water boy, or bitch if you will.
If metaphors are helpful, I would say Hatch has had his lips wrapped gently but firmly around W’s member in a way that could only result in maximum genital pleasure.
If Hatch ever had claim to a characterization along the lines of dignity, it has been irretrievably erased by now and, and I fear forever.
He is very much a symbol of the compliance if not criminal ignorance of Utahns. In this respect, I think Utah has failed our country.
But I feel most sad for Orrin. Honest people will have to struggle to find much good to say about him at his funeral.
#2 by Caveat on February 9, 2007 - 6:29 am
Ditto, Lynette. I’ll never understand what would make Orrin (or anyone, for that matter), such bush lovers, and here, I’m twisting the analogy back to the ‘Family of Bushs’.
#3 by schreinervideo on February 9, 2007 - 8:23 am
Besides proving totally wrong about the war, Hatch now looks like a classic turncoat. He embodies everything wrong with politicians: playing politics just to keep his job, not listening to the facts, not listening to his constituents, and when proved guilty of all three, blames it on someone else. Sad, indeed. But are we really surprised? BTW: we do have two senators, don’t we?
#4 by cassandra on February 9, 2007 - 8:37 am
the war is going exactly to plan if you follow the Clash of Civilizations script. All the errors are purposeful, all actions designed to lead to an all out war of destruction against Muslims. The culturally unassailable. The will never join western style economy and life, so it has been decidered, that they must be destroyed.
No reprieve, unless dems get off their ass and do it. They just voted to upfund the war.
Getting the picture yet?
#5 by Richard Warnick on February 9, 2007 - 9:54 am
Senator Hatch has gone from “trust me, I have access to the best intel” to “looks like I was wrong because the intel was wrong.” But he’s not the only one. John Edwards makes the same argument. Very few profiles in courage on Capitol Hill.
As newly-elected Senator Jon Tester (D-MT) says, the voters didn’t vote for the Senate to debate whether or not to have a debate on the Iraq escalation. Our politics are broken.
#6 by Frank Staheli on February 9, 2007 - 2:33 pm
Cassandra,
Friedrich Hayek said:
I wrote back just after the elections in November that Not Much Will Change.
I really am not surprised by the Democrats. The issues in which Democrats and Republicans differ are of very little portent. The ones they agree on, however, …
#7 by cassandra on February 9, 2007 - 3:46 pm
It’s like my painter friend Brian says, “Stick a Fork in their Ass, they’re DONE!
Lou Reed.