Bush is a picture of defeat (Andrew Greeley)

[Octafish]

Here's the Truth of the matter:

Bush is a picture of defeat

January 19, 2007
BY ANDREW GREELEY

The presidential address last week was pathetic enough to make one feel sad for the poor dear man, as they say in the old country. With little emotional affect he read a lecture about his ''new strategy,'' which was in fact nothing more than a new tactic, growled at Iran and Syria, threatened the Iraqi government, and promised that the United States would emerge the winner in Iraq.

The notion that 20,000 more American troops would pacify Baghdad was farcical. If one really intended to stop internecine war between two religious tribes, one would have had to promise a lot more Americans. John Keegan, the famous English military historian and commentator, estimated that pacification would take 50,000 troops. Various American military experts suggested that it would require at least 100,000 soldiers and Marines. If one calculates two American soldiers or Marines for every 1,000 people in a city, as does the Army's counter-insurgency manual, 140,000 fighting men (which excludes the half of the troops in Iraq who are not combat soldiers) would be required.

The mountain labored and gave birth to a mouse.

Some of President Bush's allies in government and the media (David Brooks in the New York Times, for example) contend the ''new strategy'' must be tried if only because there's nothing else to do. Republican senators insist the Democrats in Congress must suggest an alternative strategy if they expect to be taken seriously. How are we going to solve the Iraq Problem unless we have a strategy?

There are two answers to such idiocy: 1) There isn't an alternative strategy or any strategy that will clean up the Iraq mess, and 2) the Democrats do have a strategy: phased withdrawal, beginning now.

CONTINUED...

http://www.suntimes.com/news/greeley/217426,CST-EDT-GREEL19.article

I love Father Greeley.

[countmyvote4real]

1. I liked this part:

"The most pathetic part of the president's talk was the peroration, a listless reprise of all the neo-con cliches from the last six years: war on terror, enemies who want to destroy our way of life because they fear our freedom, global cultural confrontation, the crucial battle of our time. For motivation to support his "new strategy," the president had to fall back on the conventional wisdom of talk radio hosts, conservative editorial writers, and the gurus of the Fox network.

"No one ever offers hard proof that these horrors would occur. The battling Shiites and Sunnis are interested in killing each other in a struggle for power for themselves in Iraq. They may hate Americans, but they hate each other more. The only ones who can destroy American freedom are government officials who claim the right to read our mail, listen to our phone calls, bug our e-mail, and deny some of us the right to have lawyers to defend us. They are the real enemy.

"For all the bravado of his words, the president did not seem to have his heart in the speech. He tried to sound tough, but really seemed like someone who knew deep down that he was a beaten man. "

And I say * should be.

[calimary]

3. Great article. I love Andrew Greeley.

A pair of VERY clear eyes.

And particularly in light of that ridiculous photo at the top of the OP, Greeley certainly can nail a false prophet when he sees one.

[DianaForRussFeingold]

2. Sad!

:cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:

[countmyvote4real]

4. I like Russ Feingold, too.

He's beem my preferred Presidential candidate ever since he opposed the patriat act.

[DianaForRussFeingold]

6. Since His Stand On The War and Patriot Act I admire Him More Each Day

:hi: I am Proud to be known at DU as DianaForRussFeingold! I think he would make a great president,we sure could use his leadership.
Members of the Senate who voted against the Iraq Resolution:Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002 ;
Daniel Akaka (D-HI)
Jeff Bingaman (D-NM)
Barbara Boxer (D-CA)
Robert Byrd (D-WV)
Lincoln Chafee (R-RI)
Jon Corzine (D-NJ)
Kent Conrad (D-ND)
Mark Dayton (D-MN)
Dick Durbin (D-IL)
*Russ Feingold (D-WI)*
Bob Graham (D-FL)
Daniel Inouye (D-HI)
Jim Jeffords (I-VT)
Ted Kennedy (D-MA)
Patrick Leahy (D-VT)
Carl Levin (D-MI)
Barbara Mikulski (D-MD)
Patty Murray (D-WA)
Jack Reed (D-RI)
Paul Sarbanes (D-MD)
Debbie Stabenow (D-MI)
Paul Wellstone (D-MN)
Ron Wyden (D-OR)

Only one Member of the Senate voted against the Patriot Act: Sen. Feingold (D-Wis)... In an address given October 12, 2001, Sen. Feingold (D-Wis) explained why he, alone among United States Senators, voted against the Administration-sponsored “U.S.A. Patriot” Act. The text below followed his introductory remarks. : :patriot: http://www.archipelago.org/vol6-2/feingold.htm

[lostnotforgotten]

7. Sure Wish Feingold Would Run!

Then we would have to exceptionally good candidates to choose from:

Feingold and Kucinich.

[Hekate]

5. Ew. There's that holy-halo pose again, only this time he's suffering Jesus.

My joy will know no bounds when Grand Ayatollah Bush is out of office. (and yes, I am aware that I am mixing metaphors)

Hekate

[leftchick]

8. excellent as Usual!

I love Father Greeley too and look, he has a new book coming out....

:)

His most recent books are Irish Crystal, The Making of the Pope 2005 and the forthcoming The Truth about Conservative Christians. He hs an STL from St. Mary of the Lake Seminary 1954 and a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago in 1962.

[DesertRat]

9. Thank you Father Greeley

Spot on as usual. :thumbsup:

[badgerpup]

10. Is it just me...

...or does that 'suffering' expression look an awful lot like the one that Little Ricky's youngest daughter was sporting on 11/07/2006?

Whoever sets him up for the 'halo' effect on the photo ops...I hope they have digestive trouble. :puke: At BOTH ends. :hurts:

[133724]

11. My Cat looks more Presidential...

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

12. BWAHAHAHA...yes your cat looks smarter, too, LMAO....

:rofl: MKJ

[DemExpat]

16. Hilarious!

:rofl:

DemEx

[CatWoman]

17. LOLOLOLOLOL

:rofl:

[MoonRiver]

13. The POS still looks arrogant.

I think he's pretending to be defeated in order to keep the Dems defenses down. Like a snake hiding under a rock, he's ready to strike when the moment is right.

[FVZA_Colonel]

19. In terms of how he "looks," I found nothing in his posture or facial expression

during that speech that would inspire me. I know it's a cliche, but he honestly looked like a deer caught in headlights.

[kitkat65]

14. And they still try to photograph this POS with religious imagery.

The presidential seal as a halo? Give me an effing break but I'm sure it will tickle the pavlovian zealousness of those still remaining in the base.

[saintsteven7]

15. Con Artist

Bush was always a con artist from the day he stole the presidency. The problem now is that the public's gullibility has decreased due to being conned by him one too many times.

How many times is he going to trot out the same phrases in his speeches that are supposed to make us quake in our boots at the thought of another terrorist attack?

[oblivious]

18. The picture of a dork. Honestly.

[Solly Mack]

20. Nicely written

I especially liked the heaping ashes ...

"The presidential address last week was pathetic enough to make one feel sad for the poor dear man, as they say in the old country."

[Swamp Rat]

21. By the time Bushler finishes pissing off Iran, Syria, and the whole ME we'll need a million troops+