Leave it to the Porcine Draft Dodger–Karl Rove–to impugn the character of combat veterans. Can’t blame him for trotting out the same playbook that worked so well in 2004 against the candidacy of John Kerry. If it worked once it should work again.
Of course I am referring to Karl’s speech Tuesday night to Republicans in New Hampshire. According to a piece in Wednesday’s Washington Post:
In a speech to New Hampshire Republican officials here Monday night, the White House deputy chief of staff attacked Democrats who have criticized the U.S. war effort in Iraq, such as Sen. John F. Kerry (Mass.) and Rep. John P. Murtha (Pa.), who he said advocate “cutting and running.”
“They may be with you for the first shots,” Rove said of such opponents. “But they’re not going . . . to be with you for the tough battles.”
Karl is a shameless bastard. Small wonder his mother killed herself. Once she discovered what a despicable soul she had spawned she apparently saw no other way out. It would be one thing if his vile tactics were simply mere smears of politicians like Kerry and Murtha. They are big boys and should be able to defend themselves quite ably against this turd. But Rove, like Josef Goebbels, has used fear and smear as his primary tools to keep George Bush in power. And to what end?
Let’s start with Karl’s participation in exposing the identity of an undercover CIA officer in order to divert attention from the fact that George Bush, over the repeated protests of the intelligence community, falsely claimed that Iraq was trying to get uranium from Niger. This was not just a human foible, a mistake. It was a bold lie used deliberately to incite fear and justify invading Iraq. They could not afford to admit their lie so they let George Tenet take the blame.
Rove did not stop there. Conflating Saddam with Bin Laden was part of his Fear Factor America campaign. He helped convince most American’s that Saddam was in bed with the man and the group who attacked us on 9-11. I give him credit for doing masterful deception operations, but I loathe what he did to America and its standing in the world. The fear of Bin Laden and the fear of nuclear Iraq were the key ingredients for the war fever Rove helped whip up.
Now, if fat Karl had been at the head of the line to enlist in the Army and help lead the invasion, I wouldn’t be so cranky. But he didn’t, and Cheney didn’t, and Wolfowitz didn’t, and Rummy didn’t and the Bush daughters were busy getting drunk in DC bars. What is it about Republican chickenhawks who played every angle during the Vietnam War to avoid going to war but have no hesistation to start a war in Iraq and send other peoples children into the fray?
We are now embroiled in a civil war in Iraq where we are busy killing Sunni insurgents while helping Shias with close ties to Iran consolidate power. Most Sunnis are convinced we want to exterminate them. As a result we will remain a main target for Sunni terrorism for at least a generation. Thanks Karl. At the same time, Karl is helping whip up new war fever against the new enemy in Iran. If you oppose invading Iran you hate freedom and are selling America’s freedom to an Islamic Adolf Hitler. At least that’s what Karl wants you to believe.
Karl and the Bush Administration have consistently used the threat of terror, the threat of Saddam, and the war in Iraq as a political club to destroy their opponents and to consolidate their power. Retired Marine General Mick Trainor, along with Michael Gordon, has chronicled this cynical policy in their book, COBRA II. This is no longer a matter of opinion, it is a documented record of fact.
When decorated war veterans like John Murtha and John Kerry dare to challenge the incompetence of the Administration in its prosecution of the war in Iraq and its wildly chaotic counter terrorism policy, Karl and many Republicans respond by accusing them of being soft on communism, oops, excuse me, I meant terrorism. I for one am fed up with these tactics and will fight back. Karl and his ilk are getting America’s sons and daughters killed in Iraq and in Afghanistan. He compounds the horror by wrapping himself in their blood and their sacrifice, claiming that only Republicans genuinely care about the troops. Yeah, the Republicans who sent our troops to Iraq with insufficient forces, with inadequate body armor, and with non-existent planning for the aftermath. And Rove has the balls to blame Democrats for this debacle? No dice fat boy.
The time has come to say enough. This is not about Democrat, or Independent, or Republican. This is a fight for the soul of this nation. Karl Rove may have cut a deal to stay out of jail and avoid prosecution, but that does not free him to attack the patriotism of Americans who care deeply about their country and its security. I will guarantee you one thing–Karl’s mom would not be proud.
……………………………………………………..
Larry C. Johnson is CEO and co-founder
of BERG Associates, LLC, an international business-consulting firm
that helps corporations and governments manage threats posed by
terrorism and money laundering. Mr. Johnson, who worked previously
with the Central Intelligence Agency and U.S. State Department’s
Office of Counter Terrorism (as a Deputy Director), is a recognized
expert in the fields of terrorism, aviation security, crisis and risk
management. Mr. Johnson has analyzed terrorist incidents for a variety
of media including the Jim Lehrer News Hour, National Public Radio,
ABC’s Nightline, NBC’s Today Show, the New York Times, CNN, Fox News,
and the BBC. Mr. Johnson has authored several articles for
publications, including Security Management Magazine, the New York
Times, and The Los Angeles Times. He has lectured on terrorism and
aviation security around the world. Further bio
details.
Personal Blog: No Quarter
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I believe Karl Rove fits the first part of the quote below below..and Cong. Murtha and Sen. Kerry fit the end of the quote as they served and defended this country.
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My sincere view is that the commitment of our forces to this fight (Iraq) was done with a casualness and swagger that are the special province of those who have never had to execute these missions–or bury the results. Lt. Gen.Gregory Newbold.
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The neo-cons refuse to stop funding the building of permanent bases in Iraq. The neo-cons refuse to allow consideration of the setting of an end date. There’s a reason. The neo-cons do not plan to leave. They plan to annex Iraq.
Don’t let Rove fool anyone with word play. The invasion is long over. Saddam is in custody, and on trial. We know there never was any WoMD in Iraq. Everything Congress voted on and authorized has been completed.
What Congress voted to allow is over. The only reason the US could have to stay any longer is if we plan on making Iraq a “Warsaw Pact”-like satellite of the US.
Whatever freedom part of the Iraq invasion there was is long over. Now, the US invasion of Iraq is more like Soviet invasions of Hungary and Czechoslovakia.
I stopped reading at this point:
This could be Ann Coulter talking. Let’s not go there. No end can justify those means.
That truly is absolutely despicable.
I did keep reading. Larry made many valid and coherent points. I’m repelled viscious personal attacks. More importantly, I don’t believe they do anything to advance the argument. People do stop listening/reading.
Larry, what precisely the f*ck does Rove’s mother have to do with this debate? What next? Find out if he has kids or dogs and go after them as well? And sorry, even G.W.s daughers are irrelevant to the discussion. A wise man would edit the offending statements out. Be wise.
I agree with cat & songbh. You need to remember the rules here: don’t be a prick.
If it worked once it should work again.
I’m not so sure. I don’t think Murtha is Swift-boatable, and keeping up these attacks will damage Republicans.
Unfortunately, as Peter Daou so articulately pointed out on C&L, the battle is over the media. As long as the TM gives credibility to Ann Coulter, there is no choice but to respond in kind. Failure to do so is the continuation of being Swift Boated.
Porky Pig doesn’t understand nice. A knife at his throat, yes. Anything else is a sign of weakness. That’s the way he has framed it for the public.
But, “we” don’t want to sink to that level. Okay, fine. The spawn of Lee Atwater has painted you as being weak and afraid. Failure to respond in kind reinforces the very point he is trying to make. Let’s not make it easy for him.
Yes, I know. We will fall into his other trap. So, what’s the anwer, pick up our ball and go home? Mr. Johnson has got it figured out. Now we need to get the TM to pick up his work. And, make it Democratic policy to respond in kind as well.
Amen Calvin – you are absolutely dead on it!
Amen Larry!! Tell it like it is.
Yes, Larry we are fighting for the soul of our nation. The childish debates in both the House and Senate chambers and Rove’s speeches show very well that “It is just politics” as Bush said in his debate with Sen. McCain. However, when the results of “It is just politics” mean 2500 American soldiers dead, 18,000 American soldiers wounded, and several hundred of thousands of Iraqis men, women and children dead and wounded, then anything anyone says, such as Larry can’t be as grievous. Go Larry!
I just started reading Cobra II. Just 60 pages read, I think Gen. Franks should be put away in a military brig.