Letters to the Editor
sajwan
Published Letters: 487 Editor's Choice: 13
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Accountability Minimus
[Read the article: Various items]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]*Accountability Minimus
The 20% embrace a reality-disconnect on Iraq for a specific reason. To admit Iraq is an ill-conceived and executed mis-adventure with horrific consequences is then to take responsibility for said ill-conceived and executed mis-adventure with horrific consequences. They in no way desire accountability for their decisions, positions, or cheerleading.
With this fear of accountability, the only position available is that Iraq is "winnable" except for the media, liberals, and defeatists preventing victory. Slogans like "Supporting the terrorists" comes from this world view. Selfishly, what this leaves them with is a win-win situation, if by miracle something good comes out of Iraq, they were right all along, on the other hand as it continues to decay further and further - well it's not their fault.
This is not a win-win for anybody and in fact points to a fundamental character flaw:
Accountability Minimus.
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No Sense, Common or Otherwise
[Read the article: Fred Hiatt and the "Triumphant Top Gun"]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I have been keeping a random list of the reasons given for the invasion itself taken from various blogs. According to various posts and comments we invaded Iraq
- because Al-Qaida was operating in Iraq with Iraq government support but not Saddams support
- because Saddam was not in cahoots with Al-Qaida but with other terrorists
- because since there is no evidience of Saddam involvment with Al-Qaida it must mean it's true
- because Al-Qaida leadership was in Iraq prior to the invasion and Saddam directly supported them
- because since al-Qaida was operating in the US, we should overthrow our own government too
- because there's evil and terrorism beyond our borders
- because it's Bill CLintons fault
- because God would be angry with us if we didn't and allow Gays to marry
- because Cheney never said there was a a connection between Al-Qaida and Saddam, just liked putting 9/11 in the same sentence with Saddam is a bad man and nobody likes him.
- because of bad intelligence that no one is responsible for - it just appeared one day
- because Al-Qaida and Iraq were enemies
- because the Al-Quaida that is in Pakistan, Chechnya, Syria, Lebanon, Indonesia, Britain, France, Germany, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Florida, Minnesota, Turkmenistan, Iran, Kenya, Sudan, The Netherlands, Belgium, and others don't count
- because of freedom - not Al-Qaida
- because of the liberal press (what can I say, it was posted)
- because Fox reported thet Cheney reasserted Saddam-AlQaida link
- because Cheneys Haliburton stocks were hurting
- because of Nancy Pelosi
- because of Ted Kennedy
- because in 1991 Cheney predicted toppling the Saddam regime would be a disaster
- because Dick Cheney is like Jesus Christ
- because Rush told Cheney to
- because of the left-wing pentagon
- because people can't read
- because Al-Qaida never was in Iraq before the invasion
- because America is the best country in the world
- because oil companies needed to double the cost of gasoline
- because left wing liberal wackos needed to get a life
- because Saddam hadn't allowed any inspections
There is obviously no sense in the above comments, common or otherwise, however it is in keeping in line with the kind of communiqués from the WHite House and dimwits like Hiatt.
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The Ascendant Dominant One
[Read the article: The right's explicit and candid rejection of "the rule of law"]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I agree there should only be one person who supercedes all law. I have only the small caveat that I am that person. Thank you very much.
My first proclamation
Anyone performing illegal acts is outside of the law and therefore cannot be dealt with by legal means. I declare kill them, throw them in a hole somewhere, or make him a slave... or something. I don't know, I make the proclamations you do the details.
My Bumper Sticker:
"One Man - One Law"
My motto:
"Freedom for all! - Almost! - Kind of!"
This is hard work being the ascendant dominant one, I'm exhausted.
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Hair and Manner
[Read the article: The Politico: Exhibit A for our broken political press]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]The Rovian technique is to always hit back at an opponents strength usually with fabrication, innuendo, and distortion. For example, if your strength is your service in war, the response from Rove is to claim you a coward, mistakenly cited as a hero.
What a sad thing to say Politicos strength is their ability to promote ignorance (Haircuts as political discourse, not suits and shoes of course, just haircuts) and bigotry (...like Edwards is so gay...). The response to Politicos strength does not require fabrication, innuendo, or distortion, it only requires to forever more refer to Politico as the Hair and Manner Magazine.
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Win Win Anybody
[Read the article: Have Bill Frist and right-wing bloggers plagiarized their new Iraq plan?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]We win they lose? The level of disturbance in these fellows is alarming. I could start with the word shallow, proceed to plain dumb and end up at just mentally ill.
However I will just note the most powerful negotiators understand that in order to maximize the fruits of a negotiation in your favor requires making everyone at the table feel the final result is a Win Win.
Since everyone (including the surge commander in Iraq) believes military victory is not possible, honing negotiation skills may be a better idea then coming up with dumb-ass slogans.
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Versmilitude Absent
[Read the article: A hit job on Keith Olbermann]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]There are some notable facts absent from the comments of those who feel the comparison between KO and BO is fair.
Keith does not fabricate facts and does not twist the truth beyond recognition. Keith has reasoned arguments supported by facts in evidence. Bill has arguments supported by the notion that all liberals, ACLU members, illegal aliens, democrats, or -fill in the blank- are evil. Unlike Bill, Keith is not a practicing bigot. He is not perfect and has had his moments; however, in general he does not disparage a political party or individual, only documented actions or the words they speak. In comparison BOs words and actions show low levels of veracity and integrity along with an intellect demonstrably as sharp as a piece of driftwood.
Just because both have an opinion and/or positions does not make them equal to comparison. Unless you think Britney Spears is comparable to Robert Deniro because they both have acted.