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For what it's worth, Joan, you were right about it being a sincere question. I appreciate you answering it, although I have a feeling I'll be asking it again, as I would any other Democratic Party Loyalist who worked as an editor for Salon. I mean, hey, when duty calls, it can be a heady experience.
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akira1's mention of "womens rights" in a previous comment raises another tragic consequence of Hillary's support of George W. Bush's illegal, immoral and extremely reckless invasion and occupation of Iraq.
Because Hillary Clinton and other pro-war Democrats couldn't bear the thought of being left out of the avalanche of confetti they mistakenly believed would follow America's Cakewalk To Victory, Iraqi women have paid and continue to pay a heavy price. Just ask the tens of thousands (at least) of Iraqi refugees who are now forced to work as prostitutes in Syria and elsewhere just to eat and/or feed their children. Women whose husbands have been slaughtered in the "sectarian violence" which Hillary conveniently avoids accepting any responsibility for whatsoever. Women whose children no longer have fathers. Of those who do have husbands and fathers, few have any way of earning of living. For some strange reason, jobs are in short supply for refugees.
Yeah, she's a real feminist, that Hillary Clinton. The rest of the world's women should be praying she never takes a comparable interest in their fate. Particularly women accustomed to life in secular state since since they might not appreciate the transition to a brutal, oppressive lifestyle mandated by whatever religious extremists are ushered into power.
How has Hillary addressed this issue? She hasn't. Aside from blaming the "government" of Iraq for not making good use of American benevolence bestowed upon them. It's a nifty answer which satisfies Democrats, Republicans and the masturbating media guilty of fanning the flames of conquest... not to mention a substantial portion of the public which accepted the rotten premise of the war. Presto! Absolution for everybody.
If Hillary cared one bit about those women and their families - real, live human beings who suffered and are suffering the brunt of the American political careerism which Hillary exemplifies in spades without the least bit of shame or accountability - she would welcome every one of them to the United States for a shot at some dignity and maybe even a life. But that would amount to an admission of failure. Of complicity. Of responsibility.
This, of course, will not happen. Because if there's one thing everybody knows about Hillary Clinton and the party she represents, it's that she and they - much like the Republicans they ostensibly oppose - don't make mistakes (John Edwards' belated admission notwithstanding). Sound like anyone else we might know? Oh, I forgot. It's "breathtakingly dumb" to suggest that Hillary and George W. Bush share at least that much in common. (By the way, I don't care for Ana Marie Cox any more than you do, Joan - admittedly, it's well established I don't like you, either - but your impulse to reflexively defend whatever Cox attacks might not be the best strategy for whatever it is you think you're doing on television with your circle-jerk peers. But I guess that would spoil the dynamic tension for those who mysteriously attach some value to showbiz punditry.)
Luckily for Hillary - and for the same reason - no one else wants to tackle the refugee issue, either, even though the consequences wrought by this epic crime will be sending shock waves throughout The Middle East for the rest of our days. But the womens rights costume which Hillary proudly displays - the one admired by millions of voters - makes her silence on the subject (to say nothing of her refusal to come clean about her vote and subsequent support of the mission) all the more revolting.
Those who lose interest in the horse race might want to read Nir Rosen's "No Going Back - Little relief in sight for millions of displaced Iraqis" which spells out just how widespread and devastating the refugee problem is. Maybe someone will ask Hillary about it. Not that she's capable of anything but the usual robotic evasion (and, why not, since it tends to satisfy the robotic media).
http://www.bostonreview.net/BR32.5/rosen.php