A Surge Of Pessimism

Via Glenn we see Eric Posner's brilliant compilation of quotes from NY Times dead-enders opining on the prospects for the Surge.  I'll take two from Krugman:

The only real question about the planned "surge" in Iraq — which is better described as a Vietnam-style escalation — is whether its proponents are cynical or delusional. -- Paul Krugman, NYT, 1/8/07

Second thoughts as autumn approached?  Nahhh...

The smart money, then, knows that the surge has failed, that the war is lost, and that Iraq is going the way of Yugoslavia. -- Paul Krugman, NYT, 9/14/07

Comments

[kim]

You know, a lot of the evil we are seeing from the left is just dissonance. The fantasy, the hallucination, isn't real.
==========================

[TCO]

I think we need to get our troops out. It's great if we've stabilized the country, but we have done so by a lot of hands on US administration and cutting deals with factions (that weakens the central authority). We need to let the Shia stick it to the Sunnis. Let the Sunnis eat their turd sandwich (couldn't happen to better people). Let the Shia grow some more tough and harsh characteristics (need them to deal with Sunnis). The poor Kurds. Say a prayer for them.

And then we need to bail. Our troops should be used for conquering and killing. Not nation building.

[Thomas Collins]

"Obama said he supports a "surge in diplomacy" in tandem with a phased redeployment. The U.S. has to bring in the regional powers like Iran and Syria, he said. The problem is, he said, Bush's plan is already set in motion."

Zero's "surge in diplomacy" quote is my favorite. That would have really put the fear of Allah in al-Qaeda and the militias!

LUN for an article on McCain's and Obama alternate surge suggestions.

[Jim Rhoads aka Vnjagvet]

The comments to Posner's post are revealing as well.

[matt]

wow! I was hoping you would say something about these knuckleheads...what an amazingly ill informed, biased bunch of clowns....words haver a way of coming back to haunt the utterer, but it seems liverals are immune to this phenomenon. Frank Rich, Krugman, Dowd, Kristof, and the editors have a lot to answer for. Their defeatism has no excuse.....let's see if they own their words....or if they just cop out again.

[Charlie (Colorado)]

Yeah, TCO, sure. After all, the US made such a mess of the nation-building thing in Germany and Japan.

[GMax]

Quoting Krugman for laughs? Seriously what has the guy written in the last few years that is not an absolute yuck fest?

[fdcol6]

Krugman is a moron. Why does anyone listen to him?

[clarice]

Good stuff to tuck in your wallet if ever you find yourself inclined to believe anything you read in the NYT .
Speaking of which the NYT has conceded the charge Bumiller made yesterday on their front page that Palin had been a member of the AIP has been admitted to have been wrong. Yet Bumiller still stands by it.
It's a race to see whether the paper will go into bankruptcy or the loony bin first.

[bio mom]

Bill O'Reilly is to interview Obama on Thursday night! What a crummy thing for him to do. "Political malpractice".

[Rick Ballard]

Shouldn't quotes from Obama, Pelosi and Reid be provided in order provide a wider picture - alongside bin Ladin, Zawahiri and Zarqawi, of course. Isolating the NYT coverage from the entire United Islamic Terrorist Front presents only the tip of the complete propaganda effort. It's just not fair to split the allies up like that. They should be presented as a unified group, given their common goal.

[GMax]

Clarice

The Bumiller thing has chapped me for about a day now. I am glad that an adult there made the decision to retract the story but of course way in the back someplace.

The story on the retraction lays it all on the AIP chairperson who now admits that the AIP records dont ever show her as a member and that she had told that information to the Press based on a conversation with another AIP member.

What is ludicrous is that Bumiller did not check the voter registration lists herself. And she violated the first rule of journalism but not discussing the story with the subject and getting her response. Palin or the campaign could have told her it was wrong and then they could have checked the voter registration lists and seen it for themselves. Either way, its just taking stuff right off the text messages from the Obama campaign and running them on the front page.

Should be reported as an inkind donation to the Obama for President campaign.

Did you get the source of the Buchanan button nonsense which has also been debunked, was none other than your friend and mine Rep. Wexler? Is there a more disgusting creature on this planet?

[matt]

All I gotta say is "US out of El Segundo!"

[clarice]

Wexler is a leftist turd whose job is to befuddle the old Jews in his district into voting per his direction. I cannot even get my own mom who is one of his constituents to understand that. Partly because the local press is as rotten as he is and these oldsters have no other real sources of information about him.

If I could prove he cheated at Mah Jongg....

[Jim Rhoads aka Vnjagvet]

Hilarious, Clarice.

[kim]

The phony probably doesn't even play it. I once considered opening a Mahjong Parlor. I don't play but knew people who did, who could manage a business. We didn't have the demographics.
=================================

[Danube of Thought]

Never forget: Barack Obama has introduced very little legislation in the US Senate, but one bill that bears his name, had it been enacted into law, would have ensured a catastrophic US defeat in Iraq. His proposed law would have required that all US combat troops be out of Iraq by March, 2008.

[clarice]

kim, those old gals are unstoppable. Along with exercise my 89 year old mom says the game keeps her mind healthy. In the recent storms, they still mobbed the community center to play--even if some had to get there by walker or wheelchair.

[JM Hanes]

"Our troops should be used for conquering and killing."

I must admit, there's a certain entertainment value in watching trolls try to sound like concerned Republicans. They inevitably stumble over their own stereotypes.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

What is ludicrous is that Bumiller did not check the voter registration lists herself. And she violated the first rule of journalism but not discussing the story with the subject and getting her response. Palin or the campaign could have told her it was wrong and then they could have checked the voter registration lists and seen it for themselves. Either way, its just taking stuff right off the text messages from the Obama campaign and running them on the front page.

I read a few days ago that when someone tried to tie her to Buchannan because of the button, she fire off an email correcting the record. I don't remember where I saw that. Where is that email?

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

***fireED***

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

My Mom was climbing the Great Wall of China at the age of 89. She could do this because she walked 3 miles every day and swam 3 times a week since before I can remember.

[GMax]

Palin was a Steve Forbes supporter not a Buchanan supporter. This has already been debunked. Its just Wexler trying to scare the Jews in Miami to vote for Obama since they really hate Buchanan, who they believe is anti Semitic ( so do I ). I dont think that is going to work, and Obama has a lot of friends with at least as disgusting views as Pat Buchanan.

[kim]

JMH, that's adolescence, not faked ideology. TCO is unique; he's a tough guy, see.
==========================

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

REFORMER

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIn_fFWPaUU

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

I posted this last night, someone send it to Wexler:

Palin, Friend to the “Frozen Chosen” [Lisa Schiffren]

Jews always want to know what a politician’s history with us and our issues has been. That is, of course, reasonable, all things considered. Since Alaska has about 6,000 Jews, max, it is not clear that Sarah Palin would have much of a record on that score. But it turns out that Governor Palin has gone out of her way to explicitly build strong, friendly relations with the Jewish community in her state.

In this article the local Lubavitcher rabbi (Orthodox) in Anchorage discusses his relationship with Palin, and has extensive praise for her actions, personal and public, including her ability to balance motherhood and governing — though he specifies that he is not making an endorsement.

This picture is worth a thousand words: Naturally the Governor of Alaska has the flags of the U.S. and her state in her office. Look over at the windowsill on the right in the picture. Why would she have the flag of Israel, a place she has never visited, in her office, unless she was a supporter of a close U.S./Israel relationship — as so many Evangelical Christians are? Bonus question: Does Barack Obama have an Israeli flag in his office?

Finally, this is a feature story about the Jews of Alaska in general. There is nothing political in it. It does, however, mention that when Reform Temple Beth Shalom of Anchorage installed a new Rabbi, Governor Palin stopped by to welcome him and wish him well. The rabbi, who had come from California, was not used to such an official reception. In addition to negating fears of anti-semitism, Palin’s behavior highlights her political skill. She could have been moose-hunting…

The Obama campaign is resorting to cries of anti-Semitism because there is such serious doubt about Barack Hussein Obama’s own affinities regarding Israelis and Palestinians. Not a good way to go…

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

I love the Anchoress:

Running Sarah Palin Thread of Hate & Doooom!

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

Via Ace:

National Enquirer claiming Sarah Palin had an affair.

Here's the response from Team McCain:

“The smearing of the Palin family must end. The allegations contained on the cover of the National Enquirer insinuating that Governor Palin had an extramarital affair are categorically false. It is a vicious lie. Governor Palin is the most popular governor in the country. She is a proven leader, an accomplished executive, a champion for ethics reform, and a fighter against corruption. The efforts of the media and tabloids to destroy this fine and accomplished public servant are a disgrace. The American people will reject it.

“Senator McCain and Governor Palin look forward to discussing the issues that Americans care about, fixing broken government, creating jobs, making our country energy independent and securing the peace for the next generation by bringing the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to a victorious end. Legal action will be considered with regard to this disgraceful smear.” --Senior Adviser Steve Schmidt

Also:

McCain livid at treatment:

McCain promises to fight back, and that "we're gonna get 'em."

[TCO]

JMH: You Wilsonian motherfucker. I could care less about trying to act like a Republican. Maybe like some dittohead nitwit on Hannity or Limbaugh. And go fucking read Preble's Boys. That's the way to deal with the beys.

[TCO]

Kim: um...yeah. That's me.

[narciso]

Preble and Eaton's mission didn't succeed in deposing the Bey did it. It was an important battle, but it was an uncomplete endeavour. In fact, it took the French occupation of Algeria which took 17 years; to finally supress the Barbary Pirates. In fact the treaty with Libya; which went as fas as denying the US's essential Judeo-Christian heritage, in order to appease the Beys; went far as to encourage the Bey's trevails.

[TCO]

Don't mess with my meme. Gonna make me go back and read books, now. All I know is that those guys (his boys, not just him) were badasses. And it was about going into harbors and burning ships. Not hanging out and domesticating the...natives.