October 11, 2002
The Wimps of War
Dana Millbank, writing in The Washington Post, verified what we might have known without being there, Congress passed its historic war powers resolution with an attitude of resignation. Here they are leading the world to the brink of a bloody war based on the whim of a spoiled politician's son who played games in Texas while the Vietnam War was killing off thousands of the less fortunate members of his generation, and they did it with no passion, no commitment either way, no belief, just apathetic acquiescence. They are a disgrace.This unlikely Commander in Chief is a boy who has never heard a shot fired in anger, never been within thousands of miles of a battlefield, didn't even finish his term in the reserves. Yet he is the most belligerent leader to emerge on the world stage for generations, leading the country inexorably to war after war. And Congress, the designated representatives of the people, turned over its own authority to declare war to this pipsqueak.
Tom Daschle never looked so small and impotent as when he said "I believe it is important for America to speak with one voice at this critical moment." Not only speaking with Bush's voice, even repeating Bush's own words, as though he totally gave up his mind to Bush.
Daschle gave further credence to the impression that he was punch drunk with his statement that Americans can turn their attention back to the economy "once we get this behind us."
Behind us?
Do you know what you just did? That was not the end of anything. That was only the beginning of a great deal of very bad news for America, including bad economic news, since you mention it. In America money is a legitimate concern, human lives are not. But unless you are Carlyle, or some other business that reaps great wealth from death and destruction, war is not good for business. It's essentially the biggest waste of money imaginable. It's just death and destruction. Talk about throwing good money after bad. These legislators are in denial. They are closing their eyes and pulling the switch to send America down a long chute, setting processes into motion that no one can control and that will wreak havoc it will take years to clean up. It's a point of no return. Anyone remember Vietnam?
Hillary Clinton was pathetic with her Orwellian doublespeak statement that giving Bush bipartisan support would make his success with the UN "more likely and, therefore, war less likely." Bush's position with the U.N., in case Hillary missed this, was that the U.S. is going to attack Iraq and the U.N. can either get with it or not, it won't make any difference. How on earth could support for that position make war less likely? Bush's position is war.
Very disappointing, Hillary Clinton. We might have expected more from you.
It's a very sad day for America and the world.
-- By David Cogswell