I've been too busy to write up a real post but a number of things have been on my mind that need to get out. So in no particular order here we go.
McCain has recently criticized Clinton for flip-flopping on Iraq. Look lets just get this straight right now, changing your mind is not necessarily a bad thing, in fact it can be a good thing if you see something that isn't working and you want to try something different. Note throwing more troops at a political problem isn't change, it's an act of desperation that shows a fundamental misunderstanding of the situation in Iraq. Somewhat along the lines of say, traipsing through a market surrounded by a phalanx of troops while claiming that Baghdad is a secure place. But baiting Democrats on international affairs is so 2004. For a real look to see how things have changed and will yet stay the same we look to last Tuesday's WSJ article. Too lazy to read the whole thing? That's okay I'll pick out the best part for you.
Now I doubt John Mack has had a Damascean conversion to economic populism and regardless of what Jim Webb might have to say about the matter I doubt Hillary will spend too much time worrying about actually implementing any form of economic populism. So all in all we end right back where we began.
Having grown up in a traditionally Red State that has recently succumbed to the Blue tide I am reminded of, the Who.
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The first anniversary of Anna Politkovskaya's death and the war in Chechnya are intersting reminders that terrorism is never as simple as simple as it may appear. Post 2001 the Bush administration was willing to turn a blind eye to Russian tactics in Chechnya. As long as it fit into the larger theme of the war on terror. This has turned into a two way sword as members of the PKK launch continued attacks on Turkish forces who have been prevented from following them into Iraq. Why is this? Because the Kurds are the lynch pin holding Iraq together and though of course we all know that there's no cross over in membership between and either the PUK or the KDP it still wouldn't do to have a new third front open up in Iraq right now that might also stir up unwanted attention to other activities that the PKK might be getting up to.
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In Sri Lanka the military has "confirmed" that it destroyed the last sea worthy boat from the Tamil Tigers navy. Whether or not this marks the "last throes of the insurgency" remains to be seen. But with the loss of the eastern side of the island due to Col. Karuna's defection and the introduction of an Tamil "air force" means that the fighting has certainly taken on a new and nastier tone than previously. On a side note regarding the complexities of terrorism, it may of intrest to note that it was the Tamil Tigers who develop and refined the suicide bombing techniques used so widely and effectively in the bevy of conflicts around the world today, a national liberation struggle, not religious fundamentalists.
Well not nearly everything that was on my mind but enough to let me get to bed and sleep. Night All
5 comments:
Hmmm... What do you think is McCain's rationale? Is this merely because he's fading so badly in the race for Republican nominee and he thinks a little Clinton-bashing will do the trick? Doesn't seem sensible to me.
That may be part of it, a big part of the primary race for Republicans is appealing to the conservative base and with Romney and Guliani both coming from centerist positions they are open to attacks of flip flopping themselves. Conservatives can see this (even if they choose to ignore it) and that might explain some of it.
I think that McCain truly believes in the war and sees Hillary's flip flopping for exactly what it is. The problem for him is that the American people have also flip flopped on this one so he's left out in the cold. Especially since he supported the president's handling of the war for so long.
I actually do agree with him on alot of what he says in regards to the importance of Iraq. I don't think it matters though as we're fucked one way or the other.
His toeing of the line as the administration frittered away the truisms of duty and service for a second term ensured that by the time he trotted out the time honored lines they had become dirty words to the majority of Americans who don't have family in the service and those who did are still wary of them.
McCain is just recycling the political strategy from the last election. The biggest problem is not whether his accusations are baseless, or even if changing one's mind is a bad idea. The problem is the amount of time and energy expended in response to these sort of allegations, which detracts further from substantive debate over the issues.
Frome,
Even without name calling, I don't have enough faith in the political process to believe that we'll have substansive debate one way or the other.
When this kind of thing really becomes a problem is when groups like, "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth" get involved. For now McCain at least has to stand by his comment or become a flip flopper himself thereby ensuring that this kind of mud slinging is limited, for now
I think you're right yourcousin. McCain is entirely (if wrongly, or rather wrongly in the context in which we find ourselves) sincere. I can't see him as a serious candidate, nor do I think he's going to do serious damage to Clinton.
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