May 7, 2007

Bush Chutzpah Sets Trap for Democrats

 

Basta! Enough! – of the Bush administration morphing its failures into attacks on Democrats’ efforts to bail us out of this Mesopotamian black hole. “They are cutting and running, micromanaging the war and usurping the role of the military commanders.” “They are cynically using the war for political gain.”  “They must defer to the Commander-in-Chief.” Have you at long last no sense of decency?

 

The Iraq adventure is not a war in the historical sense defined by the framers of the Constitution, for which special executive war powers were intended. There was no declaration of war - only an ambiguous authorization to use force for strengthening the president’s negotiating hand, provided by a Senate driven by inaccurate, pressured and even manufactured intelligence.

 

Those negotiations and inspections were not allowed to be completed, subverting the intention of many senators’ votes. If the responsible senators were at fault, it was in their inability to grasp fully the obsessed nature of the administration and its disrespect for them. Using the situation generated by this deception as rationale for invoking wartime executive powers, especially given the results, takes chutzpah to a new level.

 

The president won the 2000 election under questionable circumstances, even losing the popular vote. As a result, many expected he would remain aware of his narrow mandate, as has been custom in these situations, and ensure representing all the people, including the majority that voted for his opponent. As we know, he has done the opposite, governing as the agent of a narrow ideology, and polarizing the country as never before. More chutzpah!

 

As the president deceptively dragged us into this unnecessary war, compounded by a Three Stooges level of incompetence in its implementation, one might imagine he would be mindful of this history and horrible results. If he has any humility in his make-up, now would seem the time to make use of it. Instead we see more of the hubris and denial that got us into this huge mess in the first place. As Congress finally begins, however awkwardly, to try to cut our losses, the president now insists that as Commander-in-Chief he cannot permit Congress to “micro-manage the military”. Chutzpah strikes again.

 

Our Constitution makes it the duty of the Congress, specifically the House of Representatives, to lead in matters of revenue. The almost $1 trillion squandered on this adventure might make this an important revenue issue.

 

Is it micromanagement to address issues like, “How can we best deploy our resources now in the global war on militant Islamic extremism?” or “Should there be a limit to our investment in a cause that shows no possibility of producing any of the outcomes put forth by those who brought it about?” Most Americans now feel the limit is long past, and that any blood and treasure must now be expended in ways that will provide better return on this investment.

 

The only plausible thing the president says these days is that our departure is likely to leave an awful mess behind. He talks as if the repercussions of this ill-conceived adventure are the fault of those urging our finally pulling back from this mission impossible.

 

These present and future horrors were conceived in the launching of this war, ignoring input from the many who warned of exactly what ultimately happened. Those horrors were assured in its conduct after Saddam’s fall: “Mission Accomplished”. Perhaps those in charge actually believed the president - that the war was over after his infamous speech.

 

Some version of this impending tragedy will ensue whenever we pull back, as we certainly will sometime, whoever is in charge, unless the Iraqi government takes the necessary actions to end the civil conflict that promotes most of the violence. Our ongoing presence only keeps a bandage over the worst of it and delays ultimate resolution. 

 

Redeploying sooner, rather than later, in a proactive way, which addresses our most important security interests (al Qaeda, Iran, potential regional conflict, etc.) will finally limit our own already enormous losses and give the situation a chance to develop an equilibrium for the long term.

 

Blaming the likely fallout on those that are advocating saving the president and both countries from even greater tragedy brings the administration’s chutzpah index even higher. The Democrats must be clear and assertive enough not to allow this to happen. It’s a potential political trap that has been developing for some time. They have become dangerously close to being ensnared.