Failure to Communicate

Via BAD ATTITUDES, I was alerted to a post over at Big Left Outside, Al Goirdano's blog. Alas, Al has been focused on Narco News of late.

However, he delivered a long but good post yesterday. First, his preface expresses ambivalent feelings towards the war in Iraq, which he considers a sham (similar to my own feelings about it being little more than a Bush reelection ploy gone horribly awry), and then he covers the controversy regarding a Naomi Klein article that appeared in the Nation last week, and Marc Cooper's utter misinterpretation of it.

I don't know enough about Cooper to determine if he's still considered a true leftie, or if he's joined the David Horowitz/Chris Hitchen's school of 'youthful' indiscretion (sarcasm, for the humor challenged). But his remarks are way off base. Klien's piece is NOT an endorsement of Sadr by any stretch of the imagination, but instead, a reasoned opinion as to the situation on the ground in Iraq. I'm continually amazed at how people like Cooper, in this case, still believe that somehow our intent in Iraq is wholesome and good--I mean, c'mon--with Allawi as president, and Negroponte as uber-ambassador? As Timshel would put it, Jaysus...

The last thing the left needs (if Cooper is still part of the left) is the formation of a circular firing squad regarding Iraq. I'm aware that Kerry doesn't hold my position regarding the war. I will still vote for him, though, if he has any chance in Louisiana (if the polls show Bush in a walk, though, I'll probably go third party). But to suggest that, one, Iraq is anything but a losing game for the US at this point shows a profound ignorance of the situation in the country, and two, to argue that anyone holding that point of view is sleeping with the enemy is ridiculous. At a certain point, one had to let reason take hold. And the rational analysis is that Iraq is, well, fucked.

If Kerry wins in November, I will continue to push for an end to the war--and I have a strong feeling that he would need to be prodded towards that position as well. We should never have invaded. There were alternatives, and not believing in war does not imply support for Saddam. Besides, considering the lies the war crowd has told (WMD, ties to Al Qaeda and/or 9/11, etc.), how can ANYONE believe them on ANYTHING? Once a liar, always a liar. Kerry needs to be told this over and over again, until he gets the message. Our "victory" in Iraq will be the same as our "victory" in Vietnam--THAT'S the similarity between the two countries, by the way--and rantings like Marc Cooper's do nothing to further what's right, namely, that we who opposed this quagmire were adopting the correct position and those who argued for war are simply wrong (and I'll add that those arguing for war from the comfort of their desks are cowards as well).

Chickens have a way of coming home to roost. Team Bush WILL find that out, regardless of what happens in November...