Comments on: SHOULD’VE FIRED RUMSFELD - AND THE GENERALS - LONG AGO

By: Halffasthero

Halffasthero — Sun, 16 Apr 2006 16:07:33 +0000

I have always loved studying the Civil War and was never aware of a lot of the politics of it. I did know that the best leaders fought in the South and that, not until Grant, did the North have someone who could win a fight. Till then they had plenty of resources to spend until they got it right, which is a luxury the South didn’t have.

As for the political equivalence to today, I agree. There is no oversight here. Sooner or later the ugly truth about no oversight starts bearing ugly fruit. This whole Iraq fiasco is not something that can be wished away. Notice how they reacted to immigration as well as Iraq. They waited and waited and waited until it all became a total nigtmare before reacting. To tell you the truth, the Congress (both parties) is behaving like a bunch of “C-” average students. Doing nothing and leaving work to others before being forced to pull off a passing grade by doing an all-nighter. I think it is getting well passed the point that they all need to be thrown out.

As for not voting, that is simply not an option. Vote - but vote carefully.

By: Oldcrow

Oldcrow — Sun, 16 Apr 2006 05:41:29 +0000

I really am at a loss about what to do. Staying home on election day goes against everything I believe about Republicans and democracy. But I am coming around to the belief that if not voting is the only way to change the leadership dynamic of the Republican party so that honorable conservatives rise to positions of prominence, then so be it.
By: Rick Moran at 6:20 am

As much as I despise our current crop of so called Republican leadership(spineless self serving asses that they are) we are talking about a midterm election where turn out is everything and if you think the Congress and Senate are bad now imagine a DEM majority in charge, so I have to disagree. I for one am writing,calling and emailing my Congresscritter and senator on an almost daily basis letting them know I will be supporting any Republican challenger to them in the primaries. I will vote for the Republican in the general election whether it is the encumbent or not because a win by the DEMS would be far far worse than what we have now.

By: bird dog

bird dog — Sun, 16 Apr 2006 01:07:25 +0000

Rick:
As you may know, we are fans of Rummy’s because of his obvious brains and no-BS attitude. Stanton was a tough SOB too, and he had many bad years. But it worked out in the end. Lincoln stood by him, despite the endless misfortunes.
I guess I don’t feel able to second-guess Rumsfeld. Errors are always made in war.

Also, McClellan was not a warrior, as I read the history. A great excuse-maker, however.

By: tyk

tyk — Sat, 15 Apr 2006 22:31:10 +0000

The Confederate States of America began its life out numbered nearly two-to-one in potential Army size, out numbered about three-to-one in industrial capacity, and with its ports soon to be blockaded. It could never win a war of attrition and everyone on both sides, including McLellan, knew it. McLellan was technically correct in waiting, and making doubly damn sure that Washington was secure against an invasion from across the Potomac, the only way the Union could lose. Technically correct, as Little Mac soon found out, wasn’t good enough. The clamoring public was then (and is today) oriented toward fast results, and the political party out of power is oriented to getting itself in. Thus it is with Iraq. It is impossible for the Iraq War to turn out badly for us. What organized Army in the area has the power to push our garrisons out? None. All we have to do in Iraq is keep the land occupied and, sooner or later, the people will tire of killing each other and settle down. The price we pay is the deaths and maimings soldiers by disorganized snipers and bombers who totally incapable of taking over the Iraqi government. As horrible as the death and maimings are, they pale when one thinks of the price of not staying. More of us were killed at the World Trade Center than have been killed in Iraq. The only way anything bad can happen to us in Iraq is if begin heeding the public and MSM drum beats to cut and run. If we do, then we can put surface-to-air missiles on the Sears Tower, Geiger counters in the New York subways, and Anthrax testing labs along the Los Angeles water canals. But don’t expect any of it to work. The only good defense is a good offense. We must batter our enemies and keep battering them, on their turf, so they never get a chance (again) to batter us on ours.

By: lakestate

lakestate — Sat, 15 Apr 2006 18:03:20 +0000

I agree Rick, however, what can we expect from the politions we have to choose from. Nowdays the MSM have become so obtrusive, good people don’t want to run for office. So we get to vote for a selection that’s left. Now I’m not saying there aren’t any good people running for office, just very few. The MSM , in my opinion, has too much sway in the political process. Freedom of the press has become - freedom from the press.

By: martin

martin — Sat, 15 Apr 2006 15:05:09 +0000

I think your Civil War analogy is stretched. The president, war secretary, quartermaster, and general officer corps would have turned over several times during the war’s first year if performance had been evaluated objectively.

History clearly shows that terrible mistakes are part of any sizeable war, and will show that the the current conflict (Iraq, not Afghanistan–a brilliant success forgotten in the search for failures) is being fought for great stakes with mistakes borne of human limitations not endemic incompetence.

Who would you rather have running the war–Tommy Franks or a craven committee of the impotent 535? Ultimately the Civil War was won because the right General was working for the right President. Like it or not, war is and has always been an executive enterprise. Supporting your favorite candidate for President is the best way to have an impact.

By: Marv

Marv — Sat, 15 Apr 2006 14:43:41 +0000

I have been of the opinion for years that there are no honorable professional politicians, simply arrogant, self serving, power hungry ones.
And they all continue to do their power dance and tell their self serving lies about themselves and the other self serving politicians in order to protect their power and their perks. Meanwhile this country falls apart because they aren’t paying attention to what’s REALLY important.
Vote them out you say?….”meet the new boss…..”