The first is what Corrente calls the "Day of Shame," where Colin Powell testified to the UN six years ago, in favor of unilateral military action against Iraq. Since the war is not over, duh, I for one think this anniversary should continue to be commemorated. (Feb. 5) We were fooled, largely by Colin Powell and The New York Times. And we are still paying the price.
The second anniversary is also a day of shame, this week marks the two-year anniversary of the speech our current Secretary of State gave to AIPAC, in which she said that pre-emptive nuclear attacks were still "on the table" regarding Iran, and defended her vote for the Iraq war. I won't speculate whether she has tempered her views, but she may be toning down her rhetoric for her new job. I certainly hope so. Her job description now includes "finding ways to make peace" rather than "kow-towing to hyper-Zionist campaign donors". I hope she can "pivot" with her typical grace and aplomb.
Powell's UN speech was his down fall. The Bushites used him and moderates were disappointed that he worked for Bush in the first place. If he believed he could influence Bush that was probably a non general-like assumption on his part and he was totally wrong and he paid the price. Of course he was loved again when he endorsed Obama.
ReplyDeleteYour comment about Hillary is curious. It's both critical and seems lacking in sincerity. Is she Obama's choice to be supported or not? We know she’s smart and is both political and knowledgeable concerning foreign affairs. I don’t profess to know the reasons for her AIPAC speech - but I bet she used very calculated words.
How long has Obama been president? How long has Hillary been S of S? Let’s support them both, give them some time, rally around their best efforts and remain faithful. I do not want the typical Democrat vs. Democrat bickering to once again slow forward progressive progress. I’m tired of the herding cats metaphor as it applies to Dems. That’s one of the reasons the Repugs have been so successful capturing the White House.
Fifty years ago, on Feb. 3, 1959, a single-engine plane crashed shortly after midnight near Clear Lake, Iowa, claiming the lives of rock-and-roll stars Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson, as well as pilot Roger Peterson.
ReplyDeleteBill-- I did not support Hillary in the primaries BECAUSE of her foreign policy stands. I support Obama, particularly his outreach to the Arab world, and I hope and expect Secretary Clinton to do the same.
ReplyDeleteReally, I don't understand someone who supported Hillary Clinton in the primaries why they wouldn't support her as Secretary of State. One PUMA blog actually said they were hopeful that she would 'resign in disgust' in the first year. I'm not impressed with that kind of disloyalty to issues and hard-working candidates, particularly one who made as many sacrifices as Hillary Clinton did. (I hope I sound sincere enough here because I am.)
Having said all of that, I do not forgive Clinton for her saber-rattling in 2007. It was one part of many in her downfall in my opinion, and certainly contributed to my sense that I could not support her candidacy in the primaries.
Oh, and Bill, the link at my post is to the text of Hillary Clinton's speech to AIPAC in 2007. You can judge for yourself if her words were very calculated.
ReplyDeleteWhy am I feeling that this is not change we can believe in? Sure, Daschle is out, but Judd Gregg as Commerce Secretary. This bipartisan kabuki gets on my tits anyhow, but keeping up the game is making me very pissed. I hope this ends soon, because if it doesn't we are going to have four very long years.
ReplyDeleteAnd yet Colin and Barack are BFF. Go figure...
ReplyDeleteI wish Obama would tone down his rhetoric. He's in charge. I'm sure Clinton will follow his lead. Every time he talks about Iran I get the feeling there's a pod person there in Obama's body, because what he says sounds a lot like what W was saying.
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