Comments on: Another act in the surge theater: setting the stage for Petraeus’s testimony http://neoneocon.com/2007/09/10/another-act-in-the-surge-theater-setting-the-stage-for-petraeuss-testimony/ Fri, 10 Feb 2012 04:37:47 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: neo-neocon http://neoneocon.com/2007/09/10/another-act-in-the-surge-theater-setting-the-stage-for-petraeuss-testimony/#comment-41910 neo-neocon Wed, 12 Sep 2007 03:48:20 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2007/09/10/another-act-in-the-surge-theater-setting-the-stage-for-petraeuss-testimony/#comment-41910 Ariel: Deleted. But it's not another nasty, adolescent troll. It's one of the same old same old ones. Ariel: Deleted.

But it’s not another nasty, adolescent troll. It’s one of the same old same old ones.

]]> By: Ariel http://neoneocon.com/2007/09/10/another-act-in-the-surge-theater-setting-the-stage-for-petraeuss-testimony/#comment-41909 Ariel Wed, 12 Sep 2007 03:34:09 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2007/09/10/another-act-in-the-surge-theater-setting-the-stage-for-petraeuss-testimony/#comment-41909 Well, Neo, looks like you picked up another nasty, adolescent troll. What a sophomoric bugger. Well, Neo, looks like you picked up another nasty, adolescent troll. What a sophomoric bugger.

]]> By: Ymarsakar http://neoneocon.com/2007/09/10/another-act-in-the-surge-theater-setting-the-stage-for-petraeuss-testimony/#comment-41868 Ymarsakar Tue, 11 Sep 2007 17:00:55 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2007/09/10/another-act-in-the-surge-theater-setting-the-stage-for-petraeuss-testimony/#comment-41868 <b>Is that fair?</b><b> In war it is fair.</b> Is that fair?

In war it is fair.

]]> By: tap http://neoneocon.com/2007/09/10/another-act-in-the-surge-theater-setting-the-stage-for-petraeuss-testimony/#comment-41863 tap Tue, 11 Sep 2007 16:20:47 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2007/09/10/another-act-in-the-surge-theater-setting-the-stage-for-petraeuss-testimony/#comment-41863 Compromising with your opposition and sticking your finger to the wind are not opposites. One could easily do one, both or neither. So yes, it IS fair. Compromising with your opposition and sticking your finger to the wind are not opposites. One could easily do one, both or neither. So yes, it IS fair.

]]> By: The Unknown Blogger http://neoneocon.com/2007/09/10/another-act-in-the-surge-theater-setting-the-stage-for-petraeuss-testimony/#comment-41862 The Unknown Blogger Tue, 11 Sep 2007 16:15:56 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2007/09/10/another-act-in-the-surge-theater-setting-the-stage-for-petraeuss-testimony/#comment-41862 first you condemn Reid as being unwilling to compromise. Now he's ridiculed as having his finger to the wind. Is that fair? first you condemn Reid as being unwilling to compromise. Now he’s ridiculed as having his finger to the wind.

Is that fair?

]]> By: Laura http://neoneocon.com/2007/09/10/another-act-in-the-surge-theater-setting-the-stage-for-petraeuss-testimony/#comment-41860 Laura Tue, 11 Sep 2007 15:42:01 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2007/09/10/another-act-in-the-surge-theater-setting-the-stage-for-petraeuss-testimony/#comment-41860 For me, it all boils down to credibility. It isn't a bad strategy for the Bush administration to put so much weight on Patreaus' testimony, it's actually a good strategy. By continuing to remark that "we have to wait to see what Patraeus and Crocker have to say" takes the "blame" off of them and puts a different face, and if you will, more weight, to the entire operation. And, as for Move On, totally idiotic. This dog and pony show isn't meant to change the minds of those opposed to the war, but rather those who are teetering on the fence, the Republicans facing re-election. It's one thing to go after someones credibility who has demonstrated failure. It's a baseless attack on another who has proven himself to be very qualified to make the assessments. MoveOn is only helping to galvanize those who are starting to have serious doubts. I just wish he were the go-to guy from the very start. For me, it all boils down to credibility. It isn’t a bad strategy for the Bush administration to put so much weight on Patreaus’ testimony, it’s actually a good strategy. By continuing to remark that “we have to wait to see what Patraeus and Crocker have to say” takes the “blame” off of them and puts a different face, and if you will, more weight, to the entire operation. And, as for Move On, totally idiotic. This dog and pony show isn’t meant to change the minds of those opposed to the war, but rather those who are teetering on the fence, the Republicans facing re-election. It’s one thing to go after someones credibility who has demonstrated failure. It’s a baseless attack on another who has proven himself to be very qualified to make the assessments. MoveOn is only helping to galvanize those who are starting to have serious doubts. I just wish he were the go-to guy from the very start.

]]> By: nyomythus http://neoneocon.com/2007/09/10/another-act-in-the-surge-theater-setting-the-stage-for-petraeuss-testimony/#comment-41859 nyomythus Tue, 11 Sep 2007 15:18:30 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2007/09/10/another-act-in-the-surge-theater-setting-the-stage-for-petraeuss-testimony/#comment-41859 Speaking of lynching; here's something a bit off topic, but noteworthy. Robert Zangrando, cites statistics for the period of 1882–1968 in his book, "The NAACP Crusade Against Lynching". Using figures from the Tuskegee Institute he finds a total of 4,742 for the 87-year period, of which 1,297 victims were white and 3,445 were black. Google it Speaking of lynching; here’s something a bit off topic, but noteworthy.

Robert Zangrando, cites statistics for the period of 1882–1968 in his book, “The NAACP Crusade Against Lynching”. Using figures from the Tuskegee Institute he finds a total of 4,742 for the 87-year period, of which 1,297 victims were white and 3,445 were black.

Google it

]]> By: Jim http://neoneocon.com/2007/09/10/another-act-in-the-surge-theater-setting-the-stage-for-petraeuss-testimony/#comment-41853 Jim Tue, 11 Sep 2007 12:33:06 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2007/09/10/another-act-in-the-surge-theater-setting-the-stage-for-petraeuss-testimony/#comment-41853 Who really can argue, considering the history of this administration, that Bush wasn't responsible for the "surge?" Why would this statement from the Times be a surprise to anyone. Of course he made the decision. It is hardly trying to shift the blame to Petreus. It just confirms an understanding of the whole mess from the getgo. Who really can argue, considering the history of this administration, that Bush wasn’t responsible for the “surge?” Why would this statement from the Times be a surprise to anyone. Of course he made the decision. It is hardly trying to shift the blame to Petreus. It just confirms an understanding of the whole mess from the getgo.

]]> By: Occam's Beard http://neoneocon.com/2007/09/10/another-act-in-the-surge-theater-setting-the-stage-for-petraeuss-testimony/#comment-41835 Occam's Beard Mon, 10 Sep 2007 22:45:36 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2007/09/10/another-act-in-the-surge-theater-setting-the-stage-for-petraeuss-testimony/#comment-41835 Good point, Peter. Long forgotten, too, is the shameful record of New York City Democrats during the Civil War <a href="http://www.press.uchicago.edu/Misc/Chicago/317749.html" rel="nofollow">draft riots,</a> during the three days of which New Yorkers lynched 11 black men. Interestingly, statistics on lynchings by state (such as <a href="http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/shipp/lynchingsstate.html" rel="nofollow">this</a>) tend to start late enough to miss this period, and so make New York look relatively blameless. Must be that New York sophistication in action. Good point, Peter.

Long forgotten, too, is the shameful record of New York City Democrats during the Civil War draft riots, during the three days of which New Yorkers lynched 11 black men.

Interestingly, statistics on lynchings by state (such as this) tend to start late enough to miss this period, and so make New York look relatively blameless. Must be that New York sophistication in action.

]]> By: Rick in NY http://neoneocon.com/2007/09/10/another-act-in-the-surge-theater-setting-the-stage-for-petraeuss-testimony/#comment-41834 Rick in NY Mon, 10 Sep 2007 22:38:26 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2007/09/10/another-act-in-the-surge-theater-setting-the-stage-for-petraeuss-testimony/#comment-41834 I'm very saddened over this. Our nation's citizens appear to suffer from a grievous lack of perspective, grounded perhaps in cultural drift, seasoned by minimal knowledge of history, and the desire to sport a geopolitical dunce cap - and be proud of it. I hope that in this technological age, someone will archive the MoveOn ad that appeared in the NYT today so that future generations can marvel, and hopefully gain a better grasp of our defining our nation down. If MoveOn thinks they have the pulse of the public, why not just come clean and proclaim once and for all that for the political left, there will always be at the root of all the world's problems an American origin. And that the left will always oppose their definition of American imperialism manifest by any military deployment - save for pet, superficial humanitarian missions - regardless of circumstance. And that inherent evils will always be the US, free market economics, and the State of Israel. Why not proclaim publicly what Chomsky embraces? Talk of paradox: scarcely a day passes since Bin Laden offers his terms to end WWIV and the political left attacks General Petraus. The paradox of course is that his terms, to wit, embrace Islam and convert, are at total odds with the notion of liberalism, of which the left purports - falsely - to subscribe to. Sadly, the Dems are likely to carry 2008. And they will be probed by Al-Qaeda shortly thereafter. I’m very saddened over this. Our nation’s citizens appear to suffer from a grievous lack of perspective, grounded perhaps in cultural drift, seasoned by minimal knowledge of history, and the desire to sport a geopolitical dunce cap – and be proud of it. I hope that in this technological age, someone will archive the MoveOn ad that appeared in the NYT today so that future generations can marvel, and hopefully gain a better grasp of our defining our nation down.

If MoveOn thinks they have the pulse of the public, why not just come clean and proclaim once and for all that for the political left, there will always be at the root of all the world’s problems an American origin. And that the left will always oppose their definition of American imperialism manifest by any military deployment – save for pet, superficial humanitarian missions – regardless of circumstance. And that inherent evils will always be the US, free market economics, and the State of Israel. Why not proclaim publicly what Chomsky embraces?

Talk of paradox: scarcely a day passes since Bin Laden offers his terms to end WWIV and the political left attacks General Petraus. The paradox of course is that his terms, to wit, embrace Islam and convert, are at total odds with the notion of liberalism, of which the left purports – falsely – to subscribe to.

Sadly, the Dems are likely to carry 2008. And they will be probed by Al-Qaeda shortly thereafter.

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