Iraq and the Democrats

By William Rivers Pitt
t r u t h o u t | Perspective
Thursday 08 December 2005
There is a tactic in the art of debate and argument known as "Rejecting the premise." To wit: when someone tosses a straw-man into a debate, you are wise to point it out as such, instead of validating its existence by arguing against it. A perfect example of where this can apply comes in the latest round of nonsense from the far Right about a so-called "War on Christmas."

Person #1: "Do you think the liberal elite are aiding in the war against Christmas?"

Person #2: "I reject the premise. There is no war against Christmas. Christmas is doing just fine."

Here's another good one. Vice President Cheney was speaking on Tuesday to troops at Fort Drum, NY.

Cheney: "Some have suggested that by liberating Iraq, we simply stirred up a hornet's nest. They overlook a fundamental fact: We were not in Iraq, and the terrorists hit us anyway."

Me: "I reject the premise. The fact that we had not invaded Iraq had nothing whatsoever to do with 9/11. As Richard Cohen said of Cheney's comments in Thursday's Washington Post, 'Yes, and the crowing of the rooster makes the sun come up. Cause and effect is being mocked here.'"

See? It's that simple. By the way, when did you stop beating your wife?

There is a cluster of Democrats who could learn about rejecting the premise, especially when it comes to the occupation of Iraq. The most recent and galling example came after Congressman John Murtha made his courageous demand for a withdrawal from Iraq. Murtha is the guy the generals talk to, because the generals know they are wasting their breath trying to talk to Rumsfeld, Cheney or Bush. Murtha knows exactly how bad things are in Iraq. His call for withdrawal specifically said that such an action should come "at the earliest practicable date."
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The rest of article is linked above.

What do you think about bringing indictments against Bush and Blair, not to mention the greater of two evils; Dick Cheney? I can think of only a few things that have the potential to benefit humanity as much as holding these men accountable for what they have permitted to happen on their watches: Bring indictments in the court of law and hold these men accountable.

1 comment:

  1. It's the time of year. I need more sunshine in my life. I think that optimally, my life would involve travelling in order to avoid the extreme depths of winter. The period of time, two weeks prior and two weeks after solstice can be difficult for me. This year I am really working on keeping my energy levels up though.

    How far North is Baltimore? Olympia is 47º N Latitudinally. Noticeably darker (not to mention the effect of frequent overcast days) than where I grew up, just below the 45º N mark, in the Twin Cities, MN.

    But other than that, I am saddened and scared by what I see the Bush administration getting away with, without so much as a slap on the wrist, or a few whispers of concern from the mainstream press.

    The actions of these men are outrageous! It's time to hold them accountable, eh?

    ReplyDelete

 
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