November
16, 2005
An Incontinent Congress
By Tony Blankley
Little good comes when Congress grabs control of American foreign
policy and war-fighting strategies from the hands of a scandal-weakened
White House. Of course it is always possible that there are 51
forward-leaning, shrewd, patriotic, non-partisan senators assembled
to make the tough, unpopular call to push on for victory, no matter
how hard and long the struggle. (Giggle.) But it is vastly more
likely that less noble instincts beat in the breasts of the several
senators assembled.
Monday, for the first time, the foul odor of the Vietnam War denouement
wafted through the Senate Chamber during the debate on Iraq. The
Democrats called for "estimated dates for the phased redeployment
of United States Armed Forces from Iraq … " Phased redeployment
was the maneuver the French executed in June 1940, in the days
preceding the German occupation of Paris. Phased redeployment
is what the Vietnamese boat people did as they swam for their
lives away from their homeland.
The Republican Senate leadership, sensing they might lose enough
Republican senators (six or more) to let the Democratic amendment
pass, decided to quibble with rather than oppose the infamous
document.
So they scratched out the explicit timeline to desertion and added
fine sounding phrases, such as calling for the president to provide
more information and a schedule for reaching full Iraqi sovereignty.
No bureaucratic euphemism can cleanse the air of the stench of
defeatism.
To figure out where this is all leading, look to the intents of
the moving parties, not merely the malleable words being used
by them. The Democratic senators, who are the vital, winning force
in the Senate on this matter, are opposed to the Iraqi war for
either principled or unprincipled reasons -- depending on the
senator. Some, probably many, simply want to humiliate President
Bush by denying him success -- and then reap the electoral bonanza
that will likely follow. I'm sure there are some senators who
sincerely believe retreat and defeat is in the best interest of
our country. But principled or unprincipled, their objective is
the same: Getting out of Iraq is more important to them, than
staying and succeeding.
The Republican senators either no longer believe in the mission,
or fear an unhappy electorate more than they fear the consequences
of failure in Iraq. In all events -- whether disillusioned or
cynical or principled, whether Republican or Democratic -- the
majority of senators who are pushing for this want to get us out
of Iraq more than they want us to succeed. Pay no attention to
the words. Look to the character of the players. The infamous
summer soldiers and sunshine patriots are forming a majority on
the floor of the Senate -- and national defeat and disgrace may
soon, and again, find its moment.
It was 30 years ago when Congress last took the reins of national
war fighting. In August 1974, Nixon had been scandalized and left
office. The November 1974 election brought forth the "Watergate
babies" congress filled with young anti-war Democrats. One of
the first actions of the Watergate Congress was to vote to deny
an appropriation of $800 million to pay for South Vietnamese military
aid, including ammunition and spare parts. Historical records
now are known that reveal that five weeks after that vote, the
North Vietnamese started planning their final offensive. The morale
of the South Vietnamese was broken by that symbolic Congressional
act of betrayal. The actual dollar cuts forced South Vietnamese
President Thieu to abandon the Central Highland in March of 1975,
leading to the collapse of our ally and the onset of genocide
and police state brutalities that killed more Asians than all
the thousand days of the war did.
Now the Watergate babies have grown old -- and age has not improved
them. They plan to finish their careers as they started them --
in defeatism, betrayal and national dishonor. Oh, that America
might see the last of these fish-eyed sacks of loathsome bile
and infamy: Unwholesome in their birth; repugnant and stench-forming
in their decline.
Now another Republican president has grown weak and struggles
to hold on to his war-making powers. I am heartened that President
Bush is finally fighting back. He should veto any bill that would
grant Congress even a syllable of war-fighting strategy. Mr. President,
don't believe a word of their legislative prose. They have defeat
in their hearts, and they mean you ill. Stand and fight with veto
pen and executive order in hand. Rally with defiant words those
of us who would yet be your honored supporters. Let the long suffering
people of Iraq know that you will fight furiously for their redemption,
and will be deaf to the impleadings of the weak and defeatist
here in America.
Two national betrayals in 20 years is too much for the heart of
the nation to take. Send more troops, not less. Victory may yet
be ours.
Copyright
2005 Creators Syndicate
