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| McDermott and Bonior try to defend the indefensible... |
| 2002-10-02 |
| Two Democratic congressmen, brushing off criticisms they were aiding the enemy, said Wednesday their mission to Iraq succeeded in impressing on Iraqis that war was likely if they did not agree to unfettered inspections of weapons stockpiles. Reps. Jim McDermott of Washington and David Bonior of Michigan, both Vietnam War-era veterans, also said at a news conference that they felt obligated to inform Americans of the risks they faced by going to war with Iraq. I'm a Vietnam-era veteran, too. Even got my little yellow-green-red ribbon. I say they're jerks... McDermott said he was stunned by "the extent to which the Iraqi people are ready to fight house-to-house." He asked whether the United States should "be taking on this country all by itself when the Arab world is now seething with recruits for Osama bin Laden." Sure. They'll be seething with recruits for Osama bin Laden regardless of what we do, so why not? The two lawmakers, and Rep. Mike Thompson, D-Calif., returned Tuesday night from their visit to Baghdad and other Iraqi cities. In news conferences while in Iraq they urged the Iraqis not to interfere with the inspection process and the Bush administration to give those inspections a chance to work before taking military action. How about the part where they called Bush a liar? Republican leaders strongly criticized the visit, with Sen. Don Nickles of Oklahoma, the Senate's No. 2 Republican, saying they "both sound somewhat like spokespersons for the Iraqi government." The word "somewhat" turns that into an understatement, doesn't it? House Majority Leader Dick Armey, R-Texas, said McDermott was "totally out of touch with the most fundamental tenet of congressional responsibilities" and that he and other liberals had "just basically regressed to their childhood days of Vietnam War protests." McDermott said he was not a pacifist but had "a responsibility as a patriot, as someone who loves his country, to speak up for what I believe." War, added Bonior, "destroys lives in such a profound way." Yes, it's bad for Children™ and other living things. So're bloody-handed dictators. Y'know what else destroys lives in a really profound way? Mealy-mouthed congressmen who go tromping off to enemy nations to have their pictures taken and badmouth their country... McDermott stressed that "I don't trust Saddam Hussein under any circumstances And war would require a congressional authorization, and that would require a vote, and a vote would be recorded as part of the public record. And if a congressman represents a district that doesn't believe in war an' stuff, and has a deep and abiding admiration for dictators, we couldn't possibly have that. Best to avoid the whole thing... |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |