Today on this Edition of "Double Speak"
I was visiting a Left blog (DaileyDissent.org) today, and I stumbled upon a comment to a post that really hit me between the eyes. While the post was what I expected it to be (bashing the current administration for anything right of Ted Kennedy), the comment this guy (his posting name was "Mark") made was nothing more than cut and paste quotes from some politicians and news media folks.
The catch is, all of these quotes came during the time President Clinton was committing our troops to Bosnia. While we can debate the morals and politics of which war was more just, instead, I focused in, not only on the names, but the content of these quotes.
What you will see is almost an exact parody of what the critics of Bush and the war are saying today. Even more striking, is the very people that said some of these quotes, are trying to defend the things they criticized back then.
"You can support the troops but not the president."--
Rep Tom Delay (R-TX)
"Well, I just think it's a bad idea. What's going to happen is they're going to be over there for 10, 15, maybe 20 years."--
Joe Scarborough (R-FL)
"Explain to the mothers and fathers of American servicemen that may come home in body bags why their son or daughter have to give up their life?"--
Sean Hannity, Fox News, 4/6/99
"[The] President . . . is once again releasing American military might on a foreign country with an ill-defined objective and no exit strategy. He has yet to tell the Congress how much this operation will cost. And he has not informed our nation's armed forces about how long they will be away from home. These strikes do not make for a sound foreign policy."--
Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA)
"American foreign policy is now one huge big mystery. Simply put, the administration is trying to lead the world with a feel-good foreign policy."--
Rep Tom Delay (R-TX)
"If we are going to commit American troops, we must be certain they have a clear mission, an achievable goal and an exit strategy."--
Karen Hughes, speaking on behalf of George W Bush
"I had doubts about the bombing campaign from the beginning . . I didn't think we had done enough in the diplomatic area."--
Senator Trent Lott (R-MS)
"I cannot support a failed foreign policy. History teaches us that it is often easier to make war than peace. This administration is just learning that lesson right now. The President began this mission with very vague objectives and lots of unanswered questions. A month later, these questions are still unanswered. There are no clarified rules of engagement. There is no timetable. There is no legitimate definition of victory. There is no contingency plan for mission creep. There is no clear funding program. There is no agenda to bolster our over-extended military. There is no explanation defining what vital national interests are at stake. There was no strategic plan for war when the President started this thing, and there still is no plan today"--
Rep Tom Delay (R-TX)
"Victory means exit strategy, and it's important for the President to explain to us what the exit strategy is."--
Governor George W. Bush (R-TX)
Partisan politics at its best. Then it was Republicans chewing at Democrats, today it’s the Left chomping at the Right… who will have the ball next, and who will be lining up to shoot em down? Next, on Election ‘08
The nation desperately needs a breath of fresh air. Where it will come from I dont know, because obviously Washington is nothing but smog.
The catch is, all of these quotes came during the time President Clinton was committing our troops to Bosnia. While we can debate the morals and politics of which war was more just, instead, I focused in, not only on the names, but the content of these quotes.
What you will see is almost an exact parody of what the critics of Bush and the war are saying today. Even more striking, is the very people that said some of these quotes, are trying to defend the things they criticized back then.
"You can support the troops but not the president."--
Rep Tom Delay (R-TX)
"Well, I just think it's a bad idea. What's going to happen is they're going to be over there for 10, 15, maybe 20 years."--
Joe Scarborough (R-FL)
"Explain to the mothers and fathers of American servicemen that may come home in body bags why their son or daughter have to give up their life?"--
Sean Hannity, Fox News, 4/6/99
"[The] President . . . is once again releasing American military might on a foreign country with an ill-defined objective and no exit strategy. He has yet to tell the Congress how much this operation will cost. And he has not informed our nation's armed forces about how long they will be away from home. These strikes do not make for a sound foreign policy."--
Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA)
"American foreign policy is now one huge big mystery. Simply put, the administration is trying to lead the world with a feel-good foreign policy."--
Rep Tom Delay (R-TX)
"If we are going to commit American troops, we must be certain they have a clear mission, an achievable goal and an exit strategy."--
Karen Hughes, speaking on behalf of George W Bush
"I had doubts about the bombing campaign from the beginning . . I didn't think we had done enough in the diplomatic area."--
Senator Trent Lott (R-MS)
"I cannot support a failed foreign policy. History teaches us that it is often easier to make war than peace. This administration is just learning that lesson right now. The President began this mission with very vague objectives and lots of unanswered questions. A month later, these questions are still unanswered. There are no clarified rules of engagement. There is no timetable. There is no legitimate definition of victory. There is no contingency plan for mission creep. There is no clear funding program. There is no agenda to bolster our over-extended military. There is no explanation defining what vital national interests are at stake. There was no strategic plan for war when the President started this thing, and there still is no plan today"--
Rep Tom Delay (R-TX)
"Victory means exit strategy, and it's important for the President to explain to us what the exit strategy is."--
Governor George W. Bush (R-TX)
Partisan politics at its best. Then it was Republicans chewing at Democrats, today it’s the Left chomping at the Right… who will have the ball next, and who will be lining up to shoot em down? Next, on Election ‘08
The nation desperately needs a breath of fresh air. Where it will come from I dont know, because obviously Washington is nothing but smog.
