Political Cortex: Newsweek Op/Ed: Murtha's Right. Get Out Now! (Murtha Open Thread)

Newsweek Op/Ed: Murtha's Right. Get Out Now! (Murtha Open Thread)

By SusanG
11/18/2005 04:11:31 PM EST

Amazing. This Newsweek commentary just went up on the MSNBC website less than an hour ago, and with the GOP currently pushing to force a vote later this afternoon on the Murtha resolution, one HAS to wonder about the timing:

The article, entitled "The Terrorist Temptation," has a whopper of a bolded subhead on the page: "The Bush administration is so accustomed to torturing the truth, it can't face the facts. Murtha's outburst on Iraq has shown it is time to stop deluding ourselves."

The author is Christopher Dickey, Newsweek Middle East Regional Editor, based at the Paris Bureau. No lightweight, in other words.

One excerpt to whet the appetite:

What's the bottom line of what Bush is saying now? That we are now in Iraq and have to stay the course because ... the terrorists want us there. As the White House transcript puts it, "Our goal is to defeat the terrorists and their allies at the heart of their power, so we will defeat the enemy in Iraq." But--the terrorists we're fighting now didn't have any power in Iraq until our invasion. Ideologues like to fight ideologues, so they tend to miss details like that.

Go. Read. Now. (Please).

Oh, and use this as an open thread if you like to discuss the Murtha vote as it comes down.

Text of the House Resolution:

H.Res. __ Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the deployment of United States forces in Iraq be terminated immediately.
Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that the deployment of United States forces in Iraq be terminated immediately.

(Stole it from Daily Kos, thanks, Markos!)

: Murtha, Newsweek, Iraq Withdrawal

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Newsweek Op/Ed: Murtha's Right. Get Out Now! (Murtha Open Thread) | 7 comments (7 topical, editorial, 0 hidden)

Wow. Amazing. (none / 0)

Let's hope Dickey makes the rounds of all the talk shows and can hold this tone against Tweety and the like. Despite the quality and influence of Newsweek, and the low viewship of news shows when compared to the rest of TV, one appearance on Today or Meet the Press would hit ten times as many people as will read this editorial.

by Devilstower on 11/18/2005 04:17:16 PM EST

What's your sense ... (none / 0)

of what the Dems should do on this afternoon/evening vote? I'm seeing a lot of strategy talk around the blogs ... abstain, don't be present, hell yeah let's vote and get it on record for 2006, etc.

(I'm going to go try and hunt down the text of the vote for this afternoon. Be right back.)

by SusanG on 11/18/2005 04:31:32 PM EST

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: I confess (none / 0)

I don't know. As often as I've wished for the Democrats to "make a stand," voting for this action seems frightening. Part of it will depend on how the Republicans have worded it. If there are traps in the language -- things that commit the "plan" to something outrageous -- then I'd be on the "abstain" side.
If they write it simply to demand the pull out within six months, I think the right to do is vote yes. Then at least it will be very clear who is responsible for the death of every American GI who falls after that date.

by Devilstower on 11/18/2005 04:55:39 PM EST

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Great idea. (none / 0)

,Russ Feingold reports that the Patriot Act has been "pulled," so he won't have to filibuster and will be ready for this next showdown.

The GOP has lost its marbles before the Thanksgiving recess.

Stansfield Turner (former CIA Director) is on CNN right now saying he can't believe we have a Vice President in favor of torture.

Let the GOP call for the vote on Murtha.
This could get messy and even more embarrassing for them.

Taxes shall be levied according to ability to pay. That is the only American principle. FDR

by btyarbro on 11/18/2005 04:39:08 PM EST

: Isn't this crazy? (none / 0)

Doesn't it feel to you like suddenly events and showdowns are really accelerating in a truly unexpected fashion?
My head is spinning.
by SusanG on 11/18/2005 04:48:14 PM EST

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