Posted on 11/30/2005 4:57:40 AM PST by governsleastgovernsbest
by Mark Finkelstein
November 30, 2005 - 07:13.
To use a favorite phrase of ESPN's Dan Patrick, Bill O'Reilly was "en fuego" in his Today show appearance this morning
The main subject was President Bush's scheduled speech today to discuss his Iraq strategy.Katie
Couric described the impending speech as "very important" and asked O'Reilly what people need to hear from it.O'Reilly
got matters off to an unexpected start by declaring: "I'm not even going to listen to the speech. Maybe that shocks people, but it really doesn't mean anything."
He pointed out that it only takes six weeks to train US soldiers, and wondered why, three years later, the administration is still asking for more billions to train Iraqi recruits. "How many years have we been training these Iraqis, how many years? Gomer Pyle would have gotten this!"
O'Reilly continued: "It's a disaster for the country if we don't do well in Iraq. It's a disaster for the world if we don't do well in Iraq. These pinheads running around going 'get out of Iraq now' don't know what they are talking about. These are the same people before Hitler invaded in WWII who said 'he's not such a bad guy.'"
Couric: "What is your biggest fear about a premature withdrawal of troops from Iraq?"
O'Reilly: "It's very simple. This is not a complicated issue. If we pull out of Iraq it turns into a terror state, just as Afghanistan before 9/11 was a terror state. The terrorists are going to do whatever they want there. Who's going to stop them? Iran, Syria? They're going to help them! An Iraq out of control is a direct threat to the United States because Al-Qaida gets in there and does whatever they want. Win the damn thing! That's what I want to hear. Win it. Stop the excuses, stop the carping, stop the sniping from the press. Win it!"
He later added: "You are looking to find a nation in the Middle East to help the West fight terror. Are the Shia going to do that? I don't know. But while we're in there we have to cause as much destruction to the enemy, the Sunni fanatics and Al-Qaida, as we can. See, this is a war, this is WWIII. Everyone watching today: this is WWIII! If these people get an atomic device, which Iran is making right now, they're going to set it off in America if they can. Wise up, let's knock this off, everybody should come together and do what we have to do to stabilize that country."
O'Reilly then turned his fire on Hillary Clinton, who recently sent a letter to supporters blaming President Bush for mismanaging the war.
O'Reilly: "I don't want to hear from Hillary Clinton and I don't want to read her dopey letter. All I want to hear from Hillary Clinton is 'what would you do differently, Senator, from what is being done now?' Very simple question. Has she answered that question? No. So I'm going to take the letter, I'm going to roll it up and I'm going to toss it right out the window."
O'Reilly is a self-confessed bloviator. He's a populist, some might say a demagogue. But he was spot-on this morning. Even Katie Couric didn't dare breathe a word of dissent.
Today Show/NewsBusters no-spin ping.
O'Reilly is in love with himself, but his defence of children is sincere and his insistence that this is an important war that must be won is sincere. Those two things more than make up for his over-sized ego.
When BOR is right on an issue, he gets his points across really well. Your report of a few days ago where the perky one changed her tune on Iraq seems consistent with this "let Bill be Bill" attitude on her part.
excellent interview! Ms. Couric hopefully learned a thing or two ... okay. Perhaps I shouldn't be this up beat this early in the morning, eh?
We agree that he is wrong on this issue.
Christopher Hitchens nails the perils of withdrawal
http://www.slate.com/id/2131189/
Well, shock tends to have that affect. Besides, O'Reilly would have put her in a headlock and given her a noogie.
He absolutely nailed it and thank you for capturing it.
Agreed. I'm normally no BOR fan, and do see him as a populist-demagogue and an outright nincompoop when it comes to many issues of economics, as illustrated by his recent rants over gasoline prices.
But when he's right, he's right, and this morning he was brilliantly so.
bookmark
"He pointed out that it only takes six weeks to train US soldiers, and wondered why, three years later, the administration is still asking for more billions to train Iraqi recruits. "How many years have we been training these Iraqis, how many years?"
Except that we are not starting with U.S. citizens!!!!!!!
Why was he invited on the show?
I guess they catch his 'anti-Bush' tirades once in awhile. . .or they do not know how to interpret his feelings re Hillary.
The other night he said he would not vote for Hillary - not because of idiological differences - but because she will not come on his show and answer questions. (O'Reilly definitely does not get the 'patholocigal' aspect of Hillary)
Anyway. . .thanks for the update.
Agreed. But we need a lot more of O'Reilly's attitude in the government, media, and international community. Enough with the hypersensitivity!
WIN THE WAR! It's the ONLY option.
some say WW4 as the cold war was No. 3.
None the less, thanks to BOR for the assist. Every once and a while, even a blind pig finds an acorn
:-)
Watching O'Reilly look at Katie during her opening monologue was like seeing a mongoose watching a snake and waiting to strike. LOL. O'Reilly is right "This is not complicated." Katie tries the line that you won't know victory.
O'Reilly is a fool.
Suppose there was no 24th Infantry Division. How long would it take to form, organize, man, equip and train a brand new starting-from-scratch infantry division?
For World Wars I and II we required at least a year to properly man, equip and train a division. That was done right here at home in safety. The Iraqis not only must accomplish the same feat, they must get it done in a hostile environment.
I saw it, it was great! One of my favorite parts was when he said.... "Stop the sniping from the press. Win it!"
And when he started on calling Christmas trees Christmas trees I loved it!! Simply loved that part! LOL!! Asking Katie what the Christmas tree was. LOL!! A Christmas tree of course!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.