Posted on 08/20/2015 7:05:59 AM PDT by Kaslin
Donald Trump stands accused of "trashing the GOP brand" by many of the same GOP politicians and pundits who have no reluctance in "trashing" the most consequential recent decision made by a Republican president -- the decision to go to war in Iraq.
When asked a few months ago whether he would have authorized the 2003 war in Iraq, as his brother President George W. Bush did, Republican candidate and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush first said yes, "I would have." Then, when criticized days later, the younger Bush did a 180: "So here's the deal. If we're all supposed to answer hypothetical questions, knowing what we know now, I would not have engaged. I would not have gone into Iraq." Other Republican candidates -- with the exception of Sen. Lindsey Graham -- quickly jumped on board the "I wouldn't have gone into Iraq" bus.
Commentator George Will, who calls Donald Trump "vulgar," once robustly supported the Iraq War. He later called it "the worst foreign policy decision in U.S. history."
And Trump is hurting the Republican brand? Let's revisit.
After 9/11, 90 percent of Americans expected an Islamic terror strike again within six months to a year. Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, against whom we had previously gone to war in 1991, was shooting at the British and American planes patrolling the "no-fly zones." He was sending $25,000 to families of homicide bombers who struck in Israel. He was stealing from the so-called Oil-for-Food Program, doing who knows what with the money. He had attempted to assassinate President George Herbert Walker Bush, and he had used chemical weapons on the Iranians and his own people on Iraqi soil.
George W. Bush sought and obtained a resolution from the House and from the Senate, and got a unanimous resolution from the United Nations that told the dictator to fully and thoroughly declare what he did with his chemical and biological weapons -- or face consequences. At that time over 70 percent of Americans supported going to war in Iraq. Two months after the invasion, a Gallup poll found 79 percent of Americans thought the war was justified -- whether or not there was evidence of chemical, biological or nuclear weapons -- while only 19 percent believed weapons were necessary to justify the war.
Bush retained the same CIA director, George Tenet, who served under Bill Clinton. Tenet assured Bush that this assertion that Saddam possessed weapons of mass destruction was a "slam dunk." All 16 of our intelligence agencies told Bush -- at the highest level of probability -- that Saddam possessed WMD. The only dissent was over how far along he was in his nuclear weapons program.
After the invasion, Bush sent in weapons hunter David Kay, and later Charles Duelfer, to locate the expected stockpiles. They did not find stockpiles, but both said that Saddam retained the intent and the capacity -- waiting only for the expected lifting of sanctions to restart his chemical and biological programs.
Our current director of national intelligence, James Clapper, said that he believes Saddam did possess the stockpiles, but "unquestionably" got rid of them during this run-up in an effort to "destroy and disperse" evidence just before the war began. Top Iraqi general Georges Sada says that he helped send the WMD out of Iraq and into Syria via planes and trucks.
The New York Times reported last year that American soldiers were getting sick because of the chemical and biological material they were encountering: "Jarrod L. Taylor, a former Army sergeant on hand for the destruction of mustard shells that burned two soldiers in his infantry company, joked of 'wounds that never happened' from 'that stuff that didn't exist.' The public, he said, was misled for a decade. 'I love it when I hear, oh there weren't any chemical weapons in Iraq,' he said. 'There were plenty.'"
But The New York Times said the chemical and biological materials encountered by the soldiers were not evidence of an "active" chemical and biological weapons program. Active? Who said anything about "active"? The war resolution simply asserted that Iraq possessed these weapons, demanded their dismantling and an accounting of this dismantling.
No WMD?
Army Chief of Staff Ray Odierno, who just retired, only days ago said: "I talked to all the Iraqi generals. They'll tell you there were nuclear weapons. They believed there were. The bottom line is they absolutely believe there were nuclear weapons on the ground. To say we shouldn't have went in there now because we know there wasn't any or we didn't find any, I think is a little bit of hindsight."
In December 2011, President Barack Obama, who had called Iraq a "dumb war" designed to divert attention from George W. Bush's "failing economy," pulled out. He did so after calling Iraq "sovereign, stable and self-reliant," leaving no stay-behind force.
Our American military did its job. Rather than remind the American people of why we went to war -- the near-unanimous intelligence and the very real evidence that the stockpiles were there -- the Republican presidential candidates run from the war like scalded chickens.
But it's Donald Trump who has "hurt the Republican brand"?
I would submit that the Republican “leaders” in Congress who have squandered the mandates given to them in 2010, 2012, and 2014 are equally, if not more, culpable in trashing the GOP brand.
EXAMPLE: Trump flew into Iowa on his gilded helicopter dressed like a successful businessman....reeking of glamour, money, success and power.
No hay bales and jeans for Donald. He took one bite out of the idiotic pork-chop-on-a-stick and put it down. A guy like Trump doesn't need the usual Iowa props to get votes.
As a lifelong Republican, I care nothing, nada, zip, zero for the “brand.”
It has been destroyed by the Likes of McConnell, Boehner, Corker, Cornyn, McCain, Alexander.......et.al.
These men stand for nothing except gaining power and money.
“Trump Accused of Trashing GOP ‘Brand’”
Bonus points for Trump. :)
I will vote for Trump because of the failure of the GOP before Trump even decided to run.
Listening to Glenn Beck Who is now saying that Donald trumps wife did porn films.... I just heard it.... Beck is scum
Beck is completing his meltdown, over Trump. What does that tell/confirm for us?
Beck -> Fraud
Beck sure is a big disappointment
So, what are you going to do? Stay home of vote third party? That will only help the “progressives”. Do you want this? And yes, Alexander and Corker who are my senators are RINOS. All you have to do is look with which party they voted most
Wow-he must think he has proof. If he doesn’t, Trump will come after him with a legal hatchet.
Beck seems to be unhinged.
Really pathetic.
She did one nude photo shoot, that hardly makes her a porn star. Trump will NOT be pleased to hear Beck trashing his wife. He was a danged drunk - so who is he to throw rocks at someone else?
Those lying idiots running the GOP don’t have anyone to blame but themselves.
Some people are simply terrified of higher cocaine prices.
Iraq War history ping
“As a lifelong Republican, I care nothing, nada, zip, zero for the brand.
It has been destroyed by the Likes of McConnell, Boehner, Corker, Cornyn, McCain, Alexander.......et.al.
These men stand for nothing except gaining power and money.”
Also a lifelong Republican and Conservative. I do believe that with the decline of the country and the corruption of the Republican party, our only hope is to shake up and change the Republican party, it’s too late for a third party. The path to election at this time for anyone who can or will lead us out of this is through the Republican party. All of us need to contact our Republican Senators and congressmen before they go back into session and demand leadership changes. All request for money from the RNC, RNSC, RNCC, by mail, phone or electronic should be responded to with NO money until Senate and House leadership replaced and Reince Prince replaced.
Why would you jump to the conclusion that I would stay home? Actually I voted for Romney even though he wasn’t my favorite.
My point is that the party is corrupt. There are individual Republicans who are honorable. The PARTY as a whole stands for absolutely nothing at this point in time. There is no argument that would convince me otherwise. I think I am not alone in that assertion.
The R leaders have no stomach for a fight. Most are old alcoholics who need to step aside for men who do have the will to at least put up a fight and not a “show” fight as McConnell likes to do.
[[Also a lifelong Republican and Conservative. I do believe that with the decline of the country and the corruption of the Republican party, our only hope is to shake up and change the Republican party, ]]
Agreed. Disgust must lead to action to save the Party. It’s preferable to use the existing structure rather than establishing a third party.
Personally, I have written, called and emailed. Recently I posted strong comments on Reince Priebus’ public email site. I have called the offices and spoken with staff of many Congressional and Senate members, not only my own. I know that individual comments are not important but staffers do relay the general trend to their employers.
If everyone did this I believe we would see dramatic shifts in behavior, but it takes large numbers and persistence.
The GOP has no “brand” to trash. Thanks to the likes of McCain, Graham, Corker, Cornyn and other traitors.
The GOPE, still trying to polish up and put a bow on the turd of a Party they created and complaining when told they stink. Arrogant, elitist, lying, bribed, bought and paid for, out of touch douche bags infest the GOP in Washington and in many state capitals and make it a bad brand. I don’t think it can be saved at this point, just needs to go away.
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