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Kristol: Pathetic (The me-too Republicans wimp out on Iraq)
The Weekly Standard ^ | November 15, 2005 | William Kristol

Posted on 11/15/2005 5:30:28 PM PST by RWR8189

Pathetic.

One expected no better of the Senate Democrats, who want to get out of Iraq as soon as possible, or sooner than possible--most of them don't really care--and who want to embarrass president Bush. But couldn't the Senate Republicans have stood and fought against passing an irresponsible resolution suggesting that Americans want to get out of Iraq more than we want to win?

The Republican leadership may have figured they didn't have the votes to defeat the Democratic proposal without giving their members a weaker alternative to vote for. But better to lose such a vote by a small margin than to go on record voting for a resolution that sends a signal of irresolution and weakness at precisely the time when a message of strength is most needed. After all, in precisely a month, the Iraqis will vote for their first government under the new constitution, and one thing they must weigh in their calculations is whether they can count on U.S. staying power in the fight against the terrorists. With today's vote in the Senate, the Republican leadership, apparently working hand in glove with White House staff, showed itself today to be tactically myopic and politically timid.

One hopes Republicans in the House will show more spine. One trusts that President Bush will not bend in any way to these winds of worry. One hopes that a year from now this vote is simply remembered as a minor hiccup on the way to success and victory in Iraq. But one doesn't win a war by showing weakness. And one doesn't win a political fight by half capitulating to one's opponents, and, in effect, accepting the premises of their critique.

All honor to the 13 Republican senators who stood up against the me-too, we-want-to-get-out-as-well-but-not-quite-as-quickly, Republican leadership: Bunning, Burr, Chambliss, Coburn, DeMint, Graham, Inhofe, Isakson, Kyl, McCain, Sessions, Thune, and Vitter. Let's hope their colleagues reconsider and join their ranks in the near future.

--William Kristol


TOPICS: Editorial; Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: 109th; 109thcongress; 1firstkeyword; bunning; burr; chambliss; coburn; demint; foxnews; frist; graham; inhofe; iraq; iraqwar; isakson; kristol; kyl; mccain; pinktutu; rino; rinos; senateleadership; sessions; thune; timetable; vitter; wariniraq
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1 posted on 11/15/2005 5:30:30 PM PST by RWR8189
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To: RWR8189

You'll find some on this board, too.


2 posted on 11/15/2005 5:31:31 PM PST by Flightdeck (Longhorns+January=Rose Bowl Repeat)
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To: RWR8189

Lindsey Graham may have stood up to this amendment, but he is trying to get access to the appeals courts for the terrorists. Spineless POS.


3 posted on 11/15/2005 5:32:48 PM PST by Peach (The Clintons pardoned more terrorists than they ever captured or killed.)
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To: RWR8189

They are apparently willing to defend the country from everyone but themselves.

Why the hell do they think we worked so hard to elect them?


4 posted on 11/15/2005 5:33:55 PM PST by linear
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To: Peach


Kristol is pleased with McCain's vote.


5 posted on 11/15/2005 5:34:25 PM PST by onyx ((Vicksburg, MS) North is a direction. South is a way of life.)
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To: RWR8189

Republicans surrender again. Apply for asylum in France.


6 posted on 11/15/2005 5:34:31 PM PST by saganite (The poster formerly known as Arkie 2)
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To: RWR8189

Sometime Mr Kristol makes my blood boil, but on this he is dead right.


7 posted on 11/15/2005 5:35:50 PM PST by TheHound (You would be paranoid too - if everyone was out to get you.)
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To: RWR8189

It's quite clear these "Republican" Senators are plants.


8 posted on 11/15/2005 5:37:02 PM PST by ryan71
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To: RWR8189

Write 'em, folks. Tell 'em what you think. Don't just moan and groan about it here.

The phone numbers for the offices of my two senators are on my speed dial, and their e-mail addresses are in my address book.


9 posted on 11/15/2005 5:37:03 PM PST by Arm_Bears (If the people lead, the leaders will follow.)
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To: RWR8189

Makes me think we need to start thinking changing a law. Makes me think we only need one term Senators and Congress critters. They wouldn't be so apt to stick their fingers up in the air to see which way the wind is blowing if they were only there for one term.


10 posted on 11/15/2005 5:37:15 PM PST by GloriaJane (http://music.download.com/gloriajane "ACLU Christmas")
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To: RWR8189

Senator Jeff Sessions seems to be often on the right side of issues.


11 posted on 11/15/2005 5:38:16 PM PST by Bahbah (Free Scooter; Tony Schaffer for the US Senate)
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To: RWR8189

One thing you can almost always count on is the spinlessness of about 20% of the Republicans in the Senate.


12 posted on 11/15/2005 5:39:48 PM PST by Blood of Tyrants (G-d is not a Republican. But Satan is definitely a Democrat.)
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To: RWR8189

This might be about embarassing President Bush (although I doubt he would be embarassed). However, it is about telling the enemy a time frame so they can sit on their duffs and wait until we leave and then kick Butt all over again. What in thee hell is the matter with these people both dem/pubbies? This is our country for God's sakes and lives have been lost. Blood has been shed! Now they want to WIMP OUT on those who have lost their lives??????????????? What kind of an American is that? They are a disgrace all of them. Our troops deserve better than what sits in Washington. They are just a group of sore losers who care nothing about our country...only their own selfish agenda. President Bush has made headway in Iraq and they are too ugly, vile and vengeful to admit it so instead they want the enemy to be given a time line.

The blood of our troops are on the hands that speak out constantly against our President and the War. God forgive them and God bless our troops. They are KILLING our troops. Shame on every last single one of them who are asking for this timeline. Shame on every single one of them.


13 posted on 11/15/2005 5:40:25 PM PST by cubreporter (I trust Rush. He's done more for our country than we will ever know. He's the man!)
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To: Peach
Lindsey Graham may have stood up to this amendment, but he is trying to get access to the appeals courts for the terrorists.

What would their access (to civilian courts) be without Senate action?

14 posted on 11/15/2005 5:40:43 PM PST by Cboldt
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To: RWR8189

Let Kristol continue to seal his fate. It is fitting for a backstabbing intellectually dishonest sneak to cut off all ties to our administration. The Islamo-fascists can count on he and the many others to "Cut and Run" like the cowardly spineless traitors they are.
As with the River Styxx. there is the solid assurance of no return ever. Their fate is sealed.


15 posted on 11/15/2005 5:40:58 PM PST by CBart95
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To: RWR8189

William Kristol runs hot and cold. He is hot. Seems like we have Rhinos trying hard to associate themselves with the Rats. My Sen(Smith-rhino,or.)just keeps digging himself a deeper hole trying to wyden his appeal to the moonbats in Portland.


16 posted on 11/15/2005 5:41:54 PM PST by crazyhorse691 (Diplomacy doesn't work when seagulls rain on your parade. A shotgun and umbrella does.)
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To: RWR8189
Hmmm...same as the life cycle of a U.S. Senator:


17 posted on 11/15/2005 5:42:40 PM PST by quark
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To: RWR8189

et tu, George Allen? Stabbed Bush in the back?


18 posted on 11/15/2005 5:44:50 PM PST by Zechariah11
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To: RWR8189

Glad to see Thune's name on the list of 'machos'.


19 posted on 11/15/2005 5:45:49 PM PST by citizencon
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To: CBart95

What the hell are you talking about? Let kristol seal what fate? he's rightly reaming out the fools that voted for this reoslution.


20 posted on 11/15/2005 5:46:25 PM PST by Soul Seeker (Mr. President: It is now time to turn over the money changers' tables.)
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