[FairOpinion]

Note, this was written by a self proclaimed liberal Democrat, and he is bringing up some good points.

The only answer to the question he raises, is that the opponents of war are NOT liberals, but a bunch of America hating leftists, calling themselves liberals.

[MEG33]

He got his usual licks in about Bush but he's right on about the war.

[kcvl]

Bob Beckel, a political analyst who managed Walter Mondale's 1984 presidential campaign, paid a woman $300 per hour tovisit his home on June 27 and 29. Days later, he found a note on his car and a message on his answering machine demanding money and threatening to release evidence of the woman's visits to his family and the media, according to a search warrant filed Aug. 26 in Alexandria Circuit Court.

[frosty snowman]

The Dems oppose it because they are envious that Bush is running the war instead of their guy. If the war happened under a democrat administration it would be touted as a victory for human rights, and the media would be playing right along.

[sonofatpatcher2]

"They're Democrats, Jim."

[Radix]

Why do Dems oppose war?

I think they are afraid that we might win.

[LiberationIT]

Many Liberals oppose the war because the only significant input to the development of their political philosophy came from listening to Beatles, PP&M and Dylan tunes. Critical, objective thought was not then, and is not now, a tool they successfully use.

[Ophiucus]

a bunch of America hating leftists, calling themselves liberals.

Is there a difference anymore?

It's not an off the cuff wisecrack. I remarked to a friend during a discussion that in WWII, there were still Democrats that supported this country and the Constitution. Since then, the Left has become closer to the Communist Left and less like the Classic Liberal ( as Jeffersonian democracy is often referred). The Democratic party has mounted a long range, long running attack against all remaining Constitutional guarantees - like freedom to bear arms, freedom of speech, freedom of religion, press, a constitutionally restrained federal government - fought against a free-market, agaisnt capitalism, and has fought to institute a socialist state.

Where are these members of the Left that still ascribe to any of the princibles of the Founders?

I don't think they remain. The Leftism of Communism and Socialism, antithematic to our constitutional democracy, have taken over the American left during this century.

[Boot Hill]

Bob Beckel says:   "I've always believed that one of the great foundation blocks of liberalism is that we are committed to helping those who cannot help themselves."

Bob Beckel, you're a flipping idiot.

Our primary purpose in Iraq doesn't have a damn thing to do with "helping those who cannot help themselves", nor is to free the Iraqi people from "the most vicious dictator since Hitler". It is a war on terrorism and this campaign in Iraq has only one primary goal and that is to rid America of one more state sponsor of terrorism.

For 25 years, America has turned the other cheek and "given peace a chance" and all we got for our efforts were dozens of acts of war upon this country, culminating with the infamy of September 11.

Make no mistake, this is a war on terrorism, no matter whether it is called Al Qaida, Hizbollah, Hamas, Islamic Jihad or PLO. And the single most important fact to understand about Middle Eastern terrorism is that 100% of it is state sponsored. There is simply no viable alternative to conquering those terrorist sponsoring states.

If the ideas of leftist fools like Bob Beckel ever gain respectability in this country and this war changes to one of "feel good" strategy that subordinates the fight against terrorism to "helping people", "freeing people" or "nation building", then this war is lost and with it too, America.

--Boot Hill

[Oldeconomybuyer]

...and he is bringing up some good points...

Agreed. But what he fails to admit is why so many of his liberal democrat friends are against the liberation of Iraq. It's because a republican is in the White House and partisan politics trumps national security.

[RWG]

Despite the conservative revisionism that Ronald Reagan ended the Cold War all by himsel...I did not pay much attention to political events in the 80s but at one point after Reagan left office I did watch a documentary that in fact cataloged how Reagan did defeat the evil empire virtually all by himself. It happened when he met gorby in iceland and outfoxed him on point after point until the wall came tumbling down. Without his strength of person there would still be the evil empire to this day. Reagan did defeat the evil empire and almost by himself.

[weikel]

The only answer to the question he raises, is that the opponents of war are NOT liberals, but a bunch of America hating leftists, calling themselves liberals.

Is there a diffrence?

[kcordell]

Bob Beckel was a deputy secretary of State in the Carter administration, national campaign manager for Walter Mondale and a political analyst and columnist. He is currently writing a book on politics

Beckel was also one of Clinton's chief supporters and apologist. Let's not forget his role in Clinton's Impeachment in trying to destroy the reputations of all the Congressmen on the committee.

[Dr.Deth]

liberals have been at the forefront of the war against racism

Author loses all credibility right about here with this pile of bull. Liberals love racism and practice it constantly. By favoring policies to give advantages to their chosen racial (or gender, or sexual orientation) groups, they imply that individuals belonging to those groups cannot compete on a level playing field. More than that, liberals need them to fail, and continue to fail, or their political base evaporates.

Liberals are thus hypocrites; morally and intellectually bankrupt, and will ever be so. Taking that into account, I give this man's argument approximately the weight of the gasoline it would take to drive a flea's moped around a raindrop.

[OldFriend]

LIBERALS ARE A BUNCH OF AMERICA HATING LEFTISTS

[8mmMauser]

OK, I have one for you.

Democrats are socialists. Can anyone deny this??

Ba'ath party are socialists. Can anyone deny this??

Socialists are socialists. I rest my case.

[randita]

They all agree that Saddam Hussein is evil, but believe that thousands of Iraqi civilians will be killed by our troops and bombs.

I absolutely do not buy this. If it were truly the case that the left opposes this war because they don't want civilian casualties, why didn't they come out in force against the wars in Bosnia and in Kosovo? I predict that in the end, far, far more civilians were killed by us in those wars than will be killed by us in Iraq.

The bottom line is that the left intensely hates Bush and as a reflexive action, will oppose vehemently anything and everything Bush does or stands for. The hate is visceral and defies rational explanation, despite Beckel's attempt to dissect it.

[dfwgator]

Liberal Democrats oppose this war for one thing and one thing only. Bush!!! When Clinton called for regime change in Iraq, the Democrats agreed with him, they agreed with bombing Iraq. When Bush is in the White House, suddenly Saddam is a hero to them.

[jriemer]

The author misses the point. The reason why liberals and leftists alike despise the War on Terror and the War on Iraq is because it is the Right Thing To Do (TM) and is the brain child of a President posessing intellectual honesty and moral certainty. These factors terrify the left moreso than tumbling skycrapers and airplanes hurtling into the ground. They cannot advance their cause without the corruption of our hearts and minds. Their agenda cannot stand the scrutiny of a sound intellect, an honest heart or a moral conviction.

We experienced the exact same behavior from the left during the the Reagan administration. There was outrage and bluster that Reagan would take us to the edge of nuclear war with the Soviets. Anti-nuke (anti-American) protestors marched throughout Europe and parts of American cities just like today. The Berlin Wall fell. The Soviets splintered. The protracted ideological war between American conversatism and the leftist world continued.

Nothing has changed if you happened to be a President with intellectual honesty and moral certainty. In the end, victory will be certain but it may not be swift.

[Mr. Mojo]

Having had several painful discussions with some of my closest friends, many of whom I've worked with for 30 years, I come away with the crux of the problem with their argument against this war. They all agree that Saddam Hussein is evil, but believe that thousands of Iraqi civilians will be killed by our troops and bombs.

Nonsense. Leftists are against this war for one reason and one reason only: A Republican is in the WH.