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Alex · 10-28-2005, 11:00 AM

Well, first I would need to know which predictions about the war, made before the war, you are talking about? There were a lot of predictions made that didn't come true, so to a certain degree it may just be that if you throw enough darts that some of them will hit a target.

Personally, I don't think the Iraq war is going all that badly. It isn't going as well as the administration hoped (and I think they have made some huge gaffes) but it also is progressing along. I think it is more a perception that the war is a debacle than a reality, strengthened by the fact that somehow we have reached the conclusion that 2,000 dead soldiers in a war is a lot. It is unfortunate, but spread out over two and a half years it isn't really that many. In fact, I would argue that the small number of deaths makes it look worse than is the reality since it allows the news to focus on individuals rather than the larger picture.

But really, if you predicted something that I agree has come true, then I have no problem giving mad props for it. Unless it was in this string of logic that was common before the war: we can never topple Iraq, they'll keep us out in the dessert, but if we do topple Iraq we'll never be able to leave, but if we do create a government that allows us to leave it will just be a puppet state, but if it isn't just a puppet state it will be an Islamo-fascist state that is worse than what we had before, but if it isn't an Islamo-fascist state we'll come up with some other reason to be disatisfied by then.

As for the indictment of Libby, it is hardly a stretch to predict that in an era where politics is being criminalized that indictments are hardly unlikely. Once again it looks like an administration official will be charged for covering up a crime that didn't happen. It was wrong when it happened to Clinton administration officials and it was wrong when it happens to Bush administration officials.

Richard Clark gave an interesting interview to NPR the other day (and Clark is no fan of the Bush administration or Karl Rove) about why this type of investigation is terrible for America. I'll have to see if I can track down audio for it.

10-28-2005, 11:00 AM	#12
Alex . Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 13,354	Well, first I would need to know which predictions about the war, made before the war, you are talking about? There were a lot of predictions made that didn't come true, so to a certain degree it may just be that if you throw enough darts that some of them will hit a target. Personally, I don't think the Iraq war is going all that badly. It isn't going as well as the administration hoped (and I think they have made some huge gaffes) but it also is progressing along. I think it is more a perception that the war is a debacle than a reality, strengthened by the fact that somehow we have reached the conclusion that 2,000 dead soldiers in a war is a lot. It is unfortunate, but spread out over two and a half years it isn't really that many. In fact, I would argue that the small number of deaths makes it look worse than is the reality since it allows the news to focus on individuals rather than the larger picture. But really, if you predicted something that I agree has come true, then I have no problem giving mad props for it. Unless it was in this string of logic that was common before the war: we can never topple Iraq, they'll keep us out in the dessert, but if we do topple Iraq we'll never be able to leave, but if we do create a government that allows us to leave it will just be a puppet state, but if it isn't just a puppet state it will be an Islamo-fascist state that is worse than what we had before, but if it isn't an Islamo-fascist state we'll come up with some other reason to be disatisfied by then. As for the indictment of Libby, it is hardly a stretch to predict that in an era where politics is being criminalized that indictments are hardly unlikely. Once again it looks like an administration official will be charged for covering up a crime that didn't happen. It was wrong when it happened to Clinton administration officials and it was wrong when it happens to Bush administration officials. Richard Clark gave an interesting interview to NPR the other day (and Clark is no fan of the Bush administration or Karl Rove) about why this type of investigation is terrible for America. I'll have to see if I can track down audio for it.
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