Debunking the Bush Escalation Opposition Myths

     With President Bush and the rest of the Crime Family spreading a few myths around about opposing the escalation, the fine people over at the Center for American Progress have turned into myth busters and have set about debunking the Bush bullshit.

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Nearly seventy percent of Americans oppose President Bush's escalation plan, as do top military leaders, Bush's staunchest international ally, and the Iraq Study Group. After four years in the shadows, Congress has begun to use its power as a co-equal branch of government to do something about the administration's failed policies in Iraq. On Wednesday, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee passed a resolution condemning Bush's escalation strategy. "It is not in the national interest of the United States to deepen its military involvement in Iraq," the resolution said, "particularly by escalating the United States military force presence." The Senate will debate this measure along with several others next week, and a "vote could come as early as the week of Feb. 5." Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE), who strongly opposes escalation, explained why a healthy debate on the issue is crucial: "I think all 100 senators ought to be on the line on this. What do you believe? What are you willing to support? What do you think?" Americans are mobilizing against the President's plan. A protest rally has been planned for this weekend in Washington, D.C., while other groups such as Americans Against Escalation in Iraq plan to lobby members of Congress "who have spoken out against the war, but who have so far declined to pledge support for a resolution denouncing Bush's plan to increase the number of troops." In response, the White House and others have put out several myths they think will win support for their plan. The Progress Report debunks the right wing's talking points:
MYTH #1 -- OPPOSING ESCALATION UNDERMINES THE TROOPS: A recent Military Times poll of active-duty forces found 39 percent of those polled think troop levels should remain the same or should decrease. Only 38 percent support sending more troops into Iraq, with 13 percent supporting a complete withdrawal. "Our troops are on the Internet constantly," Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) said recently. "They know very well there's a debate going on in this country." Yet the administration and its conservative allies continue to push the false premise that opposition to the administration's failed policies -- which once again became painfully evident last Saturday -- means a lack of support for the troops. "In Iraq, all of this undermines the morale of the military and makes their task that much harder on the ground," the Wall Street Journal's conservative editorial page said about the ongoing debate. Vice President Cheney said of Senate passage of the anti-escalation resolution, "It would be, I think, detrimental from the standpoint of the troops." Hagel hit back hard against the charges. "When I hear...impugning motives and patriotism to our country, not only is it offensive and disgusting but it debases the whole system of our country and who we are," he said. "Can't we debate the most critical issue of our time, out front, in front of the American people? They expect it. Are we so weak, we can't do that?"
MYTH #2 -- PROGRESSIVES DON'T HAVE A PLAN: "It's the only game in town," Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) said of escalation. Cheney claimed "the critics have not suggested a policy." Tony Snow added, "If you've got a better proposal that will achieve success in Iraq, help Iraqis get swiftly into the lead, and will demonstrate support for American forces, let us hear it."  Listen closely, Tony. Over a year and a half ago, the Center for American Progress released a responsible Iraq strategy that called for comprehensive strategic redeployment. The strategy, which was updated in May 2006, calls for reducing U.S. troops to 60,000 in six months and to zero in eighteen months, while redeploying troops to Afghanistan, Kuwait, and the Persian Gulf to contain the threat of global terror networks. The plan also calls for engaging in diplomacy to resolve the conflict within Iraq by convening a Geneva Peace Conference, establishing a Gulf Security initiative to deal with the aftermath of U.S. redeployment from Iraq, and putting Iraq's reconstruction back on track with targeted international funds. The American public and the Iraqi public support phased withdrawal.
MYTH #3 -- WE OWE THE PRESIDENT ONE LAST SHOT: "Our country is pursuing a new strategy in Iraq," Bush said during his State of the Union address, "and I ask you to give it a chance to work." "I think it deserves a chance to see if it will work," Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) said. "We should do everything in our power to help make it work," Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ) said, "and that begins by giving it a chance and not criticizing it before the strategy even has a few days to work out." This talking point ignores the fact that similar strategies have been tried -- and failed -- twice before. During the last six months, the United States has increased -- or "surged" -- the number of American troops in Baghdad by 12,000, yet the violence and deaths of Americans and Iraqis has climbed alarmingly, averaging 960 a week since the latest troop increase. This past summer, Bush announced a major effort to secure Baghdad, stating at a news conference that thousands of U.S.-led coalition troops would be moved into the city. Violence intensified throughout the country, and U.S. deaths in Iraq spiked.

MYTH #4 -- HAGEL IS THE ONLY CONSERVATIVE CRITIC: The White House is trying to downplay the growing discontent among conservatives about Bush's policies. Fox News' Chris Wallace asked Cheney recently if they were losing the support from conservatives. "Well, I don't think Chuck Hagel has been with us for a long time," Cheney said. Asked for a comment on the escalation resolution, Tony Snow said there had been "no real surprises" because Hagel voted for it, ignoring the fact that Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) was the only member of the Foreign Relations Committee to express support for the president's plan. Other influential conservative voices -- including those of Sens. John Warner (R-VA), Norm Coleman (R-MN), Sam Brownback (R-KS) -- have said they will not support the plan. (See where all members of Congress stand HERE.)

 

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