Karl Rove, lost in a sea of ‘make-believe’

[DonViejo]

02/12/15 09:24 AM—UPDATED 02/12/15 01:52 PM

By Steve Benen

As odd as it may seem, Karl Rove continues to maintain a prominent role in conservative media, including a regular column in the Wall Street Journal. In his latest missive, the Republican operative tries his hand at foreign policy, complaining that President Obama’s foreign policy convictions are “startling and disturbing.”

Take Mr. Obama’s Feb. 1 interview with CNN’s Fareed Zakaria. The president said American leaders must avoid “suggesting in some fashion” that terrorist networks “are an existential threat to the United States or the world order.”Is Mr. Obama really blind to the consequences of Islamic State – which the president referred to as a “jayvee team” last year – establishing a caliphate in the heart of the Middle East, fueled by oil riches?

The right has complained about Obama’s interview with Zakaria quite a bit, perhaps because conservatives are confused about the meaning of the word “existential.” ISIS militants are, to be sure, a legitimate threat, but the idea that the United States may no longer exist because of the terrorist group is silly. I can’t speak to Rove’s understanding of our national strength, but by most sensible standards, America is the most powerful and most prosperous country on the planet. Are we to believe a group of lunatics will completely erase the United States from the map? Please. Time to grow up, Karl.

As for the notion that ISIS wants to establish a trans-national “caliphate,” Republicans may not realize this, but unhinged terrorists make plenty of bold and ridiculous claims. Tomorrow, ISIS may also announce intentions to establish a colony on Mars. Here’s a suggestion: don’t take ISIS rhetoric at face value. What the group wants and what the group will get are likely to be very different.

But just as important was Rove’s condemnation of the president’s broader strategy in general, which he sees as “delusional.” The Republican strategist warns readers of “the dangers of make-believe foreign policy.”

Let’s make this plain: Karl Rove is the last person who should be giving lectures on “the dangers of make-believe foreign policy.”

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http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/karl-rove-lost-sea-make-believe?cid=sm_fb_maddow

[Fred Sanders]

1. To this day the freakingly stupid media is still asking if ISIL lied about Mueller....amazing.

And still forwarding their propaganda complete with B roll of war clips from their recruiting propaganda. Is the media really that stupid? Fox and CNN clearly have agendas, but are the rest just plain stupid?

This is no longer media we have, it is wall to wall corporate and fear driven propaganda using pretend facts to fuel the outrage.

It is somehow rocket science to realize terrorists groups lie a lot?

[aquart]

2. Getting real, Republicans would adore a caliphate.

They loathe democracy and admire iron-fisted dictators. And if the caliphate refused to buddy up, they'd have a really cool enemy to finally replace communism.

The proof would be how many factories they open in the caliphate.