Bush: Viet Nam had politicians making military decisions...

[wyldwolf]

...uh, Georgy... Iraq?

[Jacobin]

1. I hope his kindergarten teacher isn't watching this.

She will be appalled that her student has no progressed since then

[ithacan]

2. they were bashing the Generals in 2002!!!

Does anyone remember this, when Rumsfeld and others were saying this is too important to leave to the Generals?

When W was carrying around a book on that exact same theme?

When they were belittling the military guys who were very skeptical about the Rumsfeld plans for the Iraq war?

Someone needs to pull those out and mail them to Russert and every other media outlet possible....

[wyldwolf]

3. I think I do... we need to compare and contrast both quotes

[Kitsune]

4. I love how it's only Democrats who "flip-flop"

Especially when they change their minds over the course of 11 years.

But no, it's not flip-flopping when Mr. Malaprop says one day "No Iraqi Intelligence investigation! Ever!" and on the very next says "We need to investigate this, ASAP!" Nope. No flip-flopping there.

[Benhurst]

5. Russert is a total mediawhore. The truth has no value for him. n/t

[Jack Rabbit]

6. Is he raising a Tu Quoque argument?

He's right about politicians making military decisions in Vietnam. They did and to disastrous effect. However, that does not justify doing the same thing in Iraq. Nor does it justify the politicization of intelligence.

Bush is guilty of the logical fallacy argumentum ad hominem: tu quoque, a special case of the hed herring. He is simply saying the a Democratic administration (LBJ's) had civilians making decisions for which they were not trained; so, he asks, what is wrong with his administration doing the same thing?

Both wars turned out poorly. In the sixties, many of our generals questioned whether it was wise to fight a land war in Vietnam; they feared, rightly, that it would become a quagmire. During the run up to the war against Iraq, many of our generals questioned whether the occupation after the invasion would be a quagmire.

What this demonstrates is that arrogant fools will always be with us.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

7. you are supposed to learn from your mistakes n/t

[Toots]

8. Which decisions was he referring to?

I seem to remember a couple of Generals named Westmorland and Abrams who felt they were making a few of those decisions. But seem like I hear about a guy named Bremer (civilian) who is making the decisions in Iraq also not to leave out Rumsfeld (civilian politician) or Condi Rice (civilian politician) but can't off the top of my head tell you what General has command. :shrug: But what do I know?

[spanone]

9. I heard that and laughed my ass off.

[DoYouEverWonder]

10. The really ridiculous part was this was his excuse

for not going to Viet Nam!

He didn't want to go because the politicians were running the war!

Someone needs to tell that to all those poor kids in Iraq. If the war is run by politicans, it is illegitimate and therefore you shouldn't feel bad if you don't fulfill your duty. No problem.

[Johnyawl]

11. And his Daddy was one of those politicians!

I find that absolutely hilarious.

[leesa]

12. I'm sorry, but who was making them this time? All of the military people

said their advice was ignored.