Ray McGovern: Levin gives Cheney reason to smirk

[babylonsister]

http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=node/21628

Levin gives Cheney reason to smirk
Submitted by davidswanson on Sun, 2007-04-22 22:56. Congress

BY RAY McGOVERN, Detroit Free Press

Never before have I felt such irk from a Cheney smirk -- the one with which he confidently assured CBS's Bob Schieffer on Sunday's "Face the Nation" that the Democrats will continue to vote to fund the war without including serious restrictions.

Cheney referred approvingly to the fact that "Carl Levin, who's chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, has indicated that they definitely do want to pass funding for the troops."

Cheney expressed confidence that the Democrats will "not leave America's fighting forces in harm's way without the resources they need to defend themselves." And yes, the vice president went on to reassure viewers, against all evidence to the contrary: "We are making progress."

The administration's main objective could hardly be clearer, even to mainstream pundits allergic to spelling it out. By waving the flag of patriotism, the White House is confident it can continue to intimidate enough Democrats to get the only thing it really wants: enough money to stave off defeat in Iraq until President George W. Bush and Cheney are safely out of office. That, of course, also explains the foredoomed "surge" in troop strength.

But how is it that Cheney can enlist the likes of Carl Levin in a policy built on the backs of American troops? Based on recent casualty rates, some 1,500 American troops already "in harm's way" will die, and several times that number will be wounded before Cheney and Bush leave office -- not to mention the ever mounting casualties among Iraqis.

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[BobRossi]

1. Levin.

In the pocket of big defence contractors.

[rodeodance]

2. It's morally WRONG-- to win the WH/congress on the back of dead troops!

It is just plain wrong. It seems the dems/we do not want to upset the apple cart--to win the WH.

[Old and In the Way]

3. Worse than that, this administration will use this back down against us.

Do you think they'll look at this as a form of bi-partisan support? No, they'll use it to say we are "flip-floppers" on this issue...we can't make up our minds. We were for it, before we were against it, before we were for it again. Unless we hang tight and let Bush suffer the consequences for not getting the troops out, we'll have this strung around our necks. We have to play hardball on this...absolutely.

[pocoloco]

4. The plans arn't hidden!

We will be in Iraq until we get every single drop of our oil?