Why isn't the war in Iraq a bigger issue around here?

[mogster]

I wonder? :shrug:

[CJCRANE]

1. Remember just before the '06 elections...

what was the MSM and blogosphere talking about...?

MARK FOLEY.

Personalities trump issues.

[bananas]

2. This website is for promoting Democrats, and there are no anti-war Dem candidates left

Rove won.

[CJCRANE]

3. Let's be fair to Obama

he has said he will remove combat troops within 16 months. And now Maliki has asked for a similar timeline, so Obama was proved right.

[mogster]

4. Exactly

He's a candidate that voted no to the Iraqi war, why isn't this a bigger issue? In general, I mean?

[Fumesucker]

6. Obama became a senator on January 4, 2005

The IWR vote was in 2003.

Obama did not vote against the Iraq war.

Obama also has not voted against funding the war.

Edit for spelling...

[mogster]

10. Ah

See how much I know? ;-)
American politics is a wast realm to explore for foreigners.
Still, Obama has a totally different attitude towards war as a political means, so why not use it more?
McCain represents unchanged, ongoing war (on terror) while Obama represents change. I see the Dem party as the peace party. I realize that this isn't totally correct, but still?

[Carolina]

17. no, IWR was October 2002

just before the 2002 midterm elections. It was an obvious repuke ploy which Sen Robert Byrd and 22 others in the Senate pointed out. It is also why I have always had a problem with the Dem POTUS hopefuls (Clinton, Biden, Dodd, Edwards, Kerry, Lieberman) who voted 'aye.'

What Obama DID was show courage and judgment. At a time when few dared to speak against Bushco, Obama spoke out against Bush, Cheney and Rove by name, and he showed judgment in his opposition to the war in a speech was damn near clairvoyant.

His senate votes are to support the troops now since they are over there!

[Fumesucker]

20. You're right, I should have checked.

My point stands though, that Obama did not vote against the Iraq war.

Obama's constituency at the time of his speaking out against the war was not such that his position would have caused him great political harm.

But we all know that all American troops will be out of Iraq sixteen months after Jan 20, 2009 if Obama is elected.

I'm holding my breath in anticipation.

[BlooInBloo]

7. Fail.

[Fumesucker]

13. Biden voted against the war? Obama voted against war funding? n/t

[KharmaTrain]

5. It's The Economy...Stupid...

Iraq is a big issue, but a failed economy is even bigger. While many of us feel the pains of this ugly war for profit, the loss of a home, job, education, healthcare and an economy that's the worst since the Depression hits home closer.

I've long felt that on election day, a person looks in their purse or wallet and how full it is represents the way they'll vote.

[mogster]

11. Yeah, that is important

I see things that way too, back home. It gets kinda personal when your own security is threatened.
Economy fails, war continues, a new Katrina is on the way - I just can't wrap my head around the McCain polls. Obama is in the lead, but he should be way, way ahead of any Repub candidate if we relate to facts. And just life, you know. Having a bad economy on the verge of collapse isn't good, seen from any standpoint. Nor is the rampant cronyism we see in the US govt. or the status quo in Iraq and Afghanistan. It's like we have all sane points on our side, yet McCain and Obama somehow starts on equal terms, if you see what I mean.

[KharmaTrain]

12. Pay No Attention To The Beauty Pagent Numbers

We don't elect Presidents by national numbers...if that were the case we'd be finishing up Al Gore's second term (and too bad that didn't happen)...the game is won on the state level...and, more specific, with a solid "ground game". There's no magic here...organization wins elections and thanks to both Dr. Dean's 50-state strategy and the extended primary season, Senator Obama has a commanding lead in the number of campaign offices and foot soldiers who are determined not to let this one get away and prevent this election from being stolen. In essence, they're gonna do what the repugnicans did for many years to win...while all Gramps can do is "bomb from the air".

What matters are the polls in key states such as Ohio



Virginia



Colorado


(and note this is before the DNC)

and Michigan



Note the trend lines on all these surveys...all were taken before Senator Obama's speech on Thursday and I suspect there will be bumps in all these states...and maybe that will ease your angst a bit.

Also, pay little attention to the corporate media spinning...they love the beauty pagent numbers and then go digging for stats that fit their memes and storyiines.

As the saying goes...keep the eyes on the prize. Personally, I hope people are a little freaked by the spin and beauty numbers...get them off their asses and onto the streets to make sure this election doesn't get away.

Cheers...

[mogster]

16. Agreed!

You know what's the most visible difference between Repubs and Dems seen from abroad? It's the involvement of the people and the enabling of the people to participate in politics, and decide their future. Liberalism is a bit more hard to get started than fascism when it comes to political radicalization and participation, but it is also harder to stop when started. We can't use the methods they use, but truth and faith in democracy will bring us longer than lies and authoritarianism.
Cheers :-)

[Carolina]

18. WRONG! The billions of dollars from the national treasury

that are spent in Iraq are intimately connected to the state of the economy. You cannot separate the two though the misadministration and bubble heads of MSM apparently have done so. In fact they have relegated Iraq to a back burner, totally ignoring its costs -- financial and otherwise.

[KharmaTrain]

21. It's All Part And Parcel...

But dare I say, we need to be simple here...think like "Low Information Voters".

Both of us know that this illegal war for profit is being spent on a credit card and it's led to the decline of the dollar that made the run-up in oil prices even more severe and that has led to a lot of the fiscal problems companies are having that is leading to layoff...but ya see how complex that is...far too complex for the corporate media to put into a soundbite.

I am not saying Iraq isn't an important issue...it's intertwined with the economy and the GOOP fleece and corporate welfare system that has turned the treasury into their own private piggy bank.

I'd love to see Gramps have to eat the "surge is working" bullshit...cause it ain't. But the corporate media has allowed this regime to dictate the coverage of this dirty, ugly war and there's little coming out on the teevee...the shitty economy has led to these profitmongers to cut back their international reporting...merely content on having someone sit on a hotel roof in Baghdad...the only time they get out is by being embedded with a unit.

[Telly Savalas]

19. Borrowing and spending $10 billion a month to perpetuate a failed foreign policy

doesn't impact the economy?

[Fumesucker]

8. Because all American troops will be out of Iraq..

Sixteen months after Jan 20, 2009.

Unless McGigolo is elected.

[ThomWV]

9. Because it has been a big issue around here for so many years we've all tired of it

Call it war fatigue, but you can also nail a lot of it to the fact that there is little to no actual news about goings-on in the war.

People have been actively speaking out against the war against Iraq since it was in the planning stage in the White House. At some point each of us has said about all we have to or even can say about it. It numbs the mind.

A lot has to do with lack of coverage of the war too and of course that comes from lack of demand for coverage by all of us. That's a lot different than the past. For instance, unlike the Second World War or even the Viet Nam War you'd be hard pressed to find anyone who can actually name even a few of the major military units engaged and where they are located. During 'the big one' every old Aunt and Uncle I had knew exactly where the 82nd Airborn was fighting and a pretty good idea where the 1st Cav was doing it business too. I can guarantee you that my mother and father were both very well informed of the exploits of the 4th Infantry Division during at least 3 years of the war in Viet Nam. Who (which Units?) is where doing what in Iraq? I certainly have no idea and to be honest I do not know a single person who does. I know several folks who know what unit their son is in and where he is located (gender specific because I don't happen to know anyone with a daughter there) but could not tell you another thing about the war. Probably something to do with the all volunteer force I suppose but other than that general suspicion I have no idea.

[mogster]

14. That's a good point

No news are good news for Republicans as far as (the unsuccessful) war goes, I guess.
And war fatigue may well be a factor, which adds to the effect from the lack of detailed news. Add the nature of war; you don't want to risk troop lives by bringing too many details into public view, and there is more or less a blackout. And the Bush regime doesn't exactly invite to public criticism, so people don't feel free to express themselves either. Add draconian laws, unlawful surveillance, and the ever-present (supposed) terror threat, and the wheels grind to a halt.
It's sad, though. The war isn't a campaign issue, it far surpasses anything political by now. But the losses, both on the Iraqi side and suffered by US troops and their families, should be more visible and set the agenda for the future president.

[fishnfla]

15. The 'told ya so' effect

gets old after awhile

[w8liftinglady]

22. ummm...apparrently you haven't read 150 of my 153 Letters to the editor

I call the repubs on Iraq in different ways every week.It is a huge deal to me.

[Imajika]

23. Because few US soldiers are dying in Iraq...

The issue for the American people was always the US casualties. Now that we are suffering far fewer fatalities/casualties and the overall violence appears greatly diminished the issue has largely taken a back seat to the economy and price of a gallon of gas.

It's really that simple.

[UTUSN]

24. Same answer as in '03: Because there is NO DRAFT!1 n/t

[LostInAnomie]

25. That choir has already been preached to.

We are all converted already. We all know it's bad, we all know we want to get the hell out of there. There's not a whole lot of reason to discuss what we all agree on.

[MetaTrope]

26. It's not a war, it's a military occupation

[tuckessee]

27. They're too busy gushing & fawning over the troops. n/t