Haven't seen this diaried yet, so...
U.S. generals call for Democratic takeover:
"SALON Oct. 25, 2006 | WASHINGTON -- Two retired senior Army generals, who served in Iraq and previously voted Republican, are now openly endorsing a Democratic takeover of Congress. The generals, and an active-duty senior military official, told Salon in separate interviews that they believe a Democratic victory will help reverse course from what they consider to be a disastrous Bush administration policy in Iraq. The two retired generals, Maj. Gen. John Batiste and Maj. Gen. Paul Eaton, first openly criticized the handling of the war last spring, when they called for the resignation of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.
Another few sad/amazing paragraphs and one dumbfounding statement about Gore and Kerry from Eaton that makes me wanna grab a bat, after the fold.
'The best thing that can happen right now is for one or both of our houses to go Democratic so we can have some oversight,' Batiste, who led the Army's 1st Infantry Division in Iraq in 2004 and 2005, told Salon. Batiste describes himself as a 'lifelong Republican.' But now, he said, 'It is time for a change.' "
Eaton, who was in charge of training the Iraqi military from 2003 to 2004, agrees that Democratic control of Congress could be the best way to wrest control from the Bush administration and steer the United States away from a gravely flawed strategy in Iraq. "The way out that I see is to hand the House and the Senate to the Democrats and get this thing turned around," Eaton explained, adding that such sentiment is growing among retired and active-duty military leaders. "Most of us see two more years of the same if the Republicans stay in power," he said. He also noted, "You could not have tortured me enough to vote for Mr. Kerry or Mr. Gore, but I'm not at all thrilled with who I did vote for."
Dear General Eaton, as brave as your tardy decision may be, that final sentence shows you still have a way to go on the road to Damascus. It speaks very poorly of your managerial judgement and systems analysis skills. General, it makes you a very poor scout in the eyes of the men and women once under your command. For that reason, I don't think you believe it. I'd bet $20 you added it for emphasis and cover. That I believe, and understand.
But remember, you are using a vain lie in begging to be rescued from the consequnces of lies and wishful thinking. You are stuck in the vanity vortex that is the folly of this Administration's seeming sole reaon for being.
Whatever. And, whatever you may think of Gore or Kerry, they were in the shit, in-country in Viet Nam when it counted. They pleaded for political, multinational solutions to a political and multinational problem. You and fellow voters scoffed at what you and your fellow generals are now begging for. The guy you did vote for (and most of his team) have never heard a shot fired in anger. They are pitchmen. And they fight war the way boys do when pretending, trying extra hard, to be men--impetuously, with no sense of war's weight or structure, and ignorant of the true costs. General, you are now in the zone of expertise and professional interest that your previous candidate, George Bush and his party, mocked in 2000. He scoffed at what he perceived was the milquetoast hobbyhorse of Albert Gore: "Nation-Building." Republicans cheered Bush's "Wisdom."
General, I used to suffer a vanity of my own. I used to think (or perhaps it was hope) that George Bush was governing not according to the national character or that of his party but, instead, according the jangled piecemeal wanderings of his own mind. I no longer believe that. Mine was a vain hope that you have confirmed yet again. I view Republicans these last 2 years as accessories before and after the fact to what has become and what will remain a blemish as great as Viet Nam or Manzanar or Jim Crow. Most probably greater because of the stiff-arm the administration gave any sage advisors, and because of the now obvious manipulation of intel and public emotion. Your colleague, General Powell was double-right. We own this, but Republicans refused help and insurance and asked for the second mortgage in 2004.
General, do you know much about the first fire departments in 1700s America? They were subscription operations. You paid your money and they gave you a big medallion to nail to the side of your house. When they saw a fire, they came. If they didn't see their company's particular medallion, they turned around and left. You were on your own.
Well, Democrats have made several trips to the American house since 2001. Each time they were ridiculed, brushed aside and called names.
And yes, they will come back again. THAT is called patriotism.
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[crossposted at fouroboros]