Mitt Romney says the war is over...and we won!
Oh yeah, I remember now: George Bush. Aircraft carrier. Mission Accomplished. Apparently, the Great White Varmint Hunter is still eager to hitch his tugboat to Commander Codpiece.
Lashing out at Harry Reid for stating that the war is lost, Romney explained that understanding victory and defeat in Iraq is all about language and definitions. Sounds like somebody's been brainwashed by Karl Rove. Like father like son, I guess.
You see, we won the war, so Harry Reid is undermining the troops by suggesting otherwise. But it's okay for Mitt to say that the "jury is out" on the occupation rebuilding of Iraq.
Funny, though, why would Mitt bristle when asked if he's encouraged his five sons to enlist in the Global Battle Against Islamic Jihad?
Below the fold: Tbogg calls out Romney for wanting other people's kids to serve as sitting ducks in Iraq.
I've got some news for Mitt Romney: Americans understand the plain meaning of Harry Reid's words. They know that Reid was not referring to the initial invasion of Iraq and toppling of Hussein. The know what war is. They see it everyday on their teevees. And they're not in the mood for any more weasel-word justifications for continuing an occupation of a country in the middle of a bloody civil war.
Tbogg gives us the highlights of chickenhawk (rabbithawk?) Mitt's circumlocution:
MR: Well, first of all it shows a remarkable lack of understanding by Harry Reid. The first phase of the war, the war to knock down Saddam Hussein was won by the United States, solidly, handily, decidedly, and Harry Reid is simply wrong. We won the war to take down Saddam Hussein, and to remove a sponsor of terror.
We’re now in a stage of conflict, which is to help the Iraqi people rebuild their own country. That’s a long process. The jury is out on that. But for him to come out and say we lost the war shows a lack of understanding of the fact that we won taking out Saddam Hussein.
[...]
Shame on Harry Reid for saying something which will be dispiriting for our troops, and used as propaganda and rallying cries for jihadists around the world.
So Mitt thinks the outcome of our occupation is still uncertain, but dammit, we won the war. You see, it's all about semantics -- creating one's own reality, as Karl Rove might say.
Tbogg introduces us to the Romney family and wonders why Mitt won't ask his five kids to serve in Iraq:
One might think "at this stage of the conflict" that Willard-Mitt might call his Osmond Bunch together and say, " Boys. I'm going to need one of you to set an example for the country...Tell you what, go down to Texas and join the National Guard. I'll get someone to pull some strings and get you sent to Germany or something. Now who's up for some Postum and shooting at rabbits?"
But Mitt doesn't like the suggestion that his kids should serve:
Gov. Mitt Romney, who has comforted the grieving loved ones of soldiers killed in Iraq and promoted National Guard recruitment, yesterday said he has not urged his own sons to enlist - and isn't sure whether they would.
The Herald posed the question as Romney - a potential 2008 White House contender and backer of President Bush's Iraq policy - was honored by the Massachusetts National Guard after he signed a bill extending pay for state workers on active duty.
"No, I have not urged my own children to enlist. I don't know the status of my childrens' potentially enlisting in the Guard and Reserve," Romney said, his voice tinged with anger.
What, Mitt, you think you're going to stump around the country mumbling Bushie platitudes about supporting the troops and mission accomplished and not face mockery and questions about why your own kids won't enlist? Don't like it? Well, get used to it, buddy.
Apparently, Romney thinks that repeating Rovian talking points about the occupation of Iraq is the path to the Republican nomination. And he's probably right. That's the big problem for all of the GOP presidential contenders. In order to appeal to the Republican base, they've got to come out in support of an unpopular war. It's all part of Karl Rove's plan to keep Republicans out of power for a generation or two.
Meanwhile, Romney's hapless campaign team is trying to provide cover for George Bush's WMD lies.
Here's the deal Mitt: if you want to hang George Bush's failed war around your neck, we're not going to let you take it off. Forget about your plans to pivot after the nomination. Americans are not about to elect another chickenhawk Bushie who wants to continue this ill-conceived war, while never even discussing the possibility of enlistment with his own children.
cross-posted at mydd