If George Dubya Bush (The lesser) or anyone like him (can you say Willard) was President today, we already would been much past the point of suffering thru another "Commander codpiece" moment and the cruise missiles and B-2 bombers would have already lit up Syria like it was shock and awe part deux. The wonderful FACT is we are not... and regardless of what CNN and Faux news come up with, there is a conversation happening among Americans concerned and engaged about how our country will respond to the recent chemical attacks on civilians in Syria. Does "Anyone" think there would be such a discussion under a Republican President? Sometimes the (seemingly) only purpose leaders serve to their country is to be so bad an example that everyone remembers the grand mistakes and vows to not be fooled again by lies, jingoism and hollow patriotism.
Does anyone here on DKos think the the parliament in England would have rejected David Cameron's request for their forces to strike Syria would have happened without the debacle that the Iraq war became under Bush and Tony Blair, and the release of the Downing Street memo? Do you think ANY American congress person would be up front and center saying that they need to hear more from the President, and he should consult with congress prior to taking action if Bush had not done the things he did?
Today one of our newer and more esteemed people in congress did just that right here on DKos. OK some folks in comments on her diary have picked bones with the wording and meaning, and if you really want to get down into the weeds I guess that is okay, personally I am quite happy that we have her here to speak her mind and comment about what she wrote, because not so many years ago that conversation would have not been taking place, or it would have evolved into a pie fight about how unpatriotic certain folks are if they don't support the conventional wisdom being sprinkled from on high out of DC by elected leaders that SHOULD have been better, and known better than the crap they pulled and the lies they sold.
I have walked the same flight lines as Mrs. Duckworth and flown beside her in the pattern in Illinois, and placed my life on the line for this country, more times than I should have had to. I believe we have a higher quality of leaders questioning what this country does and what it gets involved in than we ever had in the last decade.
All that being said, I still thank George Bush and his cadre of misinformed and maladjusted corporate misfits for showing America how NOT to obtain the backing of your fellow citizens and serve as a reminder forevermore that we SHOULD pay attention very carefully when our fellow citizens, and their sons and daughters are being put in harms way, and that the benefits of any action they take. In our national will, and conscience must outweigh the cost of action, in both blood and treasure.
Personally I do trust our current President and his Secretary of Defense (who has been in battle himself) as well to be level headed and make a good decision as to what the proper response should be. But when you are intending to put the sons and daughters of this country out there on the line to enforce your "Good Ideas' it should require evidence extraordinaire that the task you are asking to them to do is worth their lives. And our the leaders in DC that are elected to represent us should be asking hard questions and taking the President and the Joint Chiefs to task on this. And we should ALL pay attention, and remember....