As Iraq continues to go to hell, we're finding most Americans, and
80% of Kossacks, ready to
pull out over the coming year -
starting right now. Great! But overwhelming any How to End It diaries here is a twisted new trend:
week after
week of `Occupation or pullout - just Blame Bush!'
But wait - Bush has always taken credit for Iraq. How did "Blame Bush" become the priority, anyway? One theory: it's the lengthy Last Throes of the 20% here who can't quite admit It's Time To Leave Iraq. Our nominal leaders in the country, in the party, and now here at dKos aren't keeping up with reality, or with the majority.
So instead, as our colleagues become accessories, they pause frequently to rinse the blood off their hands. No matter if it takes a psychic or a microscope to tell their current Iraq plan from Bush's - so long as we can look back and have him to blame.
The tragedy is, many of our colleagues only became accessories recently. Some even opposed the war from the start, and before. Many have been trying to protect their representatives and their party. Some credibly say they were fooled by Bush (mostly Republicans); others admit they were misled by Powell.
But that's past. Today their "someone else's children should clean up till we're safer" is all but indistinguishable from Bush's.
They can't bring themselves to say that since:
* we attacked the wrong people and have yet even to apologize
* we aren't good at security in this region
* our contractors steal billions of Iraq's money and get away with it
* we kill civilians daily, and
* we manufacture "insurgent" guerillas and terrorists at record levels -
* - We mustn't stay there!
Yes, of course it's been Bush's war. But now they're so full of fear - of their party looking weak; of being blamed for failure; and no small fear - of a Middle Eastern country chock full of folks with a thousand new reasons to hate this country, and no military boot on its neck - that they're becoming accessories.
And it's often those same colleagues saying, "We mustn't have a credible plan! We're powerless! If people just vote against Bush's failure - not for our ideas - we'll win!" Thus the `Blame Bush' mantra.
At a time when we should be rocketing toward the popular, practical high ground, this paralysis is wrecking the party, diluting and dividing this forum, and endangering the country and the world.
What will it take to get the rest of us out of this rut?
