Have you no shame, Mr. President?

This is stupid (Bush on Kerry's remarks on Iraqi PM Allawi):

This great man came to our country to talk about how he's risking his life for a free Iraq, which helps America, and Senator Kerry held a press conference and questioned Prime Minister Allawi's credibility. You can't lead this country if your ally in Iraq feels like you question his credibility. The message ought to be to the Iraqi people: 'We support you.' The message ought to be loud and clear: 'We'll stand with you if you do the hard work.'

I'm sorry, but this sort of grandstanding really makes me mad. Is there any person out there that has any doubt that PM Allawi's visit to the US Thursday, and his speech, were anything other than partisan politics at its worst? The Iraqi prime minister visiting a little more than a month before the election. Just a coincidence, right? If you doubt that it was orchestrated, let's compare some phrases:

Allawi saying, "there are fanatics who seek to impose a perverted vision of Islam in which the face of Allah cannot be seen," reminds me very much of when Condolezza Rice said "people
who murder and maim and in fact pervert Islam."

How about Allawi's statement:

I understand why, faced with the daily headlines, there are these doubts. I know, too, that there will be many more setbacks and obstacles to overcome. But these doubters risk underestimating our country and they risk fueling the hopes of the terrorists.[...] Above all, they risk underestimating the courage, determination of the Iraqi people to embrace democracy, peace and freedom, for the dreams of our families are the same as the dreams of the families here in America and around the world

Compared to Scott McClellan:

People said that there couldn't be a transfer of sovereignty by June 30th -- and it happened even before June 30th. So every step of the way, the Iraqi people are proving the hand-wringers and the doubters wrong.

Here's one that really bothers me. How about Allawi:

Do not allow them to say to Iraqis, to Arabs, to Muslims, that we have only two models of governments, brutal dictatorship and religious extremism. This is wrong.[...] Do not let them convince others that the values of freedom, of tolerance and democracy are for you in the West but not for us.

And Bush:

Some of the debate really centers around the fact that people don't believe Iraq can be free; that if you're Muslim, or perhaps brown-skinned, you can't be self-governing or free. I'd strongly disagree with that.

What bothers me about that one is that fact the no has said those those things. No one has said that Arabs are inherently incapable of self-government, yet even PM Allawi has learned how to build up straw men, with its implication that people who have opposed US Iraq policy are racists.

Allawi:

They said we would miss January deadline to pass the interim constitution. We proved them wrong. They warned that there could be no successful handover of sovereignty by the end of June. We proved them wrong. A sovereign Iraqi government took over control two days early. They doubted whether a national conference could be staged this August. We proved them wrong.

Scott McClellan again:

The Iraqi people proved them wrong. The Iraqi -- the pessimist nay sayers said that they -- that we would not be able to transfer sovereignty by June 30th. The Iraqi people proved them wrong.[...] The pessimists and nay sayers said that Iraq wouldn't be able to establish an interim representative council at their national conference. And the Iraqi people proved them wrong.

Is there any doubt that the White House wrote Allawi's speech? Is there any doubt that the speech was intentionally written to echo things that the administration has said before? Is there any doubt that Allawi's trip to the United States was solely political in nature? Why is the president so cynical that he has to play politics with the war we're in right now? Why can't he stand up and take responsibility for his actions, instead of having a puppet speak for him?

And finally, to leave a bad taste in your mouth, here's Bush yesterday:

Earlier this week, my opponent said he would prefer the dictatorship of Saddam Hussein to the situation in Iraq today. You know, I just strongly disagree. It's tough work, no question about it. We've done tough work before. But if Saddam Hussein were in power, our security would be threatened.

You know, I'm tired of this. I want one honest Republican out there to stand up and say "Sen. Kerry didn't say that. Let's have a real debate." Just one. Is there one out there?

Craig Crawford, on NSNBC yesterday, was the first to clearly articulate where all of this is headed:

I think what they're setting up here is, as there's more violence on the ground in Iraq, they're going to blame it on Kerry. They're going to say, because he attacks us, that encourages the terrorists. If they get away with that, that's pretty clever.

Clever indeed.

-- Michael

Comments

[d meyers]

Who is playing politics with this war???

"Clever indeed" You already have your conspiracy theory ready.

Talk about playing politics:

"Is there any doubt that the White House wrote Allawi's speech? Is there any doubt that the speech was intentionally written to echo things that the administration has said before? Is there any doubt that Allawi's trip to the United States was solely political in nature? Why is the president so cynical that he has to play politics with the war we're in right now? Why can't he stand up and take responsibility for his actions, instead of having a puppet speak for him?"

You echo the Kerry campaign saying that Prime Minister Allawi is a "puppet". And calling the prime minister of Iraq a "puppet" is Kerry's way of working with our Allies in Iraq??? This is outrageous. Allawi wakes up every morning with a huge target on his forehead. He is doing something that is historic, leading a Middle East country towards democracy. His life is in constant danger and Kerry's camp, and you, call him a puppet.

Please explain again how this is diplomatically smart and will allow Kerry to be able to work with Allawi???? If calling newest ally in the Middle East a puppet is an example of how Kerry will pull together our allies then we should all be afraid.

I cannot think of an example of a political leader calling an ally of ours a puppet.

So now Kerry can add calling a brave ally of ours a puppet to the list of calling all of our other allies helping in Iraq the "coalition of the coerced and bribed".

What the hell is Kerry's problem??? Why does he find it necessary to INSULT EVERY SINGLE ALLY helping us in IRAQ??? With friends like Kerry, who needs enemies

[Pax]

"INSULT EVERY SINGLE ALLY."(?) I never heard Kerry insult one of our allies (all those many poerful nations that have sent troops to Iraq to help us. Let's see there's......Poland....Great Britain...).
Since Allawi was knighted by us to lead Iraq, it is far from far-fetched to call him a puppet. It will be a puppet-regime until elections are held where every Sunni, Shiite and Kurd votes (not wants Rummy wants). But it can't stop there. We have to be out of there as occupiers before an elected Iraqi government can be to be a "non-puppet" regime. Let's be real. Who is really making the decisions here. Bremer is no lomger in Iraq and making the decisions, but rest assured his leaving was ceremonial only. We are too deep in the sh*t to keep our hands out of the mix.
Finally, if you want to accuse anyone of treating allies the wrong way, look no further at Bush and company. The disdain they have for every other nation in the world is so evident in their words, actions and bravado.

[here's what's left]

d, this is what i'm talking about. if you had done any research at all, you would realize you're just parroting republican talking points.

kerry didn't insult Allawi. if you had bothered to turn off rush limbaugh for a second and actually read what kerry said, you would see that:

I think the prime minister is, obviously, contradicting his own statement of a few days ago, where he said the terrorists are pouring into the country. The prime minister and the president are here obviously to put their best face on the policy, but the fact is that the CIA estimates, the reporting, the ground operations and the troops all tell a different story.

The point of these comments, as I'm sure you won't admit because you don't have any intellectual honesty, is that Allawi was putting a good face on a bad situation.

and Pax is right when she(?) says "Finally, if you want to accuse anyone of treating allies the wrong way, look no further at Bush and company." Surely, even you must realize that the international community is not a big fan of the president.

d, i'm really disturbed that you won't admit that Allawi's visit is politically motivated. it is a sign of true blindness. do you think it's just a coincidence that allawi's points, and often his turns of phrase, mirror precisely what the administration has been saying? do you honestly believe that? and that his visit occurs a little over a month before the election? just coincidence? tell me, in plain language, that those things are just coincidence. try to convince yourself of that.

and by the way, there's no "conspiracy theory" here, because conspiracy implies that something is hidden. it's all right out in the open for everyone to see.

[d meyers]

HWL, you are amazing.... You are so smart and intelligent that you know the motivation of the Prime Minister of Iraq. How do you do it??? The left is so smart, they always know motivation and intentions, it is just amazing.

What I saw was a prime minister come to America and thank the U.S. for what we did. What I saw was a Prime Minister saying things are tough but progress is being made. What I saw was a Prime Minister acknowledge the brutallity of the resistance but they are making progress. What I saw was a Prime Minister say that 15 of 18 provinces could hold elections tomorrow (must have missed this bit of good news in the media) and work must be done in the other 3.

"kerry didn't insult Allawi" so when Joe Lockart says that it was like Bush had his arm up Allawi's shirt, or something to that affect, that was not insulting???? What could be more insulting or offensive then saying the Prime Minister of a Middle Eastern country is a puppet to the U.S. Oh, I am waiting for Kerry to disavow what Lockart said....

[here's what's left]

ok, so let me get this straight, you think the fact that this was spoken by the prime minister of Iraq:

They said we would miss January deadline to pass the interim constitution. We proved them wrong. They warned that there could be no successful handover of sovereignty by the end of June. We proved them wrong. A sovereign Iraqi government took over control two days early. They doubted whether a national conference could be staged this August. We proved them wrong.

and this was spoken by the Press Secretary of the US:

The Iraqi people proved them wrong. The Iraqi -- the pessimist nay sayers said that they -- that we would not be able to transfer sovereignty by June 30th. The Iraqi people proved them wrong.[...] The pessimists and nay sayers said that Iraq wouldn't be able to establish an interim representative council at their national conference. And the Iraqi people proved them wrong.

is just a coincidence. you really think that? honestly? and you don't think that the timing of his visit is at all suspicious? honestly? what, then, would make you be suspicious?

I'm not sure if Joe Lockhart insulted Allawi exactly, but I agree with what he said; and it was certainly stronger than what Kerry said. I imagine that Lockhart's intention was to insult the Bush administration more than it was the PM.

But Kerry didn't insult Allawi, which I knew you wouldn't admit, because as I said above, you don't have any intellectual honesty.

And I don't particularly like saying that, really. It's just that I gave you several chances in the last discussion to admit that David Brooks had distorted Kerry's position, and you wouldn't. That makes it awfully hard to argue.

What I saw was a Prime Minister say that 15 of 18 provinces could hold elections tomorrow (must have missed this bit of good news in the media)

Actually, what he said was "14 to 15." Wow, that's great news! That means only 17% or 23% of Iraqi provinces will be disenfranchised! That sure is a free and fair election! I wonder what that is in percentage of people, by the way? Do you know? I bet you don't.

And as for your continued media conspiracy, just out of curiosity, I googled the phrase "18 provinces." You can see the results yourself. There are more than a hundred that refer to precisely what Allawi said. Sorry that one didn't work out for you. Try looking up some facts next time.

[d meyers]

"Actually, what he said was "14 to 15." Wow, that's great news! That means only 17% or 23% of Iraqi provinces will be disenfranchised! That sure is a free and fair election! I wonder what that is in percentage of people, by the way? Do you know? I bet you don't. "

Is everything rosy?? Of course not but progress is being made. I actually believe having 14 to 15 provinces ready for elections is a good thing. Is there big patches in Iraq that are trouble spots?? Of course there is and those plaaces will have to be dealt with no matter who is President in the U.S.

"I'm not sure if Joe Lockhart insulted Allawi exactly, but I agree with what he said" HA HA HA.. Excuse me, saying Allawi has a hand up his shirt is quite the insult and you poo poo'ing it shows your blinders...

"But Kerry didn't insult Allawi, which I knew you wouldn't admit, because as I said above, you don't have any intellectual honesty. "

Of course he did... Kerry's statements were a diplomatic slap in his face..

"is just a coincidence. you really think that? honestly? and you don't think that the timing of his visit is at all suspicious? honestly? what, then, would make you be suspicious?"

When aren't we a few months from an election/primary??? As President you are able to control events better than a challenger.. Elections are starting in Oct in Afg. and registration begins in Iraq shortly after that. Allawi came to power late June. Dem primary was in August, Bush's in begin of Sept so now is as good a time for Allawi to come as ever.

As far as Brooks I really don't lose much sleep over what the left and right opinion people write. I find it silly to debate the veracity of opinion pieces because by definition they are opinion pieces... If they you faulty information so be it, their piece will be shown to contain faulty info.