Neocon game
I am totally dismayed to see that Governor Perry chose Donald Rumsfeld and several of his neoconservative disciples to advise him on foreign affairs. Rumsfeld was the worst secretary of defense in American history. He couldn’t even manage to put armor on humvees. How many young lives did he snuff out? The neocons have been wholly discredited. It’s not hard to see why Perry likes them. The neocons believe in utilizing America’s military might to extend American power, and Perry loves the exercise of power.
I don’t know whether, what, or how much Perry reads, but there are plenty of good books about how the Bush administration in general and Rumsfeld in particular bungled the war in Iraq and allowed the insurgency to flourish. Bush will carry the stain of the war to his grave and into the history books. Believe me, I’m no anti-war hand-wringer. When it comes to issues of war and peace, I’m a realist, not an idealist. What concerns me about Perry’s playing footsie with the neocons is that he is following his instinct to make policy based on ideology instead of acquiring knowledge about the mistakes of the past. And a failed ideology at that.
There is a wealth of great reading material on the war in Iraq: Fiasco, by Thomas E. Ricks; Cobra II, by Michael R. Gordon and Gen. Bernard E. Trainor; and the “Bush at War” series by Bob Woodward. These books are rich in lessons about the arrogance of power and the propensity to overestimate the importance of military power. Perry should read them, if he hasn’t already done so. Then he should remove Rumsfeld’s number from his cell phone contact list.
[From a review of Cobra II:
The bulk of the book is taken up with a near-comprehensive blow-by-blow account of the fighting that occurred over four weeks in March and April 2003. But while these chapters shed new light on several important facets of the war, and demonstrate how realities on the ground did not match Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld's theories of military transformation, the book's beginning and ending sections are the most valuable. Here the authors explain how the administration of President George W. Bush drove the nation to war in Iraq, and how decisions made before the invasion and immediately following Mr. Hussein's ouster precipitated the vicious insurgency now wracking that country.]
Perry’s decision to embrace Rumsfeld and his disciples as his mentors in diplomatic and military affairs calls into question his judgment, his knowledge of history, and his fitness to lead American troops into harm’s way. Those who fail to learn from the mistakes of the past are condemned to repeat them.
[The article on which this post is based appeared in the Dallas Morning News, but I am unable to link to it.]
Tagged: George W. Bush
Anonymous says:
Disheartening. Perryis proving himself to lack the intellectual capacity to lead this nation. Our state for that matter. I agree, Paul.
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Robert Morrow Reply:
July 22nd, 2011 at 12:33 pm
It is scary. He needs to listen to Ron Paul. Recovering neocon here.
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Tim says:
Wow. Especially with the perspective of history it’s obvious that when Bush nominated Gates both warw turned around. Rumsfeld wasn’t a failure in partisan terms. He was just a failure.
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Tx watcher says:
Rumsfeld will go down as one of them most incompetent military leaders in history. Period.
He has the blood of many a young solider on his hands.
Gov. Perry would be well advised to stay far far away from him. In addition to the simple fact that Gov Perry has to deal with “not another bumbling TX Gov” perception, so staying away from discredited Bush advisers is probably best politics as well!
What is next an opening day dove hunt with Dick Cheney?
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Cow Droppings says:
You don’t brief up on foreign policy by simply reading a few books. You talk to experts, and you talk to experts of a variety of perspectives, which would include people involved in the Bush World.
This is a gratuitous slap that lacks the normal depth of argument you generally display Paul.
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paulburka Reply:
July 22nd, 2011 at 11:51 am
He talked to experts, but they were the wrong experts. They are advocates for a failed policy perspective. That is my point, and that is why this was not a gratuitous slap at Perry but a considered criticism.
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Robert Morrow Reply:
July 22nd, 2011 at 12:32 pm
Agreed. These neocons are not just a car wreck waiting to happen, they are like a complete train derailment waiting to occur. Handle with rubber gloves and deposit in a sanitary disposal.
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The House is Not a Home says:
I was always amazed that W. picked Rumsfeld despite the bad blood between him and H.W. Bush.
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paulburka Reply:
July 22nd, 2011 at 12:07 pm
Me too. There was always that quality about Bush that he wanted to show Poppy who was smarter. Or am I confusing real life with the movie?
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The House is Not a Home says:
As for Cheney, he would he have never been Secretary of Defense (or VP) if that bastard of a Senator from Georgia, Sam Nunn, had not engaged in one of the most despicable displays of character assassination in going after the late Senator John Tower during his Secretary of Defense confirmation hearings. I hope Sam Nunn and his counterparts rot in hell for that.
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paulburka Reply:
July 22nd, 2011 at 12:02 pm
I thought it was Tower’s first wife, Lou, who was out to get him.
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Alan Reply:
July 22nd, 2011 at 10:56 pm
Paul Weyrich had a hand in smearing John Tower as well, all because the late Texas Senator did not drink the party Kool-Aid in sufficient amounts regarding social issues like abortion.
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The Old Chisum Fail Reply:
July 23rd, 2011 at 4:28 pm
Wow. John Tower accused of “not drinking” — anything!
That’s a first.
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Anonymous says:
Sure he does, as long as it’s not his ass on the line. Typical bed-wetting repiglican, always looking for someone else to pay the price of their greed/stupidity/cowardice.
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Robert Morrow Reply:
July 22nd, 2011 at 1:09 pm
Yep. Don’t see his kids or the Bush twins in the military.
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Cow Droppings Reply:
July 22nd, 2011 at 6:25 pm
Way to go after the kids. Always classy Morrow.
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Robert Morrow Reply:
July 22nd, 2011 at 7:39 pm
The elites don’t have any problem sending other peoples kids to do the dirty work and pay the price; croak on a field far away from home, calling out for mom.
If you ever seen one of them in the military, it is usually something cushy like Army JAG officer (Beau Biden, son on Joe Biden), one example. No “point of the spear” or anything CLOSE to that for them.
Bill Clinton, George W. Bush (champagne unit of Texas National guard, arranged by dad), Dick Cheney (countless deferments).
Yep, if we ever invade Pakistan or Iran, Chelsea Clinton, the Obama kids, the Bush twins, the Perry kids, or your kids won’t be anywhere near where the bullets are flying, the bombs are dropping … or anywhere near where one can smell the stench of a dead body.
But I am sure a President Obama or President Perry will be there to give out the medals or say something like “Thank yew for your service.”
Having said that – Perry was Air Force. As was Dr. Paul.
I am telling young people not to go into the military. That it is a scam and that you will probably be sorry that you did.
Anonymous says:
Paul, how do you know that Perry didn’t talk to a variety of foreign policy advisors? You seem to make that assertion both in the post and in the comments.
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paulburka Reply:
July 22nd, 2011 at 12:55 pm
I did not make an assertion in the post that Perry didn’t talk to a variety of foreign policy advisers. I’m not going to be drawn into a discussion of who Perry might have talked to. The article was about who he did talk to.
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Anonymous says:
Why is this surprising to you, Paul? He’s not presidential material and every staffer and lobbyist in Austin knows it. At least Bush was refined enough to look and act the part. McCain is a much more formidable candidate than Bachmann. What a sad era.
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Robert Morrow says:
This is a huge issue. It is far bigger that Rick Perry’s gymnasium full of oddball Christian pastor extremists. These were the guys who invented the Iraq War. Talking to a bunch of Bilderberger neocons like Rumsfeld, Doug Feith, William Luti about foreign policy is about like asking Casey Anthony how to run a daycare center.
(Recovering neocon here.) How about talking to Ron Paul about foreign policy? Perry might learn something. The endless, undeclared foreign wars are a big factor in bankrupting the country in addition to causing immense “blowback.”
The neocons are the most toxic, discredited group in American politics and I think it speaks volumes about Perry’s inability to lead if he thinks they have ideas worth listening to. You can’t have small govenment if you have big war.
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anita Reply:
July 22nd, 2011 at 1:25 pm
You also can’t have small government if you carry the burden of funding the world’s space program — but Perry’s in the papers today blaming Obama for downsizing it.
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Jed Reply:
July 22nd, 2011 at 2:35 pm
i agree with perry on this one.
a few more decades of turning this planet into a toxic waste dump and we’re really, really going to wish we were ready to go somewhere else.
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Governor Toolshed says:
Perry wants to prove to the neocons that he, not W, is the one they should have picked. Perry will attack Iran for them.
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anita Reply:
July 22nd, 2011 at 1:29 pm
Go in and finish the job! Jeez.
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Jeff Rotkoff says:
A great man once said “Rumsfeld is a dick/Won’t flow the forces we need/We will be too light.”
The problem with Rumsfeld was not just a flawed strategic vision. It was his willingness to put that flawed vision ahead of the advice of the greatest professional military in the world, and send other people’s sons & daughters, fathers & mothers, brother & sisters off to die in the process.
The fact that Perry would view him as a suitable military/foriegn affairs advisor is disappointing. Can’t say it’s surprising, but it is disappointing.
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anita says:
From the media reports (including a first hand report from a participant), it sounds like Perry’s folks reached out to Rumsfeld, who dispatched a number of his disciples to come to Austin to meet with Perry. Rummy wasn’t there.
Why does anyone expect anything more from Perry? As we’ve seen here in Texas, his desire for knowledge is limited to listening to the mantra and characters of the far right.
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DK says:
Given his longstanding fanatical support for Israel, this is no surprise at all. He won’t listen to Ron Paul because he was never going to listen to Ron Paul or anyone else who isn’t in the tank with Likud. He’s a neo-con in pseudo libertarian clothing, always has been, always will.
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Kenneth D. Franks says:
If these are the people that Perry is talking to everyone needs to know about it. The blood and treasure lost due to the unnecessary Iraq war was the largest mistake of any administration since the Vietnam conflict. At least some of the Johnson Administration have since admitted their mistakes but Rumsfeld remains an unapologetic believer in his actions.
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Anonymous says:
The combination of Neo-cons, Perry’s wacky Christian friends, and his obsession with Israel should scare the bejesus out of everyone with half a brain. Does anyone know what Perry really thinks/believes? He’s been able to hide out in Texas for so long that the issue of how he would behave on the world stage should give folks real pause. He may just be as dangerous and crazy as Bachmann and Palin.
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paulburka Reply:
July 26th, 2011 at 9:24 am
Perry is dangerous. He is not crazy.
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JohnBernardBooks says:
Damn yawl just sold me. I’m for Perry now.
No way this many democrats could be wrong, wait what about that hopey changey guy. How could so many democrats be that wrong?
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Governor Toolshed Reply:
July 22nd, 2011 at 2:30 pm
@JBB,
Isn’t there a “Celebrate Slavery!” rally somewhere in Fort Bend County that you should be attending? C’mon now, “yawl” didn’t follow Stephen F. Austin all the way to Texas to give up on your heritage did you?
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JohnBernardBooks Reply:
July 22nd, 2011 at 3:43 pm
actually we did have a HUGE Juneteenth day Celebration last month. Now yawl just go on about you’re Perry hatin bidness.
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Governor Toolshed Reply:
July 22nd, 2011 at 4:45 pm
If that doesn’t beat all. Somebody from Fort Bend County talking about the business of hate. Klan much?
JohnBernardBooks Reply:
July 25th, 2011 at 7:41 am
I thought beiong a victim was a democrat trait
Governor Toolshed Reply:
July 25th, 2011 at 11:16 am
@JBB,
You lost your innocence to a child predator. Even if you did try continue the relationship after you grew older, you were just confused… You were a victim… You ARE a victim.
At the Fort Bend County Republican Party headquarters, are you in charge of the youth outreach? Ask yourself why you are in this position… It’s up to you to break the cycle.
Maybe there is an “Old 300″ support group for victims of molestation and rape… Maybe some of their old slave families could help?
JohnBernardBooks Reply:
July 25th, 2011 at 2:35 pm
You seem to have an intimate knowledge of the subject, been one very long?
Governor Toolshed Reply:
July 25th, 2011 at 4:03 pm
@JBB,
Don’t hate
JohnBernardBooks Reply:
July 23rd, 2011 at 6:29 am
@GT
yawl liberals and your hatin, doncha just hate losin?
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JohnBernardBooks Reply:
July 25th, 2011 at 2:34 pm
@GT damn you got this pedophile stuff down pat. Been one long?
JohnBernardBooks Reply:
July 23rd, 2011 at 8:23 am
@Governor Toolshed
as a recovering pedophile what type of meeting are you required to attend?
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Governor Toolshed Reply:
July 24th, 2011 at 12:38 am
@JBB,
I get it now bud, you were molested as a child. It doesn’t matter if you had feelings for him… what happened to you was wrong. Don’t hate.
JohnBernardBooks Reply:
July 25th, 2011 at 7:42 am
I believe pretend victims are a democrat trait
Governor Toolshed Reply:
July 25th, 2011 at 11:07 am
@JBB, but the feelings you had for your molester were not pretend… you loved him, and you hated him for making him love you. How long did he abuse you? Was be caught, and have you ever confronted him about what he did to you?
Does he live in Fort Bend County?
JohnBernardBooks Reply:
July 25th, 2011 at 2:37 pm
@Gov
You’re becoming a spooky dude.
Governor Toolshed Reply:
July 25th, 2011 at 4:05 pm
@JBB,
The world is your mirror, mon frer.
Fiftycal Reply:
July 22nd, 2011 at 5:11 pm
Well, that sooper smart half-white pResident got us out of Iraq, like he promised. Oh, wait, we’re still there. But he closed Gitmo, like he promised. Oh, wait, we’re still there. Well, he promised that if we spent TRILLIONS of dollars bailing out foreign banks and unions unemployment would be less than 8%. Oh, wait, it’s going to be TEN PERCENT by the first of the year. Well, everyone is going to get FREE healthcare. Oh, wait, that doesn’t start until 2014, but we’re paying the taxes NOW and will spend another TRILLION dollars creating the bureaucracy that will approve or deny the health care you get.
Yah. WHo could be STUPID enough to vote for anyone other than Omama? He’s so much better than any other choice.
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Anonymous Reply:
July 22nd, 2011 at 10:06 pm
too bad all the bed wetting repiglicans threw hissy fits about that.
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JohnBernardBooks Reply:
July 23rd, 2011 at 6:30 am
“too bad all the bed wetting repiglicans threw hissy fits about that.”
hard to argue with democrats and their peace and love platform
Robert Morrow Reply:
July 22nd, 2011 at 5:29 pm
3 time delegate to the Texas state Republican convention, proud Ron Paul supporter, and there no way in hell Rick Perry is getting a vote from me or any of my political friends.
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patriotone says:
No one should ever underestimate Perry’s political prowess or complete stupidity. He never exhibits any madness to which a certain warped method is not applied. Rumsfeld is quite simply the worst Sec/Def in the history of the office. He got sycophants like Tommy Franks to carry out his “plan” and fire those who were slowing down in an effort to prevent from happening what competent military men knew would happen, an ultimate insurgency lead by all those troops passed by and not disarmed. War on the cheap. It is an oxymoronic thought. If this doesn’t scare you I don’t know what will.
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Roster says:
This is going to get tiresome quickly.
It doesn’t matter who Perry meets with, there will always be a know-it-all contingent that will criticize him, who he is meeting with, the color of his tie, etc. I’m sure he will be meeting with a broad-range of experts, on a broad range of issue that have many differing opinions–but don’t let that get in way of your breathless denouncements of his pure stupidity and obvious evil intentions..blah, blah, blah.
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Anonymous Reply:
July 22nd, 2011 at 3:01 pm
Yes, criticising Perry for the color of his tie is exactly the same as holding his feet to the fire for getting foreign policy advice from the worst secretary of defense in modern history. Brilliant
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NOPE. Reply:
July 22nd, 2011 at 3:23 pm
Perry isn’t about meeting with a broad range of differing opinions. He never has been. He is about meeting with thought leaders in his stream of thought.
THAT is why this is alarming. There are only so many neocon opinions that can be heard that haven’t been heard before. But he isn’t interested in much else.
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JohnBernardBooks Reply:
July 22nd, 2011 at 3:46 pm
Whats alarming is democrats do this everyday then point @ Perry and say “He is about meeting with thought leaders in his stream of thought.”
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Robert Morrow Reply:
July 22nd, 2011 at 5:30 pm
Correct. And yes it is alarming. I think it has negative political consequences for him.
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paulburka Reply:
July 22nd, 2011 at 6:22 pm
Re Roster, above –
Say what you will. You can’t change the facts. The first people Perry met with are some of the most discredited and least successful policymakers in the history of American foreign policy. Perhaps he will meet with others, but he has revealed where he stands.
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WUSRPH says:
Maybe he wants Rumsfeld to lead the charge into Mexico during the Perry Administration. In case you have forgotten, Perry last year said he thought we might have to send troops into Mexico to fight the drug gangs. I had never thought of him as a Woodrow Wilson-type before, especially since Wilson was a college president, but he’s the last guy to send us down that hole.
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Fiftycal Reply:
July 22nd, 2011 at 5:15 pm
Oh, I hope not. Seems Princess Hitlery and the STATE DEPT. have been arming the ZETAS with REAL machine guns. Hope our troops don’t have to face guns sold by our government to terrorists and drug kingpins.
http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/worse-than-gunwalker-state-dept-allegedly-sold-guns-to-zetas/
But don’t worry Paul, I’m sure the “fair and balanced” lamestream media will sweep this one under the rug also.
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JohnBernardBooks says:
Paul you are good…
Rumsfield….Cheney….Boosh…..Perry, watch the liberals froth.
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Aggie for Kay says:
Regardless of what kind of SoD he was, I can’t believe Perry made such a basic political mistake in associating himself with anyone from the Bush administration when a large part of his forming a national presence has been spent declaring “I’m not W”.
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JohnBernardBooks Reply:
July 25th, 2011 at 2:42 pm
President Obama loaded his cabinet with every re-cyled clintonite he could find and democrats called him “the smartest president ever”.
Doesn’t matter who Guv Perry “talks” too they will be branded “neocon” or “kook” or “sumpin” by some. No dblstd here.
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Blue says:
What a bizarre screed.
Perry talked to Rumsfeld, or some of Rumsfeld’s people. Big deal. I’d hope our next president talks to a range of people (as opposed to our current one who can basically only parrot the Ivy League establishment line).
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Cow Droppings Reply:
July 22nd, 2011 at 5:08 pm
exactly.
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Robert Morrow says:
Ron Paul is going to be a player this election cycle. I think he could be the Huckabee of this cycle, coming in #2 and lasting all the way to the convention. Romney and Perry had better start thinking of ways to appeal to Ron Paul voters, because right now there is no chance in ____ that he will support either one of them.
Rasmussen July 22, 2011:
Obama 41% Ron Paul 37% (currently the 2nd strongest Republican against Obama)
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections/election_2012/election_2012_presidential_election/obama_41_ron_paul_37
Friday, July 22, 2011 Email to a Friend ShareThisAdvertisementCongressman Ron Paul may be a long shot to win the Republican presidential nomination, but he runs competitively with President Obama right now.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely Voters shows Paul picking up 37% of the vote, while the president earns 41%. The Texas congressman joins Mitt Romney, Michelle Bachmann, and Rick Perry as candidates within hailing distance of the president at this time.
Rudy Giuliani is another potential candidate who is considered a long shot for the nomination but is competitive with the president. The former mayor of New York City trails Obama by five, 44% to 39%.
But the real story in the numbers is that the president continues to earn between 41% and 49% of the vote no matter which Republican is mentioned as a potential opponent. This suggests that the race remains a referendum on the incumbent more than anything else.
Obama posts a 12-point lead over former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, 44% to 32%.
Two Republicans can’t even get to 30% against the president. Businessman Herman Cain and former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman, who served as Obama’s ambassador to China, each earn 28% support. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, considered unlikely to run by most observers, trail the president by seven and nine points respectively. Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum trails by 14.
Obama 42, Romney 43 Obama loses to Romney
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Blue Reply:
July 23rd, 2011 at 1:36 pm
I don’t Paul’s showing says all that much about him. I think it simply shows how bad a position Obama is in at the moment.
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Bose says:
Re Burka’s quote above: “Perhaps he will meet with others, but he has revealed where he stands.”
Really?? One meeting with a group of people reveals where Perry stands? Did he put out a statment vowing to appoint Paul Wolfowitz Secretary of State or something similarly shocking? I must have missed that. You guys have worked yourselves into a froth about very little. You should all go back to making fun of his hair.
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paulburka Reply:
July 23rd, 2011 at 2:11 pm
Yes, really. When the group involves discredited people like Feith and Luti, it will raise eyebrows across the political spectrum. The reason why so many commentators are taking issue with this is that they know it to be true.
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Charlie Adaway says:
Rick Purry is god because I said so. Therefore, reasoned criticism of Rick Purry is blasphemy and a liberal plot against religion. Now y’all shut up while I collect my hard-earned old-age tax exemptions and govt contracts.
That is all.
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JohnBernardBooks says:
@Charlie
having a business is a good thing that only democrats hate. Keep it up!
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Gen. Sam Houston says:
Paul — I note you citing a few books about Iraq written by malcontents, left-wing reporters and others GOP-hating critics. But it appears you have never read Feith’s book, “War and Decision: Inside the Pentagon at the Dawn of the War on Terrorism.”
Feith’s contribution doesn’t fit the preconceived narrative (Bush totally screwed up all the time), so it’s been blacklisted from mainstream comment. The NYTimes and WashPost pointedly decided NOT to even review it. So of course Burka has boycotted it as well.
Couple of problems with that path. First, as opposed to these leftist hyena critics, Feith was actually in the room when virtually all critical decisions were made. He knows firsthand of what he writes. (When’s the last time you were in the Pentagon, Paul?) More to the point, Feith has the paper — page after page after page of documents and voluminous footnotes, meticulously proving up a decidedly different view of Iraq and Afghan than the Paul Burkas of the world peddle.
Christopher Hitchens did read Feith’s book. His review (ironically paired with the hapless Scott McClelland’s forgettable tome) can be read: http://www.slate.com/id/2192696/
The headline on his review: “If you want to read a serious book about our intervention in Iraq, look to Douglas Feith.”
I haven’t read Rumsfeld’s book, which also counters the Burka thesis. But I’ll wager Burka hasn’t read that one, either. He only is interested in material that dovetails with his preconceived version and opinions.
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Robert Morrow says:
Recovering neocon here. I supported the Iraq War in 2003. I trusted the neocons that it was a NECESSARY war. It obviously was not. Massive cost in terms of human life and USA treasure. A fool’s errand. Imperialism. War mongering. Doing it for Israel not the USA. Gargantuan stupidity.
Doug Feith – Tommy Franks called him the “f____g stupidest guy he ever met”
Lawrence Wilkerson on Feith “a card carrying member of the Likud party.”
I can see why Rick Perry “Defender of Israel” award likes this guy. Btw that Israel trip for Perry’s personal ambition cost Texas taxpayers $70,000.
More on Feith: http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/06/20/doug_feiths_feelings_hurt_diss/
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Gen. Sam Houston Reply:
July 24th, 2011 at 11:09 am
Mr. Morrow — It’s more than a little rich that you link to one of the left wing’s most stalwart blogs, “Talking Points Memo.” Was the Daily Kos not available?
You should know that personal antimosity between press-friendly moderates at State (Colin Powell, Wilkinson, Rich Armitage) and the Bush loyalists at DOD has produced most of the anti-Feith material that’s out there. Armitage is the guy who outed Valerie Plame to Novak, and then kept quiet about it and tried to let Karl Rove take the fall. So why is Morrow suddenly siding with the most despicable RINOs?
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paulburka Reply:
July 24th, 2011 at 6:25 pm
Morrow quote is accurate.
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Gen. Sam Houston says:
Here’s some inside info about Doug Feith, whom Burka roundly condemns (without, I suspect, knowing much about him). While he is dismissed by his opponents as “dumb,” Feith has “distinguished” teaching appointments at Georgetown, Harvard and Stanford.
When his 674-page book came out in 2008, the New York Times commissioned a hit piece “review.” The editors were salivating at proving this guy to be a phony. But the work included 12 appendices replete with actual declassified documents, plus nearly 100 pages of completely-sourced footnotes. It was meticulously researched and documented. Two would-be reviewers tried and failed to find errors in Feith’s account…their draft “reviews” turned out to be ideological second-guessing, similar to Burka, essentially changing the subject. Feith’s version of events was impregnable to assault.
So the NYT decided to ignore the book. No review published. The Washington Post followed suit. Thus, we have the spectacle of opinionated observers like Burka relying on third-hand accounts of Iraq decision making from best-selling writers like Woodward, who in turn relies on self-serving leakers like Armitage. What a travesty.
Here’s a challenge for Burka. As the summer wears on, find a copy of Feith’s book, read it, and find something wrong with his facts. I know this challenge will not be accepted, and not simply because Burka is too lazy to actually read source material.
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paulburka Reply:
July 24th, 2011 at 6:20 pm
I know who Doug Feith is. Abu Graib is on the list of things he has been held responsible for. If any readers want to know more about Feith, from a contemporary (2004) article, see http://www.slate.com/id/2100899/.
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Governor Toolshed Reply:
July 25th, 2011 at 1:38 am
“they were brilliant… and they were fools.”
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Robert Morrow says:
Rick Perry keeps giving interviews where he is practically yelling that his WIFE is making him run for president. That is baloney, Perry has been running for president for 4-5 years now – writing 2 books (one on the Boy Scouts to appeal to social conservatives; one “Fed Up” to sucker in the Tea Party types).
Slick Rick says he is running because Anita tells him to and he is worried about Obamacare. And he says he is worried about the national debt. This is the same guy who supported the TARP bailout in a key letter at crunch time on the day of the vote!!! Here:
http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2010/01/was-rick-perry-for-the-bailout.html At 9:07 PM later that day the US Senate voted for the TARP bailout. Then 2 months later Slick Rick writes an WSJ op-ed on 12/2/08 with Mark Sanford opposing bailouts!
I don’t think Anita was supporting Rick’s 2010 governor’s race. She sure was not enthused about it at rallies, never smiling and with a robotic look on her face. If Perry did not listen to her about not running in 2010, why in 2012 is Perry suddenly making political decisions based on what his wife says?
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anita Reply:
July 25th, 2011 at 9:49 am
He also supported using stimulus dollars to renovate the Governor’s Mansion.
I think the depth of his foreign policy chops comes from Don Rumsfeld’s buddies and Pastor John Hagee.
Bob Bullock made decisions based on what he thought was “the right thing” to do. Rick Perry makes decisions based upon what “the right people” tell him to do.
God help us all.
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paulburka Reply:
July 26th, 2011 at 9:17 am
Perry has made a career out of giving the people what they want: a relatively healthy economy and no new taxes. That is all he has done of consequence.
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Texun Reply:
July 27th, 2011 at 12:12 pm
It would be great if governors could give us “a relatively healthy economy,” but granting Perry credit is way beyond the defensible. As you know there’s a lot more going on, outside of the governor’s office.
Oh, and the business lobby does point out that the taxes on business in Texas are higher than they are in California.
What he has done of consequence is demonstrate a consistent mastery of the shell-game that comprises Texas politics.
paulburka Reply:
July 27th, 2011 at 12:46 pm
I think you have to give Perry some measure of credit for “a relatively healthy economy.” It’s his highest priority.
Texun Reply:
July 27th, 2011 at 4:26 pm
Pretty thin, “some measure of credit” and “It’s his highest priority.” Nice try, Paul. We all know that his highest priority has been election and re-election. Right? As to his measure of credit: the relative strength of energy sectors has nothing, but nothing to do with Perry. The increasingly diversified economy was evolving while he was still leading yells. The lower cost of living, relatively to California, say, has been in place since the 19th century. So, what is the measure of credit he deserves? 2%? I’d say that’s still high, but it’s closer to reality.
Teddy says:
Another couple of books I would recommend are Rise of the Vulcans: The History of Bush’s War Cabinet by James Mann, and Imperial Life in the Emerald City: Inside Iraq’s Green Zone by Rajiv Chandrasekaran.
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Whoa Nellie! says:
Depressing but not surprising reading, to be sure. It’s a shame Mr. Burka’s past and shameless cheerleading for Bush II has made it possible for a dangerous and misguided demogogue like Perry to even be considered presidential material.
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paulburka Reply:
July 25th, 2011 at 11:55 am
I reject out of hand the idea that my previous support of Governor George W. Bush has anything to do with Perry being considered presidential material.
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Whoa Nellie! says:
But on the other hand, why shouldn’t Perry do whatever he feels like? It’s not like he has any electoral defeats in his past to make him reconsider his own opinions. Like any canny operator, he’s gonna stick to what keeps working, and so far no one has been able to stop him.
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Texian Politico says:
I like getting advice from Rob Morrow on the military and all things foreign policy related because he’s served in the military and has proved that JKF was killed by LBJ-Nixon-Bush-Dewhurst, et al. We’re lucky to have him commenting on this blog with such regularity.
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Bill51 says:
Seems like the GOP lost a couple of elections because of the advice Bush was getting.
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Greg Q says:
“Rumsfeld was the worst secretary of defense in American history. He couldn’t even manage to put armor on humvees.”
WTF?
1: That’s not the job of the freaking Sec of Defense. He’s not supposed to be micromanaging those kind of details.
2: There are all sorts of valid arguments about weight v. “protection” (more weight = slower, less acceleration = easier to target), and even about whether a level of armor actually serves a positive purpose (you’d much rather have things shoot all the way through, than go through one side and then ricochet around).
When you pile up the stupid democrat talking points so early, it’s a great way to tell people the article’s not worth reading. So thanks for saving my time.
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paulburka says:
The vulnerability of the Humvee was clear as early as 1994 during the mission to Somalia. At the start of the Iraq war, troops improvised by adding scrap metal, sandbags, and plywood for more protection. It was Robert Gates who decided that MRAP vehicles (mine resistant anti personnel) were necessary. The Pentagon ordered 2,500 in 2006 and eventually added thousands more.
http://www.stripes.com/polopoly_fs/1.114886!/menu/standard/file/humvee.pdf
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paulburka says:
1. Maybe Greg thinks this was not the responsibility of the Secretary of Defense, but apparently Robert Gates thought it was.
2. There are always arguments about weight vs. protection. But there is no evidence that Rumsfeld concerned himself with them. Nothing was done until Gates became Sec Def.
3. These are not talking points, nor do they have anything to do with partisan politics. They have to do with decisions made by Secretaries of Defense, one of whom was competent, one of whom was not.
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