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Originally Posted by dc_dux
ace.....you continue to perpetuate two false characterizations about the Democrats.
One, that they voted for the resolution authorizing use of force and subsequent bills for continued funding. In fact, the majority of Democrats voted for neither.
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I did say I was confused on the issue. I am never really sure what Democrats think compared to what they say and do. Am I to understand that Democrats have been against the war from the beginning, have been against continued funding, and against the surge, but they have failed in all of their attempts to prevent, stop, and de-fund the war?
They are up against the least popular President in modern history. They have the benefit of saying they want to end a war of choice. They have the benefit of saying bring our over-extended troops home. They have the benefit of saying we should stop wasting money in a country that is in its own civil war. They have the luxury of saying our real enemy is in a different country. They have the luxury of having the majority in this country wanting to end the war. They have the luxury of saying the war was based on lies. They have the luxury of saying the war is making us less safe. Yet, they can not succeed in clearly communicating their message to the American people to bring the war to an end? I am sure I have again, mis characterized something, but I guess that is why i need you. Please help me.
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The "declassified key judgments" of the NIEs are readily available on the Director of National Intelligence website (dni.gov). Among the findings from the one I referenced in previous posts:
Unlike the NIE on pre-war WMDs in which there were dissenting opinions, there are no such dissenting opinions presented in the declassified key judgments of this NIE. One can reasonably conclude that our invasion of Iraq has contributed to the spread of the jihadist movement worldwide.
I am sorry the level of detail on the methodology and the raw data of the NIE is classified. If you dont want to accept these conclusions as any better than your own judgments, then there is nothing more I can add.
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Here is a quote from the declassified key judgments:
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The Iraq conflict has become the “cause celebre” for jihadists, breeding a deep resentment of US involvement in the Muslim world and cultivating supporters for the global jihadist movement. Should jihadists leaving Iraq perceive themselves, and be perceived, to have failed, we judge fewer fighters will be inspired to carry on the fight.
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On one hand one can read this to mean that the Iraq conflict is breeding more terrorists. On the other hand one can read this to mean that given terrorists exist, if they fail in Iraq fewer, not more, will be inspired to carry on the fight. I agree with Bush - take the fight to the terrorists - fight the fight in Iraq not here. We can fight them now or fight them later, but either way there is going to be a fight. If the fight is now or later, the fight is going to inspire and be a “cause celebre”.