I don't see how this "Remembrance" does anything but give desperately-needed political cover to the same warmongers still supporting this disastrous Iraq occupation.
When you've got a despised, vicious and vile adversary cornered, why on earth extend an olive branch in the hopes you won't get burned for your naive efforts?
The Iraq occupation is raping the taxpayers, giving legal immunity to trigger-happy contractors like Blackwater, and taking the most horrific tolls in terms of Iraqi & US lives, limbs and minds lost in a totally unnecessary meat grinder.
Yet, incredibly, the Democrats want to declare a temporary surcease as it relates to making sure the Iraq millstone stays firmly around the Republicans political necks
Parties call political truce to mark war anniversary
Congressional leaders are planning to hold an unusual bipartisan ceremony this week on the Iraq war, an event intended to be devoid of politics on one of the most sensitive and divisive issues looming over the November elections.
Thursday’s congressional "remembrance" ceremony will recognize the "five years of service" and sacrifices made by troops and families affected by the war, according to a letter to lawmakers signed last week by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).
If anyone thinks the GOP won't drag their spin into this observance, think again.
This party politicized the 9-11 attacks, enthusiastically endorsed torture, is doing everything possible to gut the 4th Amendment in regards to warrantless spying, turned the most blind of eyes from the atrocities-bad water, spoiled food, not enough effective body & vehicle armor, bureaucratic nightmares of red tape and the shoddiest of recovery facilities-inflicted on those same troops this ceremony is alleged to "honor".
So, knowing how unpopular the occupation is with the voters, this idea must have been dreamed up by the GOP, correct?
Nope
The idea of holding a bipartisan ceremony on a war that has bitterly divided the two parties was conceived in Pelosi’s office. Democratic aides insist that partisan reasons played no part in deciding to hold it this week.
Apparently, "bipartisanship" requires making nice with the party that's upheld Bush Jr's SCHIP vetoes, that's stuck with W in firm lock-step by scuttling every attempt at Congressional oversight as it relates to multiple failed attempts to bring some sanity to this bloodlust so favored by those still backing the Iraq occupation, and does everything it can to hold off real accountability as it relates to this Administration's numerous guttings of Constitutional protections, Administrative policies and consumer rights.
With how the GOP plays politics, this idea is far more likely to result in yet more humiliation instead of respect and a sense of fair play for the Democrats, because it's almost a guarantee that the GOP operatives will play up the following at this supposedly "nonpolitical" event.
But Republicans argue that the troop surge President Bush announced last year has succeeded militarily in clamping down on violence, and that the U.S. should focus on the future of the country rather than the war’s inception. Focusing on the drop in violence makes it harder for Democrats to win support for a quick withdrawal of troops, Republicans argue.
The language may be more nuanced and understated than usual for the GOP, but make no mistake, its speakers will somehow push the "surge is working" and "we must honor the fallen troops sacrifices by finishing the job" rhetoric from the podium, and it will be a free play for the Republicans, the Democrats will be bound to keep their obvious retorts to themselves lest they be branded "unpatriotic" and "insulting to the troops".
Republicans have been less eager to spotlight the fact that the war has been ongoing for five years, but agreed that an event should be held so long as politics stays out of it.
"This is a solemn event to honor our troops," said Michael Steel, a spokesman for Boehner. "I certainly hope that no one would stoop to holding this event for some sort of political purpose."
Giving the GOP ANY breathing space regarding Iraq-especially with an upcoming Presidential election-is foolish, counterproductive and undercuts the Democrats political strategy to the extreme.
The Republicans at the national level are, for the most part, rat-bastards, undeserving of any kind of political courtesy. Do the Democrats not remember how badly, how shabbily they were treated as the minority party?
The GOP will absolutely use this ceremony to claim that the Dems concur with the "surge is working" meme, political cover the Republicans absolutely don't deserve.
And let's not forget, that it was under a Democratically controlled Congress that there are more US troops in Iraq than there ever were when the GOP ran the political show.
I don't care how petulant my tantrum is, I want to see the GOP so thoroughly discredited and destroyed that it takes generations before the party is again so fervently welcoming of the warmonger mentality, a mindset currently driving the GOP over the political cliff.
If the GOP wants to hang itself politically, don't stop the efforts, instead, make sure the rope will hold.