holzman_tweed | [politics]

It has been suggested that any who dare to question the President are no better than the terrorists themselves. Such are the suggestions of those who would rather not face the truth.

This Republic was founded in part because of the arrogance of a king who expected his subjects to do as they were told, without question, without hesitation. Our forefathers overthrew that tyrant and adopted a system of government where dissent is not only important, but it is also mandatory. Questioning flawed leadership is a requirement of this government. Failing to question, failing to speak out, is failing the legacy of the Founding Fathers.

When speaking of Iraq, the President maintains that his resolve is firm, and indeed the stakes for him are enormous. But the stakes are also enormous for the men and women who are serving in Iraq, and who are waiting and praying for the day that they will be able to return home to their families, their ranks painfully diminished but their mission fulfilled with honor and dignity. The President sent these men and women into Iraq, and it is his responsibility to develop a strategy to extricate them from that troubled country before their losses become intolerable.

It is staggeringly clear that the Administration did not understand the consequences of invading Iraq a year ago, and it is staggeringly clear that the Administration has no effective plan to cope with the aftermath of the war and the functional collapse of Iraq. It is time -- past time -- for the President to remedy that omission and to level with the American people about the magnitude of mistakes made and lessons learned. America needs a roadmap out of Iraq, one that is orderly and astute, else more of our men and women in uniform will follow the fate of Tennyson's doomed Light Brigade. -- Sen. Robert Byrd

In the Executive:

7:11am and word that 12 Marines were killed yesterday in Iraq brought the predictable:

''Our resolve is firm, our resolve is unshakeable and we will prevail,''

White House spokesman Scott ["Sucka MC"] McClellan said. Too bad he isn’t old enough to know how much those words sound like the Johnson White House. -- Lemley

Memo to the White House: It seems the Shi'ia decided they'd had it with the occupiers when Proconsul Bremmer shut down their paper. Generally, shutting down newspapers is fundamentally incompatible with building free socieities.

In Iraq:

Doesn't look good for the Coalition of the "Willing."

Ukranian troops decided they'd had enough, dropped their weapons, and ran out of Kut after one soldier was killed and five others wounded.
Spanish soldiers were spectators as al Sadr's militia siezed police stations and shrines in Najaf.
Japan and South Korea told their troops to stay in their barracks during the fighting.
Norway and Kazahkstan have said they're not so willing anymore, and they'll be leaving soon.
Singapore's already gone.
Thailand's thinking about it.
Poland's staying, but the Prime Minister doesn't think he can keep his job if he sends reinforcements.
Slovakia's Foreign Ministaer wasn't able to keep his job.
The Prime Minister of Italy says they're staying, but he's getting the hairy eyeball from the Pope.
Kofi Anan continues to mutter, "You broke it, you bought it."

It seems Bush sold his coalition on the "flowers and candy" theory, telling people they'd just be peacekeepers, digging wells and building hospitals. This getting shot at thing wasn't part of the marketing glossies.

Now we have the "Coalition of the not too sure about this shit."

Sources: 1 2