| Topic: |
Politics > Politics-USA |
| User: |
"*Harry Hope" |
| Date: |
21 Aug 2005 08:47:31 AM |
| Object: |
The Failed Swift Boating of Cindy Sheehan |
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/21/opinion/21rich.html
The Swift Boating of Cindy Sheehan
By FRANK RICH
CINDY SHEEHAN couldn't have picked a more apt date to begin the vigil
that ambushed a president:
Aug. 6 was the fourth anniversary of that fateful 2001 Crawford
vacation day when George W. Bush responded to an intelligence briefing
titled "Bin Laden Determined to Attack Inside the United States" by
going fishing.
On this Aug. 6 the president was no less determined to shrug off bad
news.
Though 14 marine reservists had been killed days earlier by a roadside
bomb in Haditha, his national radio address that morning made no
mention of Iraq.
Once again Mr. Bush was in his bubble, ensuring that he wouldn't see
Ms. Sheehan coming.
So it goes with a president who hasn't foreseen any of the setbacks in
the war he fabricated against an enemy who did not attack inside the
United States in 2001.
When these setbacks happen in Iraq itself, the administration punts.
But when they happen at home, there's a game plan.
Once Ms. Sheehan could no longer be ignored, the Swift Boating began.
Character assassination is the Karl Rove tactic of choice, eagerly
mimicked by his media surrogates, whenever the White House is
confronted by a critic who challenges it on matters of war.
The Swift Boating is especially vicious if the critic has more battle
scars than a president who connived to serve stateside and a vice
president who had "other priorities" during Vietnam.
The most prominent smear victims have been Bush political opponents
with heroic Vietnam résumés:
John McCain, Max Cleland, John Kerry.
But the list of past targets stretches from the former
counterterrorism czar Richard Clarke to Specialist Thomas Wilson, the
grunt who publicly challenged Donald Rumsfeld about inadequately
armored vehicles last December.
The assault on the whistle-blower Joseph Wilson - the diplomat
described by the first President Bush as "courageous" and "a true
American hero" for confronting Saddam to save American hostages in
1991 - was so toxic it may yet send its perpetrators to jail.
True to form, the attack on Cindy Sheehan surfaced early on Fox News,
where she was immediately labeled a "crackpot" by Fred Barnes.
The right-wing blogosphere quickly spread tales of her divorce, her
angry Republican in-laws, her supposed political flip-flops, her
incendiary sloganeering and her association with known
ticket-stub-carrying attendees of "Fahrenheit 9/11."
Rush Limbaugh went so far as to declare that Ms. Sheehan's "story is
nothing more than forged documents - there's nothing about it that's
real."
But this time the Swift Boating failed, utterly, and that failure is
yet another revealing historical marker in this summer's collapse of
political support for the Iraq war.
When the Bush mob attacks critics like Ms. Sheehan, its highest
priority is to change the subject.
If we talk about Richard Clarke's character, then we stop talking
about the administration's pre-9/11 inattentiveness to terrorism.
If Thomas Wilson is trashed as an insubordinate plant of the "liberal
media," we forget the Pentagon's abysmal failure to give our troops
adequate armor (a failure that persists today, eight months after he
spoke up).
If we focus on Joseph Wilson's wife, we lose the big picture of how
the administration twisted intelligence to gin up the threat of
Saddam's nonexistent W.M.D.'s.
The hope this time was that we'd change the subject to Cindy Sheehan's
"wacko" rhetoric and the opportunistic left-wing groups that have
attached themselves to her like barnacles.
That way we would forget about her dead son.
But if much of the 24/7 media has taken the bait, much of the public
has not.
The backdrops against which Ms. Sheehan stands - both that of Mr.
Bush's what-me-worry vacation and that of Iraq itself - are perfectly
synergistic with her message of unequal sacrifice and fruitless
carnage.
Her point would endure even if the messenger were shot by a gun-waving
Crawford hothead or she never returned to Texas from her ailing
mother's bedside or the president folded the media circus by actually
meeting with her.
The public knows that what matters this time is Casey Sheehan's story,
not the mother who symbolizes it.
Cindy Sheehan's bashers, you'll notice, almost never tell her son's
story.
They are afraid to go there because this young man's life and death
encapsulate not just the noble intentions of those who went to fight
this war but also the hubris, incompetence and recklessness of those
who gave the marching orders.
Specialist Sheehan was both literally and figuratively an Eagle Scout:
a church group leader and honor student whose desire to serve his
country drove him to enlist before 9/11, in 2000.
He died with six other soldiers on a rescue mission in Sadr City on
April 4, 2004, at the age of 24, the week after four American security
workers had been mutilated in Falluja and two weeks after he arrived
in Iraq.
This was almost a year after the president had declared the end of
"major combat operations" from the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln.
According to the account of the battle by John F. Burns in The Times,
the insurgents who slaughtered Specialist Sheehan and his cohort were
militiamen loyal to Moktada al-Sadr, the anti-American Shiite cleric.
The Americans probably didn't stand a chance.
As Mr. Burns reported, members of "the new Iraqi-trained police and
civil defense force" abandoned their posts at checkpoints and police
stations "almost as soon as the militiamen appeared with their
weapons, leaving the militiamen in unchallenged control."
Yet in the month before Casey Sheehan's death, Mr. Rumsfeld typically
went out of his way to inflate the size and prowess of these Iraqi
security forces, claiming in successive interviews that there were
"over 200,000 Iraqis that have been trained and equipped" and that
they were "out on the front line taking the brunt of the violence."
We'll have to wait for historians to tell us whether this and all the
other Rumsfeld propaganda came about because he was lied to by
subordinates or lying to himself or lying to us or some combination
thereof.
As The Times reported last month, even now, more than a year later, a
declassified Pentagon assessment puts the total count of Iraqi troops
and police officers at 171,500, with only "a small number" able to
fight insurgents without American assistance.
As for Moktada al-Sadr, he remains as much a player as ever in the new
"democratic" Iraq.
He controls one of the larger blocs in the National Assembly.
His loyalists may have been responsible for last month's apparently
vengeful murder of Steven Vincent, the American freelance journalist
who wrote in The Times that Mr. Sadr's followers had infiltrated
Basra's politics and police force.
Casey Sheehan's death in Iraq could not be more representative of the
war's mismanagement and failure, but it is hardly singular.
Another mother who has journeyed to Crawford, Celeste Zappala, wrote
last Sunday in New York's Daily News of how her son, Sgt. Sherwood
Baker, was also killed in April 2004 - in Baghdad, where he was
providing security for the Iraq Survey Group, which was charged with
looking for W.M.D.'s "well beyond the admission by David Kay that they
didn't exist."
As Ms. Zappala noted with rage, her son's death came only a few weeks
after Mr. Bush regaled the Radio and Television Correspondents'
Association banquet in Washington with a scripted comedy routine
featuring photos of him pretending to look for W.M.D.'s in the Oval
Office.
"We'd like to know if he still finds humor in the fabrications that
justified the war that killed my son," Ms. Zappala wrote.
(Perhaps so: surely it was a joke that one of the emissaries Mr. Bush
sent to Cindy Sheehan in Crawford was Stephen Hadley, the national
security adviser who took responsibility for allowing the 16 errant
words about doomsday uranium into the president's prewar State of the
Union speech.)
Mr. Bush's stand-up shtick for the Beltway press corps wasn't some
aberration; it was part of the White House's political plan for
keeping the home front cool.
America was to yuk it up, party on and spend its tax cuts heedlessly
while the sacrifice of an inadequately manned all-volunteer army in
Iraq was kept out of most Americans' sight and minds.
This is why the Pentagon issued a directive at the start of Operation
Iraqi Freedom forbidding news coverage of "deceased military personnel
returning to or departing from" air bases.
It's why Mr. Bush, unlike Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter, has not
attended funeral services for the military dead.
It's why January's presidential inauguration, though nominally
dedicated to the troops, was a gilded $40 million jamboree at which
the word Iraq was banished from the Inaugural Address.
THIS summer in Crawford, the White House went to this playbook once
too often.
When Mr. Bush's motorcade left a grieving mother in the dust to speed
on to a fund-raiser, that was one fat-cat party too far.
The strategy of fighting a war without shared national sacrifice has
at last backfired, just as the strategy of Swift Boating the war's
critics has reached its Waterloo before Patrick Fitzgerald's grand
jury in Washington.
The 24/7 cable and Web attack dogs can keep on sliming Cindy Sheehan.
The president can keep trying to ration the photos of flag-draped
caskets.
But this White House no longer has any more control over the
insurgency at home than it does over the one in Iraq.
______________________________________________________
Harry
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| User: "Stan de SD" |
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| Title: Re: The Failed Swift Boating of Cindy Sheehan |
21 Aug 2005 09:45:47 AM |
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"*Harry Hope" <rivrvu@ix.netcom.com> wrote in message
news:5f1hg1hc3cpp7epvq174n6irp3lto76vu4@4ax.com...
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/21/opinion/21rich.html
The Swift Boating of Cindy Sheehan
By FRANK RICH
CINDY SHEEHAN couldn't have picked a more apt date to begin the vigil
that ambushed a president:
Not much of an ambush, if you consider the fact that most people (including
her own relatives) have dismissed her as a kook...
.
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| User: "Jim E" |
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| Title: Re: The Failed Swift Boating of Cindy Sheehan |
21 Aug 2005 10:12:40 AM |
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"Stan de SD" <standesd@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:vs0Oe.9809$RS.4252@newsread3.news.pas.earthlink.net...
"*Harry Hope" <rivrvu@ix.netcom.com> wrote in message
news:5f1hg1hc3cpp7epvq174n6irp3lto76vu4@4ax.com...
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/21/opinion/21rich.html
The Swift Boating of Cindy Sheehan
By FRANK RICH
CINDY SHEEHAN couldn't have picked a more apt date to begin the vigil
that ambushed a president:
Not much of an ambush, if you consider the fact that most people
(including
her own relatives) have dismissed her as a kook...
Being a kook seems to attract DNC funding, and the lib press.
What a coincidence.
Still awaiting the announcement of the book and movie deals.
Jim E
Jim E
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| User: "Stan de SD" |
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| Title: Re: The Failed Swift Boating of Cindy Sheehan |
21 Aug 2005 09:51:55 AM |
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"*Harry Hope" <rivrvu@ix.netcom.com> wrote in message
news:5f1hg1hc3cpp7epvq174n6irp3lto76vu4@4ax.com...
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/21/opinion/21rich.html
The Swift Boating of Cindy Sheehan
By FRANK RICH
CINDY SHEEHAN couldn't have picked a more apt date to begin the vigil
that ambushed a president:
Not much of an ambush, if you consider the fact that most people (including
her own relatives) have dismissed her as a kook...
.
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| User: "Stan de SD" |
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| Title: Re: The Failed Swift Boating of Cindy Sheehan |
21 Aug 2005 09:45:30 AM |
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"*Harry Hope" <rivrvu@ix.netcom.com> wrote in message
news:5f1hg1hc3cpp7epvq174n6irp3lto76vu4@4ax.com...
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/21/opinion/21rich.html
The Swift Boating of Cindy Sheehan
By FRANK RICH
CINDY SHEEHAN couldn't have picked a more apt date to begin the vigil
that ambushed a president:
Not much of an ambush, if you consider the fact that most people (including
her own relatives) have dismissed him as a kook...
.
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| User: "Choices" |
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| Title: Re: The Failed Swift Boating of Cindy Sheehan |
21 Aug 2005 09:23:44 AM |
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On Sun, 21 Aug 2005 13:47:31 GMT, *Harry Hope <rivrvu@ix.netcom.com>
wrote:
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/21/opinion/21rich.html
The Swift Boating of Cindy Sheehan
By FRANK RICH
CINDY SHEEHAN couldn't have picked a more apt date to begin the vigil
that ambushed a president:
YEP
and now that the KKK and the NAZI's support her cause I bet the Left
will finally be able to declare a VICTORY against GOD
Here is some more of the Anti-American Racist Filth that Sheehan
has aligned herself with:
DAVID DUKE:
In truth, Cindy Sheehan is absolutely right.
Her son signed up in the military to defend
America, not Israel, and to safeguard our own
democracy, not the democracy of some foreign
nation that neither wants nor needs it.
In advancing this war for Israel, government and
media advocates obviously couldn’t get Americans
behind the war by saying it was a war for Israel.
They had to make up bogus reasons for the war,
such as saying that Iraq was an imminent threat
to America and that Saddam had weapons of mass
destruction. Now that these lies have been exposed,
they have changed the rationale for the war to
“fighting for democracy” and “fighting against terrorism.”
Here’s a short list showing why Cindy Sheehan is right!
1) It was criminal for Cindy Sheehan’s son to die for Israel rather
than for the true interests of America.
From the beginning, this war was orchestrated from top to bottom
by Jewish Neocons that saw the war as one for Israel’s strategic
objectives. They ramped up the war through Jews such as Perle and
Wolfowitz, the false intelligence through CIA analyst Stuart Cohen and
by Israel’s Mossad, and had a compliant Jewish-dominated media to
cheer on the war. The truth is the Iraq War has inflicted incredible
damage on America and the American people. It is war against America
rather than in defense of America.
2) It was criminal to send her son to die for a lie.
There were no weapons of mass destruction, no nuclear program, no
uranium from Niger, no links with Al Qaeda, no imminent threat to the
American people. Every reason the American people were given for going
to war has turned out to be a lie.
3) It is criminal for her son to be forced to die for democracy in
other ountries.
If Americans were sent to die for democracy or justice in all the
countries of the world we deem unjust or undemocratic, then we must be
ready to send millions of our sons and daughters to war all over the
globe.
4) The lie that her son died for the good of the Iraqi People is false
on its face.
Hundreds of thousands of Iraq men women and children have been killed,
injured, made homeless and suffered from this war. You don’t save
people by destroying their homes and hospitals, and throwing their
country in chaos.
5) The Iraq war and her son’s death did not defend American from
hatred or terrorism.
In fact, the war is massively increasing hatred and terrorism. For
every one terrorist killed in Iraq, we are creating thousands more who
hate and want to hurt America and Americans. This is the surest way to
lose the war on terror not win it.
6) Cindy Sheehan’s son died for no true interest for the American
people.
It has secured us no new or cheaper oil, it has cost a national
treasure of hundreds of billions of dollars, it has alienated friends
and allies, it has hurt American business around the world, it has
separated and caused hardship upon millions of American military and
National Guard families. It has killed almost 2000 and maimed tens of
thousands of loyal and brave Americans who do their duty in Iraq.
Again, this is war against every true interest of the America. The
only nation that benefits from it is Israel!
Cindy Sheehan has a lot to be angry about. Her son was betrayed and
his life lost by government officials who treasonably created and
continue a war for Israel and the Jewish supremacist agenda rather
than that of the United States.
We stand with Cindy Sheehan and the memory of her son which should
spur all truly patriotic Americans to demand an end to this war for
Israel, this war against America, the Iraq War.
It is not Iraq’s borders that need protecting, it is the American
border with Mexico!
Support our troops…bring them home!
Let them protect America and not die for Israel.
Sincerely,
David Duke
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
did you notice that David Duke seems to HATE Jews?
Maybe that is because he is a NAZI!
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| User: "Tazmanian Devil" |
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| Title: Re: The Failed Swift Boating of Cindy Sheehan |
21 Aug 2005 10:15:35 AM |
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"Choices (all bad)" <CHOICES-2-MAKE@Life.org> wrote in message
news:eh3hg1psihq3rrqkg50eu7authdlhoiohs@4ax.com...
On Sun, 21 Aug 2005 13:47:31 GMT, *Harry Hope <rivrvu@ix.netcom.com>
wrote:
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/21/opinion/21rich.html
The Swift Boating of Cindy Sheehan
By FRANK RICH
CINDY SHEEHAN couldn't have picked a more apt date to begin the vigil
that ambushed a president:
YEP
and now that the KKK and the NAZI's support her cause
Really? When did you assholes get on board?
.
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| User: "Parsifal" |
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| Title: Re: The Failed Swift Boating of Cindy Sheehan |
21 Aug 2005 09:54:38 AM |
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*did you notice that David Duke seems to HATE Jews?
*Maybe that is because he is a NAZI!
The interesting fact is that everyone: from nazis to communists, from
the Rolling Stones to Michael Moore, from Bruce Springsteen to Pope
Jean Paul II, all agree that this war is wrong... Must mean
something...
.
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| User: "enialle" |
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| Title: Re: The Failed Swift Boating of Cindy Sheehan |
21 Aug 2005 10:42:07 AM |
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On Sun, 21 Aug 2005 07:23:44 -0700, Choices <CHOICES-2-MAKE@Life.org>
wrote:
On Sun, 21 Aug 2005 13:47:31 GMT, *Harry Hope <rivrvu@ix.netcom.com>
wrote:
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/21/opinion/21rich.html
The Swift Boating of Cindy Sheehan
By FRANK RICH
CINDY SHEEHAN couldn't have picked a more apt date to begin the vigil
that ambushed a president:
YEP
and now that the KKK and the NAZI's support her cause I bet the Left
will finally be able to declare a VICTORY against GOD
riiiiiight . and you can prove that what she SAID by any quotes
duffus?
Here is some more of the Anti-American Racist Filth that Sheehan
has aligned herself with:
Amazing how scared the right is by this 38 year old mother and how
desperate they've become that now she is part of the Nazi part and
KKK!
this is hilarious.
next thing will be that she the head poobah of the World Devil
worshipping group. I am sure she's responsible for all crop failures
too.
.
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| User: "Stan de SD" |
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| Title: Re: The Failed Swift Boating of Cindy Sheehan |
28 Aug 2005 10:30:04 AM |
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"enialle" <enialle@windowless.punkass.com> wrote in message
news:528hg1934ogjibsvhhbpbenf288689c3la@4ax.com...
On Sun, 21 Aug 2005 07:23:44 -0700, Choices <CHOICES-2-MAKE@Life.org>
wrote:
On Sun, 21 Aug 2005 13:47:31 GMT, *Harry Hope <rivrvu@ix.netcom.com>
wrote:
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/21/opinion/21rich.html
The Swift Boating of Cindy Sheehan
By FRANK RICH
CINDY SHEEHAN couldn't have picked a more apt date to begin the vigil
that ambushed a president:
YEP
and now that the KKK and the NAZI's support her cause I bet the Left
will finally be able to declare a VICTORY against GOD
riiiiiight . and you can prove that what she SAID by any quotes
duffus?
Here is some more of the Anti-American Racist Filth that Sheehan
has aligned herself with:
Amazing how scared the right is by this 38 year old mother
Nobody's scared of that kook...
.
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