Abu Muqawama: Post
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"Enlightened Mountain Republicanism"
That's how The Economist once described the brand of Republicanism embodied by the legendary Senator -- and McCallie old boy -- Howard Baker of Tennessee*. And as I listened to one of my current senators, Bob Corker, talk about Afghanistan a few weeks ago on CNN, I was struck by how well-informed and thoughtful he was in what he was saying about the conflict and the president's policy. Considering Corker's only prior foreign policy experience involved trying to get Volkswagon to move a plant to Chattanooga, I was impressed. The same goes for my other senator, who responded to Dick Cheney's "dithering" remark in what I thought was a statesmanlike way.
"I think President Obama is entitled to take sufficient time to decide what our long-term role ought to be in Afghanistan. Then I think he should come to Congress and say to the American people what that plan is and see if he can persuade us and all of the American people of the rightness of it because he needs to have support all the way through to the end of that mission, so I want him to take the time to get it right."
Considering how many Tennesseans serve in the combat arms branches of our nation's armed forces, that's exactly the right response. And a reminder of why I donated to the senator's last campaign.
*Just to give you an idea how well-respected Baker was, Mama Muqawama -- who turned 60 yesterday -- is a die-hard Democrat, but anyone caught slandering the hallowed name of Howard Baker in our house when I was growing up would have been summarily shown the door.
I miss Republicans like
I miss Republicans like Howard Baker.
Amen. Thanks for bringing
Amen. Thanks for bringing this to our attention...it gives me a glimmer of hope about our congress.
[insert standard lament about politics and the media focusing on the extremes]
I think we all miss
I think we all miss Republicans like Howard Baker.
Well, a glimmer anyway.
Well, a glimmer anyway.
*you went Repub!!. You'll regret posting that!! You can forget the tryst with Maddow now!! ;o)
Wow. Well, if anyone wants some more hope, check out Anthony Massa, D-NY, who went to his town halls and flat out told them the truth as far as costs, that he would vote for Health Care reform even if it went against his interests or the interests of his district (see impact of eliminating Medicare Advantage on rural elderly).
He's also backing us on www.cponefoundation (terps out). Me like.
Now for some more hope - you have a true first here on AM unless my BFF Google fails me.
See this emoticon another commenter left on an earlier post: ;o) <----------
I can't find it on Google. Or anywhere (quick search). It's a true original unless I missed it.
I propose we call it the drunkocon, or symbol for red nosed happy drunk. However it's not mine to name.
Tennesseans such as Howard
Tennesseans such as Howard Baker rock. So does Harold Ford. But you know what this means Abu Muqawama? It means that all your success and strengths are osmosis from growing up in Tennessee. You might be a big success (CNAS pundit, COIN expert, Charlie Rose buddy and all) from the perspective of any other State in the Union, but for Tennesseans, you are average. You need to really step it up to do Um Abu Muqawama proud. ;-)
For non Arab speakers Um Abu Muqawama means: Mother of the Father of Resistance.
I don't think AM has seen
I don't think AM has seen the light, it's more along the lines of some of my best friends are Republicans.
at vis
at vis 10:10
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirk_W._Dillard
The apparent demise of the
The apparent demise of the republican party is due to Gingrich, Atwater, Delay, and Rove. The Howard Bakers of the party are going to have to find a way to get rid of the 3 survivors.
i also miss Democrats like
i also miss Democrats like Scoop Jackson and Pat Moynihan.
How do you find that? At
How do you find that? At the point of demise, we had a free spending Repub POTUS who had Iraq going south, and then the paper money bubble and housing dysfunctions and the unwise repeal of Glass Stegall all collide.
We had a Congress that didn't check the spending, Repub or later the Dems.
We had a old progressive who wasn't very eloquent vs a young, articulate smooth progressive.
We had a stock market collapse, and a hugely unpopular Bank Bailout.
Bush wasn't really conservative, hate to tell ya.
And those you mention - Gingrich, Atwater, Delay, and Rove- were all responsible for substantial Repub victories-not defeats. Only Rove was operating at the time of the demise of course. And it wasn't his job to get Bush to a 3d term. In fact he left before the end of the term.
Repubs don't lose when they run and govern to the Right and Conservative Principles. They lose when they listen to Dems giving them advice (??why listen).
If by "demise of the Republican party" you mean we made the Liberals and Progressives who hate us anyway (insanely BTW - I mean the level) hate us more (is that possible) I guess that might be true.
The real reason for the hate, other than their Oedipal rage against Mom (fuck her) Dad (Kill him) the flag (burn it) Apple Pie (fuck that too - no really we made a movie about it) is being out of power.
Here's to more "demise".
Oh, Rasmussen poll. At least twice as many Americans identify as conservative rather than Liberal.
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/obama_administra...
Fucking Rubes don't know what's good for them!!
BTW who are the "Howard Bakers" of the Republican party?? John McCain and his fetching companion Lindsey Graham "grinning like Rubes at a 3 card monte game"??
We're coming for ya Libs. With our Moose Hunting MILF who drives ye mad on so many levels in the vanguard.
(BTW - We understand about MHMILF, Ann C and the rest. It must be maddening to both hate madly and be wanting to secretly rub one out - without the Wife catching you - to your archenemies SuperGirls).
LOL
Not sure how that name got
Not sure how that name got in there....
Regarding Dick Cheney's
Regarding Dick Cheney's supposed rhetorical transgressions:
"Bottom line: For the first time, I am getting worried by Obama's handling of a foreign policy issue. But I'll take dither over panic any day."
http://ricks.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2009/09/29/bush_and_obama_panic_vs_...
"What needs to happen? Well, first off, I guess we should decide what we're trying to do in Afghanistan. (Again, when we set about reviewing ISAF operations in June and July, we thought this question had already been resolved in March.) Once that question is settled, the administration needs to go about defending and explaining their policy. Until then, it's understandable why everyone from voters in Peoria to Mullah Omar in Afghanistan (?) are confused as to what, exactly, U.S. policy is at the moment."
http://www.cnas.org/blogs/abumuqawama/2009/09/obama-administration-mia-a...
How long should it take to settle the important question of Afghanistan? I have no idea. But, politically, domestically, it does look like an awful lot like dithering, or even worse, flailing. How true is that impression? Once again, I have no idea. It's easy to make the charge given the events of this summer and fall, though, and any political opponent who thinks we need more troops will do so, just as a certain politician once complained that we took our eye of the 'good war' in Afghanistan, and the good war must be resourced properly!
It is not unstatesman-like to, well, state that you wish the President would make a decision more quickly, and then to urge that he make the very decision that this blog recommended only a few short months ago. If Cheney believes there should be more troops for Afghanistan, and there should be COIN, then, why shouldn't he say so publically, in a speech? And, if he uses the politically inconvenient term 'dither,' well, it's not such an out-there word, apparently, given the recent history of the word.....
*Oh, and happy birthday to 'Mama Muquwama'. October birthday's are great, I always think: mine was on Wednesday.
Yes it wasn't quite the
Yes it wasn't quite the "Blasting" and "War" the media made it out to be...@Madhu nailed it though...there was a lot of fanfare in the Spring...then when they get the same estimate McKiernan got fired for...it does seem to be a bit of dithering or indecisivness. Maybe publically a United Front and the Boss comes out and says something quite firm.
It's image but that's hardly insignificant.
I actually don't blame him (or Bush, or Gates). I don't think there's a COIN solution we can live with, there's no right answer. If this were Somalia I'd say GTFO. But it's not.
Ah yes Howard Baker. The guy
Ah yes Howard Baker. The guy who rolled the Florida elections in 2000 that allowed GW Bush to become president and start us on the road to hell.
We need more Repubs like Howard Baker.
---"But, politically,
---"But, politically, domestically, it does look like an awful lot like dithering, or even worse, flailing."---
They (we) have had eight years to come up with a coherent policy in Afghanistan - or decide leave in absence of one.
And they, moreover, have been mostly out of power and with no actual responsibility.
Instead of a war policy, they came up with an election policy. Now they're attempting to try and pretend they aren't ditching the election policy, while coming up with a war policy. Dithering? Yeah. That's the kind characterization.
@ jason Wrong Baker. That
@ jason
Wrong Baker. That was James Baker.
Regrets - my screw-up. I
Regrets - my screw-up. I recall James Baker was a Dem turned Repub. Yes, we need more Howard Bakers and less James Bakers.
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