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Fumesucker

(45,851 posts)

78. No, Cole was a big Iraq war booster..

Mon Jul 2, 2012, 10:44 AM

Jul 2012

Here is his 2008 mea culpa on that..

http://www.balloon-juice.com/2008/03/21/my-iraq-war-retrospective/

I see that Andrew Sullivan was asked to list what he got wrong about Iraq for the five year anniversary of the invasion, and since I was as big a war booster as anyone, I thought I would list what I got wrong:
Everything.
And I don’t say that to provide people with an easy way to beat up on me, but I do sort of have to face facts. I was wrong about everything.
I was wrong about the Doctrine of Pre-emptive warfare.
I was wrong about Iraq possessing WMD.
I was wrong about Scott Ritter and the inspections.
I was wrong about the UN involvement in weapons inspections.
I was wrong about the containment sanctions.
I was wrong about the broader impact of the war on the Middle East.
I was wrong about this making us more safe.
I was wrong about the number of troops needed to stabilize Iraq.
I was wrong when I stated this administration had a clear plan for the aftermath.
I was wrong about securing the ammunition dumps.
I was wrong about the ease of bringing democracy to the Middle East.
I was wrong about dissolving the Iraqi army.
I was wrong about the looting being unimportant.
I was wrong that Bush/Cheney were competent.
I was wrong that we would be greeted as liberators.
I was wrong to make fun of the anti-war protestors.
I was wrong not to trust the dirty smelly hippies.

Cole's "Road to Damascus" moment was during the Terry Shiavo brouhaha which puts it more like 2005..

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For once, focus your bloodlust on Republicans --instead of the DLC/Firebaggers/ANYONE WITHOUT AN (R) [View all] kpete Jul 2012 OP

Since you said "please". Wait Wut Jul 2012 #1

Because he said please. Zalatix Jul 2012 #63

I love this rant. OKNancy Jul 2012 #2

K & R. n/t pnwmom Jul 2012 #3

THE ONLY FOCUS NOW SHOULD BE THE ECONOMY. russspeakeasy Jul 2012 #4

This right and good, because it puts LABOR at least near the cat-bird-seat . . . patrice Jul 2012 #8

We NEEEEED to discover & value what we really do share, more than what our differences are patrice Jul 2012 #5

I'm already doing what has been asked. TexasTowelie Jul 2012 #6

Personally, I think this is the wrong strategy... kentuck Jul 2012 #7

The gut level of what we are dealing with does not necessarily respond to nice. There are ways of patrice Jul 2012 #10

My point is: kentuck Jul 2012 #15

"Nice" loses. Chan790 Jul 2012 #23

When you wrestle with a pig, you get dirty.... kentuck Jul 2012 #25

Sorry but no. kenfrequed Jul 2012 #105

if you were in a foxhole with a freeper and the corporatists were coming... chknltl Jul 2012 #37

You always "shoot" an ally you can't trust. Chan790 Jul 2012 #43

advocating for a civil war... chknltl Jul 2012 #49

If you're advocating that we need be allies with conservatives, you're with the corporatists... Chan790 Jul 2012 #50

There is one enemy where You would make two chknltl Jul 2012 #55

Why not "keep it simple" and VOTE A STRAIGHT DEMOCRATIC BALLOT? xtraxritical Jul 2012 #97

i do, have done so since i turned 18. chknltl Jul 2012 #111

Wish I could rec this post 1000 times. woo me with science Jul 2012 #132

hey there woo me... chknltl Jul 2012 #133

Uhm this is absurd. kenfrequed Jul 2012 #106

Hmm freepers are not citzens of America? chknltl Jul 2012 #120

Right...whatever kenfrequed Jul 2012 #121

you speak of politicians, I speak of citizenry. chknltl Jul 2012 #130

Rhetoric of violence, anyone? PavePusher Jul 2012 #89

2 points, though you can probably guess both of them. Chan790 Jul 2012 #96

"Your mealy pacifism..." WTF? PavePusher Jul 2012 #98

Hmm. Chan790 Jul 2012 #116

Precisely kenfrequed Jul 2012 #108

Here's a thought Spitfire of ATJ Jul 2012 #36

What gets Democrats to The Polls? bvar22 Jul 2012 #44

Good post. People need to pay attention. newthinking Jul 2012 #65

And what keeps them at home is bashing their President. SunSeeker Jul 2012 #115

Why can't we do both? silverweb Jul 2012 #16

Yes. kentuck Jul 2012 #19

... silverweb Jul 2012 #47

It's not the wrong strategy, it's just HARD TO FOLLOW. Speaking for myself. Zalatix Jul 2012 #64

I don't know if the strategy has ever, for any Dem Policy... Sheepshank Jul 2012 #84

You're right, that's what K. Rove et. al. do - plot and scheme how to float xtraxritical Jul 2012 #101

Nah Marrah_G Jul 2012 #9

Nobody wants you to change your views. We are trying to figure out how each of us can USE our own patrice Jul 2012 #12

Except the zero sum thinking is in the OP and projected at people who don't agree with him. EFerrari Jul 2012 #62

What is amazing is over and over the strategy causes lost opportunity newthinking Jul 2012 #66

I don't know if this guy qualifies as leadership but I would like to submit this EFerrari Jul 2012 #68

K&R! This is so true. Treat a win as a win and stop the incessant kvetching BlueCaliDem Jul 2012 #11

Did John send a copy to Ben Nelson, too? How about Max Baucus? Poll_Blind Jul 2012 #13

Keep pretending that we are making "incremental steps." woo me with science Jul 2012 #14

+100000! n/t RufusTFirefly Jul 2012 #17

Thanks for the demonstration. boppers Jul 2012 #26

It's all you have. nt woo me with science Jul 2012 #30

If I could build a giant puppet, and join a drumming circle, I'm sure I could make more change. boppers Jul 2012 #48

I don't think anyone is asking you to do that. rudycantfail Jul 2012 #112

Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! OnyxCollie Jul 2012 #51

Invisible rec for this post. progressoid Jul 2012 #61

+1,000,000 (n/t) a2liberal Jul 2012 #73

..he said, proving the point of the OP... dionysus Jul 2012 #75

It would almost be funny in it's confirmation of the OP Sheepshank Jul 2012 #85

+100000000 nt Mojorabbit Jul 2012 #131

I'm pure! Auntie Bush Jul 2012 #18

The DLC is why the 1996 election was one of the lowest turnouts ever Spitfire of ATJ Jul 2012 #38

"All of these kids are from planned pregnancies!" gtar100 Jul 2012 #60

This is some rant! treestar Jul 2012 #20

Good rant. DevonRex Jul 2012 #21

We can't do it Flatpicker Jul 2012 #22

no thanks. iamthebandfanman Jul 2012 #24

I prefer to target conservatives DJ13 Jul 2012 #27

exactly. iamthebandfanman Jul 2012 #46

Identity politics is for neophytes. OnyxCollie Jul 2012 #52

Politics before good government? That's the republican way. FreeBC Jul 2012 #28

Excellent read, and damned excellent advice. Thanks for posting. Tarheel_Dem Jul 2012 #29

What did we "WIN" ? bvar22 Jul 2012 #31

This thread was directed at you... and you still dont get it scheming daemons Jul 2012 #34

A WHOLE Thread? bvar22 Jul 2012 #40

If you're on medicare (if voting dem 46 years, sounds like you are), no more "donut hole" SunSeeker Jul 2012 #58

So in order to .... bvar22 Jul 2012 #95

The tax penalty runs around $90/year & no enforcement mechanism besides deduction from tax refunds. SunSeeker Jul 2012 #107

My criticisms are FAR from anything YOU will find on Fox news, and you know it. bvar22 Jul 2012 #113

I didn't say you were a wing-nut, just that you [your post] sounded like it. SunSeeker Jul 2012 #117

Bogus Nonsense to discourage honest discussion and honest evaluation of Party Policy. bvar22 Jul 2012 #118

Comparing the ACA to terrorism is not an "honest discussion." nt SunSeeker Jul 2012 #119

I see you still "got nothin". bvar22 Jul 2012 #122

Saving 45,000 Americans from death each year is not a "minor political victory for a small group." SunSeeker Jul 2012 #123

More Distortions, misdirection, and outright false claims. bvar22 Jul 2012 #124

"Bodily orifice"? No, I pulled it off Google. SunSeeker Jul 2012 #125

Oh well, if you found it on Google, it MUST be true. bvar22 Jul 2012 #127

In concrete terms. What have I "won"? Spitfire of ATJ Jul 2012 #39

THIS: Amonester Jul 2012 #56

Hey there fellow dem. chknltl Jul 2012 #67

So, you're a big fan of FDR??? PBass Jul 2012 #70

In case you missed it, further down the thread, PBass Jul 2012 #71

Social Security and Medicare established a firm FOUNDATION. bvar22 Jul 2012 #94

DU rec...nt SidDithers Jul 2012 #32

We need to be able to develop the skill to respond to statements with which JDPriestly Jul 2012 #33

Well, there he goes again hfojvt Jul 2012 #35

That is how it looks on MY radar. bvar22 Jul 2012 #41

+1 TheKentuckian Jul 2012 #45

As a liberal, I am very happy. I like progress, and I like doers, not talkers. PBass Jul 2012 #69

No, Cole was a big Iraq war booster.. Fumesucker Jul 2012 #78

In the OP, he said 2006 or 2007 himself hfojvt Jul 2012 #86

Cole is nearly all the way to full metal jacket dirty fucking hippie.. Fumesucker Jul 2012 #102

"rich people are not Democrats" hfojvt Jul 2012 #83

John Cole is at this point in his career a DLC water carrier rudycantfail Jul 2012 #114

k&r spanone Jul 2012 #42

This! nt tblue37 Jul 2012 #53

May I ask a simple question? kentuck Jul 2012 #54

Once a control freak, always a control freak. n/t EFerrari Jul 2012 #57

K&R SunSeeker Jul 2012 #59

K&R!!!!! October Jul 2012 #72

Just remember; (opposed to forgetting)... amerciti001 Jul 2012 #74

Will you be providing relocation to places like Canada and the United Kingdom as well? TheKentuckian Jul 2012 #82

Hmm, gee, then what was I doing in 2010? 2008? 2006? 2004? 2002? 2000? DRoseDARs Jul 2012 #76

Dem leadership needs to take some cues warrprayer Jul 2012 #77

"Quit shitting the bed!" Greybnk48 Jul 2012 #79

You do realize that Cole is talking about *both* sides, right? Fumesucker Jul 2012 #80

No, I didn't know that. Greybnk48 Jul 2012 #87

Almost all Republicans are authoritarians these days.. Fumesucker Jul 2012 #104

I hate warrprayer Jul 2012 #92

Huge K&R! Bobbie Jo Jul 2012 #81

Damn! arthritisR_US Jul 2012 #88

another example of someone unclear of what a DISCUSSION board is yurbud Jul 2012 #90

I don't think you're reading the polling zipplewrath Jul 2012 #91

your last paragraph applies far, far more to Dem elected officials and party functionaries than us yurbud Jul 2012 #93

The author doesn't seem to have much experience (or knack!) for public speaking... Romulox Jul 2012 #99

PS: LOL at ANOTHER "ex" Republican trying to boss us around and kill dissent! Romulox Jul 2012 #100

This ELECTION may be DECIDED on PUBLIC PERCEPTION of the ACA Martin Eden Jul 2012 #103

Thank you. Ship of Fools Jul 2012 #129

A win that is not a win... dtom67 Jul 2012 #109

For once, understand that it doesn't matter if it's the good cop or the bad cop that jails you. Egalitarian Thug Jul 2012 #110

Well said! silverweb Jul 2012 #126

Good advice, but won't happen kctim Jul 2012 #128