Cheney: Bush Is Right, War Critics "Irresponsible"

The White House continues to spread its talking point that critics of the war in Congress are "dishonest" and "irresponsible". Two words which, of course, come to mind when I think of the deadly and incompetent way this administration has managed this war.

This time, the threatening talking point was delivered by Vice President Dick "I won't come out of my bunker for hurricanes or when my Chief of Staff is indicted, but I will to defend torture" Cheney in a speech today:

Cheney Joins GOP Criticism of Democrats

That [manipulated intelligence] accusation, he said, "one of the most dishonest and reprehensible charges ever aired in this city."

"Some of the most irresponsible comments have, of course, come from politicians who actually voted in favor of authorizing force against Saddam Hussein," Cheney told the Frontiers of Freedom Institute, a conservative policy group.

And then there is all the "Well John Kerry voted for it!" cries and the "Clinton thought Iraq was a threat too!" cries. John Kerry? The guy the Republicans said was an untrustworthy flip-flopper? Bill Clinton? The man they had impeached because they felt he was an immoral liar who betrayed his country? They trashed these two men every chance they got and now all of the sudden they point to them to bolster the credibility of their Iraq argument. It's all a bit tiresome.

Yes, the Democrats did go along with the whole thing in many ways and they should hold themselves accountable to their actions, but the buck stops with George W. Bush and the way he and his administration sold a war they'd been planning for a very long time. He's the President. He's the leader. It's his war and he has to deal with all of it, including the Democrats who want to ask the questions they were supposed to ask 3 years ago.

Ugh. I need something to wipe the taste of this out of my mouth...

Hey, let's hear from Republican senator Chuck Hagel again!-

"[T]he Bush administration must understand that each American has a right to question our policies in Iraq and should not be demonized for disagreeing with them...

[Vietnam] was a national tragedy partly because members of Congress failed their country, remained silent and lacked the courage to challenge the administrations in power until it was too late...

...To question your government is not unpatriotic -- to not question your government is unpatriotic. America owes its men and women in uniform a policy worthy of their sacrifices."

Amen.