What They Did
Jun 25th, 2005 at 4:49 pm by Susie
Here’s what 9/11 widow Kristin Breitweiser had to say about KKK Karl’s Komments:
More to the point, Karl when you say, “Conservatives saw the savagery of the 9/11 attacks and prepared for war,â€? what exactly did you do to prepare for your war? Did your preparations include: sound intelligence to warrant your actions; a reasonable entry and exit strategy coupled with a coherent plan to carry out that strategy; the proper training and equipment for the troops you were sending in to fight your war? Did you follow the advice of experts such as General Shinseki who correctly advised you about the troop levels needed to actually succeed in Iraq? No, you didn’t.
It has always been America’s policy that you only place soldiers’ lives in harm’s way when it is absolutely necessary and the absolute last resort. When you send troops into combat you support those troops by providing them with proper equipment and training. Why didn’t you do that with the troops that you sent into Iraq? Why weren’t their vehicles armored? Why didn’t they have protective vests? Why weren’t they properly trained about the rules of interrogation? And Karl, when our troops come home – be it tragically in body bags or with missing limbs – you should honor and acknowledge their service to their country. You shouldn’t hide them by bringing them home in the dark of night. Most importantly, you should take care of them for the long haul by giving them substantial veteran’s benefits and care. To me, that is being patriotic. To me, that is how you support our troops. To me, that is how you show that you know the value of a human life given for its country.
For the record Karl, does Iraq have any connection to the 9/11 attacks? Because, you and your friends with your collective “understanding of 9/11â€? seem to be contradicting yourselves about the Iraq-9/11 connection, too. First, we were told that we went to war with Iraq because it was linked to the 9/11 attacks. Then, your rationale was changed to “Iraq has WMD”. Then you told us that we needed to invade Iraq because Saddam was a “bad man”. And now it turns out that we are in Iraq to bring them “democracy.”
Of course, the Downing Street memo clarifies many of these things, but for the record Karl: Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11; there were few terrorists in Iraq before our invasion, but now Iraq is a terrorist hot-bed. America had the sympathy and support of the whole world before Iraq. Now, thanks to your actions, we find ourselves hated and alienated by the rest of the world. Al Qaeda’s recruitment took a nose-dive after the 9/11 attacks, but has now skyrocketed since your invasion of Iraq; and most importantly, nearly 2,000 U.S. soldiers have been killed because of your war in Iraq. These facts speak for themselves. (And, they speak very little about effectively winning any war on terror.)
Karl, you say you “understandâ€? 9/11. Then why did you and your friends so vehemently oppose the creation of a 9/11 Independent Commission? Once the commission was established, why did you refuse to properly fund the Commission by allotting it only a $3 million budget? Why did you refuse to allow access to documents and witnesses for the 9/11 Commissioners? Why did we have to fight so hard for an extension when the Commissioners told us that they needed more time due to your footdragging and stonewalling? Why didn’t you want to cooperate so that all Americans could “understandâ€? what happened on 9/11?
Lots more, go read it all.
Wow. Before I go “read it all”, I just wanted to say I agree with a lot of other people posting today who’ve said that “asking for an apology” from Rove is pointless. Ms. Breitweiser made it clear to me: we should brush right by Rove’s stupid comments about liberals, not by ignoring them, but by contemptuously and repeatedly using a “There he goes again!” tactic, and then immediately jumping to his assertions about what conservatives said and did…especially, as Breitweiser says, “preparing for war” (how?).
It wouldn’t hurt to keep slamming home other examples of conservative responses to 9/11 - for example, the administration’s callous and ill-conceived decision to declare Ground Zero and the immediate vicinity to be environmentally hunky-dory. Oh, let’s not forget the thoughtful, prompt evacuation of key Saudis during the no-fly period, and prior to any questioning by law enforcement.
It should be an attitude of “Everybody knows Rove’s ‘therapy and understanding’ remarks are ridiculous, so let’s get to the important stuff, like his claims that conservatives hit the post-9/11 ground running, ’cause, hello, everyone, they didn’t.”
Shit, Susie. I don’t know. I seem to be out of synch with everything and everyone - right, center, left, Christianist, libertarians, free agents, everyone. Nothing I say quite clicks into place.
Meanwhile…I’ve been thinking of you and your family, and wishing y’all the best.
Hmmmm, now just whose words would carry more weight in my mind??? Ms Breitweiser or Mr. Rove??? A gutsy, outspoken widow who would not stay home, silent in the aftermath of the most horrendous assault on the USA while the plexiglass president said there was no need for an investigation of same …or the architect of the presidency which has so arrogantly gone unprepared into a war so expensive in soldiers’ life and limbs?? Oh, nevermind!! I’m a liberal so of course I can’t be trusted to form an opinion.