City Newspaper Archives - 5/2007

BUSH: The war-funding veto

Published on May 08, 2007
Now that the presidential veto of the war appropriations bill is accomplished, it is time to reflect. The Bungler-in-Chief asserts that politicians must not dictate to generals. Surely this notion has long since been laid to rest. Lincoln fired McClellan. Truman fired MacArthur. Bush fired Shinseki. Moreover, don't they call nations that do not subject their general staff to civilian control military "dictatorships"? Does anyone seriously doubt that the generals in Iraq do the president's bidding? Isn't Mr. Bush a politician?

It is clear that Republicans in Congress, into whose court the ball is now hit, will sustain a veto. For shame. Mr. Bush was handed his marching orders in the last general election, which he ignores to his party's peril. The Republicans will be handed their pink slips in the next general election if they fail to put sanity above partisanship.

As for Congress scheduling a defeat, this administration did that when it so haphazardly embarked on the Iraqi campaign. Meanwhile, the situation in Afghanistan deteriorates. It will be ages before we regain any credibility among nations.

Not to put too much emphasis on the George Tenet distraction, but any administration that takes the country to war on the basis of the phrase "Slam dunk" is guilty of a profound lack of judgment. Would it not have occurred to anyone even remotely engaged to have asked, "Why do you say that, George?" The administration claims Mr. Tenet was not present for many of the deliberations leading to war in Iraq. Of course not; he was just the CIA director. Apparently war cabinets don't have as many chairs as they used to.

Peter Ramsey, Broadway, Rochester