Republicans and Conservatives Critical of the War Strategy
Recently, conservative and loyal Republican Senator Pat Roberts of Kansas delivered a lecture at his alma mater. Although careful not to criticize the president in an election year, "[n]evertheless, the former Marine officer from Dodge City, Kan., is blunt in addressing two overriding problems in the war on terror: lack of accountability in the intelligence community and a messianic desire to recast the world in the American image." (Credit to Bob Novak)
Novak continues: "These are precisely the concerns I have heard all over the country from people who call themselves Republicans and are distraught about the U.S. adventure in Iraq. They ask questions. Who is responsible for the false forecast of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction that was the immediate cause for war? Are we really intent on planting democracy throughout the Arab world? These skeptics are not about to vote for John Kerry for president, but they are very unhappy."
President Bush, Captain Dave, and Dr. Death, I mean Wolfowitz, can continue to ignore these legitimate concerns to their own detriment. But they are necessary because (1) they must be aired, debated, and lead to policy changes lest the Iraq War and the broader war on Radical Islam (which Captain Dave insists, for reasons unclear to me, on calling a "war on terror") turn south; and (2)true conservatives and loyal Republicans should not allow themselves to be permanently identified with this administration's serious failures, especially when the administration has the opportunity but refuses to address, much less correct them.
