Although a quick google search on Jackson Diehl would seem to indicate his deep admiration of the DLC, in reading his Op-Ed in today’s Washington Post, one might understandably believe him to be a mouthpiece for the RNC. He begins by saying:
The mostly bad news from Iraq this summer left a lot of people in Washington, including a few in the Bush administration, feeling confused, anxious and doubtful about whether the Iraqi government can deliver on its promise to stabilize the country.
In fact, if you threw in claims of cynicism and moral confusion, it could be Donald Rumsfeld writing this piece, but with a new twist (stretch?) on the “stay the course” mentality…we don’t want an exit strategy from Iraq because it would really disappoint Adel Abdul Mahdi. And Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani…you know, the most powerful cleric in Iraq who has been calling for an exit strategy since we got there.
But first, a little bit about Mr. Diehl. He believes that although the Bush administration has “mismanaged virtually every aspect of postwar reconstruction,”
…we should rally the American people for an extended and robust security and reconstruction presence.
And why should we do this? Because it’s the only way to “reclaim” the Democratic Party. Seriously. He also says:
…the U.S. mission in Iraq must be sustained until it succeeds; who want to intensify American attempts to spread democracy in the greater Middle East; and who think that the Army needs to be expanded to fight a long war against Islamic extremism.
Sounds like Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, et al, doesn’t it? But in Mr. Diehl’s mind, this is the strategy to reclaim our Party. Apparently he wants to reclaim the Democratic Party from Democrats.
And if you didn’t already hate Diehl, consider this: He is dismissive of the progressive blogsphere…we’re simply the “noise” of the far-left and he thinks that Condoleezza Rice will be remembered as “the policymaker who defined a new era,” and that the “Rice Doctrine” is “brilliant.”
And now, back to today’s Op-Ed…
Diehl says that Iraqi Vice President Adel Abdul Mahdi came to Washington DC to:
…deliver a message, and ask a question, on behalf of Shiite Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani…that “Iraqis are sticking to the principles of the constitution and democracy.” But the ayatollah wanted to know if the United States is still on board as well.
The same Grand Ayatollah who, as reported yesterday:
…asked the politicians to ask the Americans to make a timetable for leaving but they disappointed him.
Apparently Mr. Diehl missed that little tidbit in his fervor to promote the Bush administration’s no-strategy-strategy in Iraq. And while claiming that:
Mahdi, Sistani and other Shiite leaders in the government don’t share Washington’s perception of a downward spiral.
Mr. Diehl ignores that:
The most influential moderate Shia leader in Iraq [Sistani] has abandoned attempts to restrain his followers, admitting that there is nothing he can do to prevent the country sliding towards civil war.
People who want an exit strategy are “confused.” Check. We need to rally support for the war. Check. Our goal is to spread democracy throughout the (new) Middle East. Check. Violence in Iraq is not out of control. Check. Mr. Diehl seems to have all the administration talking points down pat, but what’s missing? Ah yes…the blame-the-media card. Mr. Diehl tells us that Adel Abdul Mahdi says:
We read in the press about different perspectives and attitudes. That’s why we want to be clear…When I read the [American] press, I’m confused
That terrorist PR savvy that Rumsfeld warned us against strikes again. The media is confusing the issue by reporting different perspectives and attitudes and Adel Abdul Mahdi doesn’t like it…and neither does a deputy editorial editor at the Washington Post. If we can only stop the subversive free press and give the new Iraqi government all the time they need, all will be well…we’ll be greeted as liberators yet! And of course this all depends on:
…whether Americans are willing to go on believing in that project.
Memo to Jackson Diehl: You also missed the news that a vast majority of Americans have already said that they are not willing to continue with a war that has been, as you yourself said, mismanaged virtually every step of the way.
