Politics by character assassination ought not surprise us any more, especially coming from the netroot folks over at MoveOn.org.
And yet, somehow, it does:
Tomorrow–as General David Petraeus provides his Iraq assessment to Congress–the antiwar group MoveOn.org is running a full-page advertisement in the New York Times under the headline: “General Petraeus or General Betray us? Cooking the books for the White House.”
Let’s be clear: MoveOn.org is suggesting that General Petraeus has ‘betrayed’ his country. This is disgusting. To attack as a traitor an American general commanding forces in war because his ‘on the ground’ experience does not align with MoveOn.org’s political objectives is utterly shameful. It shows contempt for America’s military leadership, as well as for the troops who have confidence in him, as our fellow soldiers in Iraq certainly do.
I don’t know who you’d have to be to jog the anti-war set out of their hysterical preference for national humiliation – for the good of the party!
Clearly, being the on scene ground commander, a four-star officer with 35-years honorable service and a man widely acknowledged as one of the most brilliant officers of his generation is insufficient to even grant Petraeus a polite scepticism before his national audience. No, before he has even opened his mouth the long knives have come out.
This is contemptible.
(H/T to FbL for the link)
“General Petraeus or General Betray us?”
This gotta be the lamest rhyme of the history of slooganeering. Argh!
Contemptible, yes.
Unexpected? No.
Actually, I was wondering how long it would take before someone started to call him that. Too bad the so-called adults of the Left decided to sink that low.
This is just normal for those folks anymore. Sickening for the rest of us with common sense and a moral compass that works.
Kind of makes you wonder, did the crowd that makes a living coming up with rhymes for “Hey hey ho ho” stay up all night coming up with Betray Us?
I pay them no mind, but thank God daily that they’re not on my side.
At some point most people grow up, realize the world isn’t just about them, understand that others are more qualified in subjects they might have an opinion on, and otherwise integrate into a well-rounded society.
These folks are not of that ilk.
– Max
That particular turn of name has been used by the Nutters since the good General was appointed to this Command.
I used to feel somewhat bad about having written off years long friends/acquiantences for either or both of two fatal flaws: being a 9/11 truther, or being affiliated in any way with MoveOn. There was a third: owning a Maureen Dowd book, but I’ve relaxed on that a bit.
Anyway, after this latest defeat surge to push even harder to throw away any hope of a good resolution in Iraq so that they may garner political gain or personal validation, as they continue to fault the administration for doing exactly what they so vociferously insisted on (“listen to the generals!!”) , and as we cross another 9/11 anniversary with the incumbent increase in the nutters ever-wackier theories, I find myself not feeling all that bad about severing ties with these folks anymore.
In fact, I feel pretty good about it lately.
Cap’n,
MoveOn.org is better named MorOns.org. They are just doing the bidding of their masters.
“…I find myself not feeling all that bad about severing ties with these folks anymore. In fact, I feel pretty good about it lately.”
I hear ya DaveG. Had a direct confrontation a few months back with a now-former-friend over the GWOT (she tried to make me understand that terrorists and their attacks are justified…all the while knowing that I lost someone I cared about on 9/11). We knew we disagreed about politics from the beginning of our friendship and had agreed not to discuss them. But typical of people with her ideas – she couldn’t restrain herself and wouldn’t stop even when I asked her to, repeatedly. I eventually walked out of a lunch with her – and haven’t really spoken to her since. And don’t plan to and don’t feel bad about it at all.
I recently had to attend a lunch with a fairly significant client of the company I work for. I could barely get my lunch down while outwardly politely listenening while he took advantage of his VIP guest status to dominate of the table conversation with his 9/11 theories. I didn’t figure it to be the time or place to let him know how I felt about it. Bills to pay and all that.
Eventually I was able to gracefully excuse myself from the table with the excuse that I was “very busy” back at the office. As I was walking out the front door, I heard him start on the Grassy Knoll stuff. I was tempted to hang around for holocaust denial and/or “we never landed on the moon,” but figured there was no point in it.
“MoveOn.org is better named MorOns.org”
Now that is a contender for second place ;^)
I remember that day, long gone, when first I took the oath to “Support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.” One could certainly argue that those who working so hard to ensure the defeat of American arms on the battlefield MUST be “enemies” of the United States, and thus. of the Constitution.
But the founding fathers saw dissent as a valuable part of democracy, so we must accept the fact that these people have a right to express their views, no matter how wrong they might be, and how harmful they are.
However, I truly hope that the American public is as appaled as I am at the character assassination of a fine officer. The last time anyone in the Congress undertook such an outrageous character attack was Joe McCarthy and his Communist witch hunt in the 1950′s. We need someone now to stand up at these hearings andd demand of the Democrats “Have you no shame?”
I’m beyond appalled, Marine6.
But I also believe they have no shame. Truly. The quote from an unnamed Senator isn’t strongly sourced, but the Democrats made public comments over the weekend that walked right up to that line.
I hear you Kris. I too live in the NYC area and, although I didn’t lose anyone on that fateful day, I have a dear friend that lives a bit closer to the city that attended 5 funerals. It tore her apart…
My “moment of clarity” came when my pen pal, Lt. Ron Winchester, lost his life to an IED early on in the engagement. I had been writing and sending packages every Saturday to this Marine on behalf of the USNA Parents Club for almost a year when I got the bad news. You know, I think something in my brain jangled that day…
Just in case it didn’t, I went to the wake and funeral. Just thinking about it breaks my heart all over again. When I am on the yard I touch his name and say a prayer. An early warrior in this conflict.
FbL,
One requires a sense of moral outrage and/or embarassment to be guilty of shame. I’ve not seen nor heard one Democrat (or DKos MorOn) that has any sense of moral outrage at their continually shifting position(s). If it makes our country weaker for their masters, they’re happy.
Babs, I’m so sorry for your loss. It affects every viewpoint that we have, doesn’t it, having such a personal connection to something so heinous.
It is appalling – but then again everything the Dems have done in the past year or so hasn’t been anything less than appalling. On some level I don’t know why we are all shocked at all, except that just when we think they can’t sink any lower – they do.
I heard a C&W song this morning that conveys my feelings exactly about this whole bunch and their shenanigans — my give-a-damn’s busted.
I just can’t find any more outrage in me — it’s all used up.
They are a waste of air and time.
The way Gen Petraeus is being treated is indeed highly reminiscent of the McCarthyite treatment on Gen Marshall.