Flew in from Amsterdam late last night. Posting may resume once I figure out what time zone I'm in. I will note, though, that NASA has to be a prime suspect in Anna Nicole Smith's death--it seems to have knocked Nowak out of the news.

Just joking, of course. NASA hardly ever does things like that any more...

After Capricorn One the NASA hit teams were disbanded by the far left of the Democratic Party...

Robert

Far left of the Dem party? You bashing Howard Dean Bob???

Cecil.

I make no apologies NOR REGRET my support of Howard Dean in the 04 campaign. I regret that his staff work proved woefully inadequate coupled with his own failings as a candidate pushed him out of the race for POTUS. I think that his "instinct" on a few things, in particular the mess in Iraq was right on.

I similarly regret badly Dean's movement in the post election period, along with the rest of the Democratic party have joined in a race to the "cut and run" theory of the far left.

A lot of this was spurred by a completly inept policy standpoint of this administration in Iraq where our national situation grows worse on almost a daily basis.

We finally (in my view) have a policy that has a chance of working in Iraq, but it is very very late, and there is some likelyhood that we have squandered so much that its chances of success are much less then had the policy been cranked up 2 years ago...

As idiotic as the far left of the dem party has become it is mirroed by a Bush administration that is fundamentally incompetent in its major actions...as the latest fiasco about the "Iran weapons" effort illustrates.

Robert

> I similarly regret badly Dean's movement in the post election period, along
> with the rest of the Democratic party have joined in a race to the "cut
> and run" theory of the far left.

Let me get this straight, Robert. You campaigned for Howard Dean, hung out with his people, read his literature, but you didn't figure out that he wanted to cut and run until *after* the election?

Ed. If you listen to some I didnt hang out I was his space advisor (or claimed to be...)...lol sorry couldnt resist.

Howard really in the 03 era when I "hung out" which his people and read his literature (and talked to him) had really not figured out "what" to do in Iraq.

December 03 and Jan 04 is not "now" and the situation in Iraq in that time frame was and is quite different then, then it is now.

I dont think that a LOT Of people in that time frame, except for those on the uber left were suggesting "just leave". IN the 04 timeframe a lot of "off ramps" or "course changes" were possible that were not the two extreme positions we are more or less faced wtih now.

Fight a very very tough battle for Baghdad or leave. Today there is not a lot of middle ground left today. I am not the only one who believes that...Jake Jacobs who has the Medal of Honor to his credit says that frequently...as does Zinni..

Zinni more or less called every turn that this administration has missed and I believe "now" as I did then that we would have been a lot better in 04 with a shift in policy any sift almost...then just sitting around for two more years of "dead enders", "things are working out", "the situation is getting better" etc...

These are Dickie, Donny, and etc fantasies that have taken us to the desperate situation we are in today.

One reason that even "reasonable" people (Like Barry McCafferty and even some neocons like Adelmen) are starting to "INCH" toward blowing retreat is that this administration HAS MADE SO MANY BAD DECISIONS that there are not many options left.

There were in 04.

The Democratic party is moving toward its base on this issue and while that base is way left of the bulk of the American people...this administration couldnt convince the people that dogs have fleas so badly has it performed.

If the "surge"/"reinforcements" whatever fails...(and I give it about a 70 percent chance of succeeding) then the bulk of the American people will start blowing retreat.

Robert

> I dont think that a LOT Of people in that time frame, except for those
> on the uber left were suggesting "just leave".

And you couldn't figure out that Dean was the uber left?

Not very good situational awareness for someone who claims to be a fighter pilot. :-)

> One reason that even "reasonable" people (Like Barry McCafferty and even
> some neocons like Adelmen) are starting to "INCH" toward blowing retreat

Laugh. When the tanks went into Iraq, McCaffrey was saying they'd never reach Baghdad.

Of course, given his experience fighting the war on drugs, such defeatism is understandable. It's too bad he didn't call for retreat there.

Ed.

Dean in the early 04 timeframe was not the uberleft on forign policy, I dont think he is now actually...the uberleft is Dennis K or Obama or well Edwards is moving that way. In fact I think that Edwards is probably moving to be the antiwar candidate.

Barry M called the Blitzkrieg into Baghdad pretty well...I disagree with some of the calls he has made, but we WOULD BE a lot better off if he and some of the other retired flags had been listened to...

Zinni in particular. Iwas in Norfolk when Zinni gave his more or less blueprint of how this was going to go. He got a standing sea of "dress uniform" ovation and he more or less called it exactly.

It was a blunder to go into Iraq how we did it. This administration has not made a single correct decision in Iraq until it fired Rummy and put Gates in.

It may be to late. Got to hope it isnt.

Robert

> Iwas in Norfolk when Zinni gave his more or less blueprint of how this was going to go.

Of course you were, Robert.

And you were with George Washington when he crossed the Delaware.

Commanding the air wing, no doubt. :-)

Posted by at February 15, 2007 01:29 AM

I was rowing, sitting next to Rapid Robert who was taking notes for his column, and Betsy Ross who was preparing for her presentation on the Lifetime MOvie Network...lol

Robert

(disregarding the hard left turn off-topic)

You know, when I suggested that Lisa Nowak was probably grateful for the distraction, my boss made this sort of conspiratorial suggestion, too...?

Anna appears to have admired Maralyn Monroe. She managed to die with as much controversy and mystery too, it seems.