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How Fred Thompson Would Have Dealt With Iraq

By Big Tent Democrat, Section Elections 2008
Posted on Thu May 31, 2007 at 01:00:40 PM EST
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Via Glenn Greenwald, the latest Beltway hearthrob - the Hollywood actor/former lobbyist Fred Thompson - describes how he would have dealt with Iraq:

This is what Thompson said last month when interviewed by Chris Wallace on Fox News:

WALLACE: What would you do now in Iraq?

THOMPSON: I would do essentially what the president's doing.

Ok. If you like George Bush's Iraq Debacle, then Fred Thompson is your man, or at least one of them. Because all of the leading GOP Presidential candidates say the same thing.

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    How Fred Thompson Would Have Dealt With Iraq | 48 comments (48 topical)

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    Hatchet job. (2.33 / 3) (#6)
    by Gabriel Malor on Thu May 31, 2007 at 01:48:03 PM EST
    Of course, neither BTD nor Greenwald can be expected to present the whole story, either. Answering Wallace's question, Thompson said:

    I would do essentially what the president's doing. I know it's not popular right now, but I think we have to look down the road and consider the consequences of where we are.

    [...]

    We've got to rectify the mistakes that we've made. We went in there too light, wrong rules of engagement, wrong strategy, placed too much emphasis on just holding things in place while we built up the Iraqi army, took longer than we figured.

    Wars are full of mistakes. You rectify things.
    salient points (3.00 / 2) (#7)
    by Sailor on Thu May 31, 2007 at 02:04:15 PM EST
    he agreed with the war and he ' would do essentially what the president's doing. '

    Parent
    Heh (3.00 / 2) (#10)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Thu May 31, 2007 at 02:42:32 PM EST
    Did I misquote him?

    OR did he fliflop in the interview?

    Do folks NOT know he was a Senator?

    They howling in this thread made me howl -- with laughter.

    Parent

    Well, there is this: (3.00 / 2) (#16)
    by oculus on Thu May 31, 2007 at 03:01:56 PM EST
    Via Glenn Greenwald, the latest Beltway hearthrob,


    Parent
    I thought it was a (3.00 / 2) (#18)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Thu May 31, 2007 at 03:12:43 PM EST
    funny line. Actually, I still think it is a funny line.

    Parent
    Color me dumb--who does it apply to-- (3.00 / 2) (#19)
    by oculus on Thu May 31, 2007 at 03:14:59 PM EST
    Greenwald or Thompson?

    Parent
    Thompson? (1.00 / 1) (#20)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Thu May 31, 2007 at 03:17:30 PM EST
    For two reasons, one because he was known as a ladies man.

    Two, because he is the Beltway Gasbag's newest crush. Did you read Glenn's post?

    Parent

    Yes--now. Too busy trying to parse your (none / 0) (#21)
    by oculus on Thu May 31, 2007 at 03:28:35 PM EST
    sentence and find a photo of Greenwald.

    Parent
    Uh (1.00 / 1) (#26)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Thu May 31, 2007 at 05:44:47 PM EST
    Forget the whole thing.

    You are completely off base and won't get it.

    Parent

    We "Get It" Just Fine... (1.00 / 2) (#27)
    by Winghunter on Thu May 31, 2007 at 05:51:38 PM EST
    ...it's YOU that doesn't.

    Taking remarks out-of-context must be the second oldest profession with striking similarities to the first oldest profession.

    Think about it.

    Regurgitating The Apple: How Modern Liberals "Think"

    http://www.heritage.org/Press/Events/ev030507a.cfm

    Parent

    Heh (5.00 / 2) (#29)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Thu May 31, 2007 at 06:12:47 PM EST
    "latest Beltway heartthrob" was the issue genius.

    Boy, you got it bad with the Fred love.

    This is the funniest thread in a long time.

    I know who I'll be writing about a lot now.

    This overwrought reaction is too funny.

    Parent

    Actually, we are both garnering "1" (5.00 / 1) (#31)
    by oculus on Thu May 31, 2007 at 06:24:40 PM EST
    ratings here!

    Parent
    Heh (none / 0) (#33)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Thu May 31, 2007 at 06:54:11 PM EST
    Isn't it great? Ratings mean nothing here.

    The Cult of Mojo is happily absent here.

    Parent

    Not to mention no hidden comments in the (none / 0) (#35)
    by oculus on Thu May 31, 2007 at 07:00:39 PM EST
    "hidden comments" section.

    Parent
    Disregard. (none / 0) (#28)
    by oculus on Thu May 31, 2007 at 06:03:57 PM EST


    Parent
    Awe come on (none / 0) (#32)
    by Warren Terrer on Thu May 31, 2007 at 06:41:59 PM EST
    'the latest Beltway heartthrob' refers to Fred Thompson. You really needed to have that explained to you?

    Parent
    Yes. I don't actually read People mag. (none / 0) (#34)
    by oculus on Thu May 31, 2007 at 06:58:33 PM EST
    or the supermarket tabloids.

    Parent
    Come on O (none / 0) (#36)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Thu May 31, 2007 at 07:03:03 PM EST
    If you had read Greenwald's post, you would have gotten it.

    No need to get all huffy.

    Parent

    Not. (none / 0) (#37)
    by oculus on Thu May 31, 2007 at 07:13:08 PM EST


    Parent
    The revised punctuation makes me (none / 0) (#38)
    by oculus on Thu May 31, 2007 at 07:14:53 PM EST
    look like an idiot.  But that's o.k.

    Parent
    Oh (none / 0) (#40)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Thu May 31, 2007 at 07:20:40 PM EST
    please don't make me do strikethroughs.

    I did revise because of your complaint - I did not think it was ambiguous but given your reaction, I thought I woulds make it absolutely clear.

    But, tell me honestly, if you had read Greenwald's piece, even with the previous punctutation, would you have had any doubt?

    Parent

    I initially licked the link, got an ad, and (none / 0) (#42)
    by oculus on Thu May 31, 2007 at 07:32:29 PM EST
    didn't pursue the article until I posted my first, most unfortunate, comment.  Had I clicked through to the article and found out that Thompson, despite advocating "family values" and marriage as only between a man and a woman. having divorced his wife, dating while divorced, and eventually marrying a woman younger than his daughter, of course I would immediately have fathomed to whom the phrase applied.  Although, to tell you the truth, I don't know a thing about Greenwald's marital or dating history.  

    Parent
    Heh (5.00 / 1) (#43)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Thu May 31, 2007 at 07:37:01 PM EST
    Well since Greenwald's dating history is irrelevant to my line, that's ok.

    though it is no secret - Glenn is involved in a long term relationship with his male partner.

    Parent

    RE: Hatchet job (3.00 / 2) (#14)
    by mack on Thu May 31, 2007 at 02:55:21 PM EST
    Thompson's response is nothing more than a hatchet job performed with an extremely dull blade.

    We've got to rectify the mistakes that we've made.

    He is basically saying hindsight is 20/20...  Well... No sh*t...

    We went in there too light, wrong rules of engagement, wrong strategy, placed too much emphasis on just holding things in place while we built up the Iraqi army, took longer than we figured.

    Even more hindsight is 20/20 and he is just regurgitating points already made on numerous occasions by people on both sides of the political spectrum.

    "Meet the new boss...  Same as the old boss"


    Parent

    mack (5.00 / 1) (#22)
    by jimakaPPJ on Thu May 31, 2007 at 04:09:12 PM EST
    Well, if the point is correct, why shouldn't you say it?

    "What time is it?"

    "Two o'clock...Same time as it was 24 hours ago."

    Parent

    Ah, so what he's saying (3.00 / 2) (#15)
    by Al on Thu May 31, 2007 at 02:56:32 PM EST
    is he'd go into Iraq again, but this time with many more troops, the "right" rules of engagement, and the "right" strategy. Perhaps Mr. Thompson could enlighten us on what that is.

    Parent
    His blithe talk of these "mistakes"... (none / 0) (#24)
    by Dadler on Thu May 31, 2007 at 04:13:50 PM EST
    ...speaks of a bullsh*t bravado and intellectual disconnect I cannot stand to listen to.

    The fact he even claims we HAD a strategy for real Iraqi freedom and prosperity is evidence of serious mental impairment.  There was NO strategy of this sort whatsoever.  That much has been clear for years already.

    And his mistakes are made in war all the time, you just rectify them crap, holy jaysus, could you announce more loudly and clearly your lack of understanding of the real costs of these kinds of "mistakes".  These errors didn't occur in some run-of-the-mill trade dispute or disagreement over the boundries of international waters, Fred, they occurred in a war of aggression.  As incomparable and destructive and IRREPARABLE a thing as humans can engage in.

    Better actor than Reagan, tho, at least in that kind of L&O role.  Couldn't watch him, tho.  The "Washington is just Hollywood for ugly people" line always echoed in my head when he appeared.

    Parent

    The whole story? (none / 0) (#30)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Thu May 31, 2007 at 06:15:20 PM EST
    Hehe.

    You guys are too funny.

    Parent

    Really?! (1.00 / 2) (#1)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Thu May 31, 2007 at 01:17:52 PM EST
    the Hollywood actor/former lobbyist Fred Thompson
    He's has no other kinda sorta relevant career experience?

    Yeah (1.00 / 1) (#3)
    by Gabriel Malor on Thu May 31, 2007 at 01:20:32 PM EST
    I caught that, too, but figured that it's probably not worth complaining about. Of course BTD's going to marginalize Thompson's political career when discussing his possible run for office. You expected something else?

    Parent
    Nope, I guess not. (1.00 / 1) (#4)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Thu May 31, 2007 at 01:29:12 PM EST
    As an aside, my wife used to work for the talent agency that repped him, back in the day. Seemed like a decent enough guy.

    Parent
    Resume (5.00 / 1) (#13)
    by Al on Thu May 31, 2007 at 02:53:53 PM EST
    Seemed like a decent enough guy.

    Then he's over-qualified to be a Republican candidate.

    Parent

    Dick Wolf will be his VP (none / 0) (#2)
    by Dadler on Thu May 31, 2007 at 01:18:12 PM EST
    So that the world of television fiction can be seemlessly tranferred to the real world of presidential politics.

    You have to be an absolute idiot, and willing to announce it loudly and clearly, to say you'd murder Iraq again.

    I don't want to encourage his cancer, but remarks like this are just insane and evidence a serious disconnect from reality.  

    Get well, Fred, and go away.

    You gasbag.

    Thompson (none / 0) (#5)
    by talex on Thu May 31, 2007 at 01:39:32 PM EST
    and the rest of them are obviously playing to their base. That was evident in their last debate - a pilot of a new reality show called the Torturers - slated to replace 24 next Fall.

    In fact the entire Repub Party has played to their base for almost seven years now and look where a lack of any kind of moderation has got them.

    Perhaps there is a useful message for others in that fact.

    He's the GOP frontrunner.... (none / 0) (#8)
    by kdog on Thu May 31, 2007 at 02:05:11 PM EST
    right off the bat I think.  The other GOP hopefuls look like hopeless losers by comparison.

    Thompson should scare Democrats...he hasn't been a part of the govt. during the last 7 years of GOP imcompetence.  

    BTD (none / 0) (#9)
    by HeadScratcher on Thu May 31, 2007 at 02:19:58 PM EST
    At best you've misrepresented and at worst you lied...which is it?

    Can't wait to read your holier-than-thou snark-filled response...

    Is there any republican you'd support? No! So why bring up stuff like this? To fill space? To feel better and/or smarter?

    I'm voting for Obama. He's as qualified for the job as anyone running and, in the spirit of affirmative action, I'm going to vote to give the African-American the edge...

    Heh (none / 0) (#11)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Thu May 31, 2007 at 02:45:06 PM EST
    There is a reason I won't support any Republican.

    What's your point? Did I claim to be David Broder when I was not looking.

    Parent

    I know I have always confused you with Broder! (5.00 / 1) (#39)
    by Molly Bloom on Thu May 31, 2007 at 07:20:22 PM EST


    Parent
    Heh (none / 0) (#41)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Thu May 31, 2007 at 07:21:34 PM EST


    Parent
    BTD (none / 0) (#45)
    by jimakaPPJ on Thu May 31, 2007 at 09:51:28 PM EST
    Well, that beat's surrendering...

    Don't you think???

    No???

    I understand...

    All those young dudes who died during the Cold War just wasted their lives...

    You know, I have understood the Left's position on that for years......

    Parent

    Jim (none / 0) (#46)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Thu May 31, 2007 at 10:35:14 PM EST
    Huh?

    Parent
    BTD (none / 0) (#47)
    by jimakaPPJ on Fri Jun 01, 2007 at 09:44:02 AM EST
    Just bringing back some history.


    Parent
    There's no prob... (none / 0) (#12)
    by desertswine on Thu May 31, 2007 at 02:51:47 PM EST
    He played US Grant on tv. So he's got qualified general type experience.

    Just passing this info along. An (none / 0) (#17)
    by oculus on Thu May 31, 2007 at 03:04:27 PM EST
    African-American male who is retired from law enforcement told me he would vote for Thompson.    

    Parent
    et al (none / 0) (#23)
    by jimakaPPJ on Thu May 31, 2007 at 04:11:19 PM EST
    I love it. All the Demos want to surrender and all the Repubs want to fight.

    The more things change the more they remain the same.

    Erratum (none / 0) (#25)
    by Al on Thu May 31, 2007 at 04:40:09 PM EST
    Where it says:
    all the Repubs want to fight

    it should have said:
    all the Repubs want some able-bodied twenty-something to fight.

    Damn keyboard.

    Parent
    how true sad to say (none / 0) (#44)
    by Molly Bloom on Thu May 31, 2007 at 07:52:15 PM EST


    Parent
    Al (none / 0) (#48)
    by jimakaPPJ on Fri Jun 01, 2007 at 09:45:07 AM EST
    Well, I did my turn.

    You??

    Parent

    How Fred Thompson Would Have Dealt With Iraq | 48 comments (48 topical)

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