There’s a radio talk show host from Chicago on the CNN Rick on the Road Show explaining why the “elitist” tag applied to SBO was offensive to blacks.

Here’s a link to the paper

Collins writes, “The Miami Herald story (”Pentagon Study: War is a ‘Debacle’ “) distorts the nature of and intent of my personal research project. It was not an NDU study, nor was it a Pentagon study. Indeed, the implication of the Herald story was that this study was mostly about current events. Such is not the case. It was mainly about the period 2002-04. The story also hypes a number of paragraphs, many of which are quoted out of context. The study does not “lay much of the blame” on Secretary Rumsfeld for problems in the conduct of the war, nor does it say that he “bypassed the Joint Chiefs of Staff.” It does not single out “Condoleeza Rice and Stephen Hadley” for criticism.

Here is a fair summary of my personal research, which formally is NDU INSS Occasional Paper 5, “Choosing War: The Decision to Invade Iraq and Its Aftermath.”

This study examines how the United States chose to go to war in Iraq, how its decision-making process functioned, and what can be done to improve that process. The central finding of this study is that U.S. efforts in Iraq were hobbled by a set of faulty assumptions, a flawed planning effort, and a continuing inability to create security conditions in Iraq that could have fostered meaningful advances in stabilization, reconstruction, and governance. With the best of intentions, the United States toppled a vile, dangerous regime but has been unable to replace it with a stable entity. Even allowing for progress under the Surge, the study insists that mistakes in the Iraq operation cry out in the mid- to long-term for improvements in the U.S. decision-making and policy execution systems.

The study recommends the development of a national planning charter, improving the qualifications of national security planners, streamlining policy execution in the field, improving military education, strengthening the Department of State and USAID, and reviewing the tangled legal authorities for complex contingencies. The study ends with a plea to improve alliance relations and to exercise caution in deciding to go to war.”

The report released by the National Defense University raises fresh doubts about President Bush’s projections of a U.S. victory in Iraq just a week after Bush announced that he was suspending U.S. troop reductions.

“We tried to comprehend the enormous scale of the so-called “collateral damage” in Iraq as speakers cited surveys that estimated about a million Iraqi civilians have died since the U.S. invasion, and that over four million Iraqis were forced from their homes. The speakers told of Iraqis, being without power and water, begging for food and fuel, and only wanting foreign troops and the 180,000 private contractors and mercenaries to leave so they can begin to rebuild their devastated country.”

Chuck Todd has acknowledged the intensity and passion of Sen. Obama’s supporters after the ABC “debate” and how the Democratic party could be torn apart for ever.

I maintain this “force” (us) should be recognized by the super delegates. It is a reality…..!

What I truly want is to be able to believe that Obama is a independent thinker and a moderate politician.

Hillary is working to divide the party into the ‘activists’ or ‘new dem party power base’ vs. ‘the common man’ or ‘old dem party power base.’ She is using the unions to raise questions about Obama’s radical associations and his self-proclaimed superior judgment, all under the guise of “this is what the Republicans will do.”

I agree, it is up to the voters to decide the primaries, but the superdelegates will still be left to make the final call.

My money’s on #2.

Apparently, that’s what you hope will happen. That you still think most Americans are stupid enough to be duped yet again. That the Baby Boomer Battles still have cache in 2008.

CodePink co-hosted that fundraiser ages ago on the political calendar.

Bringing it up now is a Hail Mary.

Like I said, let’s see who catches it.

I tend to agree.

Does this make him ‘unelectable’?

I don’t think these associations are a ‘hail mary’ but will be used to build a pile upon which to lay ‘the last straw.’

Painting Obama into a far-left liberal corner will erode his claim to govern with independence, bipartisanship and moderation.

He will be seen as so beholden to the far-left, anti-war, move-on groups that his judgment and independence will be called into question.

I guess Steven Spielberg will be making a movie about it anytime now.

I guess connecting him to terrorists (Ayers, Hamas) and terrorist “supporters” (CodePink) is the final Hail Mary.

Let’s see who, if anyone, catches it.

If elected, even though exiting Iraq and not raising taxes are ‘common sense’ would the Congress and the base put so much pressure on Obama, that he would have no choice but to submit to their will?

I don’t think McCain uses either as attack points. Once you get past the rhetoric, both your points should be common sense.

So if it is true that Obama is making 2 promises he can’t keep, leaving Iraq and raising taxes on the middle class, will McCain use this as a line of attack?

I would be more inclined to vote for Obama if he were to demonstrate independent judgment and come out and say, I would like to leave Iraq, but I must reserve the right to stay.

Also, the same for raising taxes. It doesn’t make any sense to raise taxes in a recession. Plus, I wish he would acknowledge that raising the payroll and capital gains taxes affect many income earners in the $50,000 to $1000,000 range.

Perhaps he will move to the center after the nomination, as he has promised to be a moderate. I will be watching and listening.

As for Code Pink, just like Ayers this will bubble to the surface.
Hillary is already denouncing the ‘activist base’ and trying to bring moderate dems to her side.

A lot of the representatives who were swept in in 06 on the same sentiment may well find themselves bounced out the door, for the same reason. And I’d love to run against Webb when he’s up for reelection.

But if you notice, the Code Pink connection isn’t even being heavily reported. And if you were to try to mention it to most of the Obamaists and the liberal media, they’d write you off.

Do you think this code pink bundler will make it more difficult for Obama to assert his independence from the base if the situation in Iraq requires us to stay?

He would be breaking his MAIN campaign promise and during the debate he reaffirmed his commitment to pulling out the troops regardless of what the generals say.

McCain said in an April 17 interview with Bloomberg TV,”Well, in the case of Reverend Wright, I have expressed in the past that I am sure that Senator Obama does not share the extremist statements that Reverend Wright made.

This is the same interview in which Obama distorted McCain’s statements on the economy.

To read the entire interview, here’s a link:

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/04/john_mccain_on_bloomberg_tv.html

McCain has an interview with Stephanopolous (sp?)tomorrow so we shall see…

And I’m sorry… no one is squeaky clean because “clean” is relative. Personally, associations with Code Pink is a plus in my book!

Great discussion guys/gals!