Quote:
Originally posted by bilmore
Sorry to disappoint you, but it's mostly political reality that keeps anyone from doing completely what they want to do. Do you doubt that? Do you think the Dems, when they were in power, left you ANY take home pay because they were concerned about you? Nope - because they had to compromise.
Most of Bush's actions have involved that political compromise. We're not in Syria right now, mostly because of political compromise. For you to imply that that's not a factor in everything a pres does is either naive or wilfully obtuse.
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I agree that political calculations play a role in almost everything a President does.
I disagree with your contention that Bush and Rummy decided, for the "purely political reason of not wanting to give the D's more ammo," to cut by about 2/3 the troop force levels that Bush's generals were suggesting, and for the last several years to keep those levels essentially where they were, in the face of growing evidence that this was a particularly bad idea.
Whatever else you may say about it, the Iraq War has been the defining act of this Administration. For you to suggest that political compromise, instead of ideology or other realities, was the driver that caused the Administration to slash troop levels is, IMO, either naive or willfully obtuse.
