When You're Right, You're Right

For those of us who bought into the preemption doctrine, the North Korea development must be considered a massive failure. We are that much closer to getting the worst weapons in the worst hands imaginable.

On Fox News last night some douche bag was trying to blame Clinton's appeasement to North Korea in 1994 as the reason for this. I know his point, but can how can he honestly say this - today - with a straight face. It's almost as absurd as when the Islamic Fundamentalists point out the Shah being installed as a puppet regime as to why they are pissed here and now. It's a half truth, used as an excuse to do whatever one wants in the present.

Bush promised five years ago to not let the worst regimes have the worst weapons. He identified the axis of evil: Iran, Iraq, and North Korea as the focus of our attention. We look at these three countries today and must ask ourselves: are we better off than 5 years ago? Perhaps this is an unfair metric. Perhaps five years ago we were in the dark and our foreign policy since then has become more attuned with the actual threats we face. But nonetheless, it is a metric I do think we need to use, unless someone can point out a better one.

It is clear, how we've handled Iran and North Korea in the past five years, must be considered a failure. Iran is creating instability in Iraq, is developing their own nuclear technology, and we have no way of dealing with either. North Korea, now has tested a nuke, made us look like idiots, and will conceivably start a nuclear arms race in Asia. Not to mention the fact that they are both stupid enough and willing to probably get a nuke in the hands of a terrorist group. Not for a second do I think this is not a possibility.

Iraq, at best, can still be considered a toss up.

It's time to start owning up - I know a lot of people have been saying the same thing before me - we need a new direction. Who can deliver?

I don't know if the Dems can do it. It's either take back Congress and launch some serious discussion about how to modify our policies in this global war or it's about time to clean house in the Bush White House - and that basically means Rumsfeld stepping down.

Iraq, to me, was always a symbol that change needed to happen in the Middle East. Well, now there needs to be a symbol of change in Washington. Truman had to fire McArthur. Shit happens. Loyalty can only go so far. We've got a war to win.