The Sound You Hear Is Me, Going Insane

ARGLE BARGLE BLAAAGH! BLAGH BLEG BLIGGITY BLAGGITY BLOOG!
1, 2, 3...

You know, it's actually the case that the way to deal with an insurgency is with a political, not a military, process, but I really don't know how Republicans seamlessly slip from kill'em all to hug'em all.

From the DSCC:


This afternoon on the Senate floor, several Senate Republicans are DEFENDING the proposal to give amnesty to terrorists who have killed or wounded American troops. Here is a quick compilation:


TED STEVENS - “IF THAT’S AMNESTY, I’M FOR IT:” “I really believe we ought to try to find some way to encourage that country to demonstrate to those people who have been opposed to what we're trying to do, that it's worthwhile for them and their children to come forward and support this democracy. And if that's amnesty, I'm for it. I'd be for it. And if those people who are, come forward… if they bore arms against our people, what's the difference between those people that bore arms against the Union in the War between the States? What’s the difference between the Germans and Japanese and all the people we’ve forgiven?” – Sen. Ted Stevens

MCCONNELL SUGGESTED A RESOLUTION COMMENDING IRAQIS FOR GIVING TERRORISTS AMNESTY. “…might it not just be as useful an exercise to be trying to pass a resolution commending the Iraqi government for the position that they’ve taken today with regard to this discussion of Amnesty?” – Sen. Mitch McConnell

ALEXANDER COMPARED IRAQI AMNESTY FOR TERRORISTS TO NELSON MANDELA’S PEACE EFFORTS. “Is it not true that Nelson Mandela's courage and his ability to create a process of reconciliation and forgiveness was a major factor in what has been a political miracle in Africa…Did not Nelson Mandela, win a - the co-winner of - a noble Nobel Peace Prize just for this sort of gesture?” – Sen. Lamar Alexander

CORNYN: IRAQI AMNESTY DEBATE IS “A DISTRACTION.” “It makes no sense for the United States Senate to shake its finger at the new government of Iraq and to criticize them… it really is a distraction from the debate that I think the American people would want us to have.” - Sen. John Cornyn

CHAMBLISS: AMNESTY IS OK FOR EX-INSURGENTS AS LONG AS THEY ARE ON OUR SIDE NOW. “Is it not true today that we have Iraqis who are fighting the war against the insurgents, who at one time fought against American troops and other coalition troops as they were marching to Baghdad, who have now come over to our side and are doing one heck of a job of fighting along, side by side, with Americans and coalition forces, attacking and killing insurgents on a daily basis?” - Sen. Saxby Chambliss

What the fuck? This is just so fucking offensive, I don't even know what to say. Nauseating.

Ray has more on the hypocrisy of Republicans endorsing amnesty for people who, by their own words do not "...wear distinctive uniforms and conduct military operations in accordance with the laws and customs of war" and thus do not qualify for "sme protections granted to prisoners belonging to regular armies or security forces " because they are "captured terrorists, including al Qaeda and suspected terrorists."

I will add that despite Ray's erroneous references to amnesty for the Japanese and the American Civil War, that in both cases HAD the United States government chosen to extend amnesty, it would have been a gracious, magnanimous gesture from the conquering power to the abjectly defeated. The Iraqi insurgency is hardly defeated: the Republicans' statements are expressions of weakness. Far from a comparison to Nelson Mandela, this is a bull crying Uncle!

Pathetic. We have the most powerful, most well-equipped army in the world, and the Republicans have not only squandered that power, they've lost faith.

And they say Democrats are weak in the knees?