Blog For Arizona

It will serve us well to remember that Dr. Dean is not the only principled politician to have opposed Bush's merry little spree of war crimes. Others, such as Senator Mark Dayton of Minnesota stood against the tide. Our candidate is not alone in standing against aggression, rash commitment of American lives, and the lies and deceptions of the Bush Administration. Other men and women of honor, patriotism, and deep experience also stood firm. Sen. Dayton serves on the Armed Services Committee and the Select Intellegence Committee. He cannot rationally be called a man who is uniformed about matters of national security. 23 Sentators voted against the resolution unconstitutionally ceeding the war power to the President. Most of them stand proudly behind their votes. Dean is not alone in the party in his opposition to the Iraq war and Bush's perfidity. Never forget that. Don't let Dean's critics forget it.

Many in the GOP also questioned the wisdom of war and continue as skeptics of Bush's approach to defense. For instance, Retired Gen. Brent Scowcroft, Bush I's NSA, publicly opposed Bush's nearly unilateral rush to war. Reviewing his argument, it is clear that even he overestimated Saddam's remaining military capabilities.

Now that Dean has proven himself a top-tier contender in this race, I think it likely that other major candidates will try to draw a contrast between themselves and Dean with their war records and their support for Bush's Gulf Follies II. We need to be prepared to vigorously defend our candidate's record, his position, and his strength and credibility on defence against all comers.

If I had to reduce Dean's position on Defense to a snappy 1 liner, it would be this: "Would you rather have President Dean who thinks America's defence policy must be both Strong AND Smart, or President Bush who thinks it's OK to be Stupid (Shortsighted, for those less vociferous), so long as we are Strong?" The questions are going to be tougher now that Dean is the frontrunner, rather than a "boutique" candidate. who opposed war and who actively questions Shrub's defense and anti-terror policies. Attacks are going to be coming from fellow Democrats as well as the GOP.

We are the shock troops for Dean's wake-up call. If you haven't read Dean's position papers on National Security, Reconstruction of Iraq, and Anti-Terrorism/Homeland Security, you need to do it now.

We will win this debate, because Dean is right. We know, that when many of us marched and protested with millions of others around the world at the begining of the Iraq War; we were right! Everything that has happened since then has confirmed it; we were right! Now that we have the candidate who can win, we are going to take the White House and PUT THINGS RIGHT!

posted by Michael Bryan @ 7/03/2003 07:18:00 PM