Top Papers to Bush: Stay the Course in Iraq

From a story in Editor & Publisher (via Romenesko):

Despite the growing upheaval and U.S. casualties in Iraq, a majority of the nation's 20 largest newspapers, in editorials during the past week, have urged the White House to stay the course.

Among this group, however, there is wide disagreement on whether to send more troops and whether sticking to the June 30 handover of power to an Iraqi government is a good idea. None of the top 20 (by circulation) urged a quick military withdrawal, although some call for the U.S. to share responsibility with the United Nations or NATO.

Whole thing here.

Comments

[Jean Bart]

So they don't really say stay the course.

[Jean Bart]

BTW, rumor that the Bush administration has asked France yesterday to send 10,000 troops to Iraq.

[joe]

As long as you define "stay the course" as "do something other than immediate withdrawal," the headline is completely accurate.

[Xrlq]

In which case, it's barely newsworthy. Rational minds may differ as to whether going in last year was a good or bad idea, or as to how long we should remain from this point forward, but anyone who thinks we should pull out at this juncture has got to be on crack. Lest anyone accuse me of hyperbole, I can assure you that yes, I did encounter a couple dozen people like that in San Diego last week, and yes, many of them did appear to be on crack.

[Ruthless]

I'd like to read some short essays from some of the brightest citizens of Iraq addressing the topic: "Why I want democracy for my country."

I have a feeling the consensus of the essays would call for a "course" far different from the one the US is supposed to be "staying."

[Rick Barton]

Perhaps it's a residual effect of the "If you're no with us you're against us" bullying that the administration committed when pushing for the war.
Remember the Stazi like suggestion, that we keep an eye on each other and report suspicious activities.

That kind of thing tends to stifle dissent against any thing tied to the "war on terror", a link to which the administration resorted to disingenuous ends to maintain.

More indication that the WMD scare was a pack of government lies is that there is no talk about the pressure that could be put on a captive Sadam to reveal the status of the alleged WMD. Remember when they got him and Bush almost immediately allowed how that we could not trust anything Sadam said about WMD one way or the other. Right...

That's sadly ironic since the US military is now using "soft torture", torture methods to extract information from Iraqis. Or, as it is called by the Israeli military, "physical pressure". Whatever information is extracted, a bitter and enduring hatred is the by-product

[David T]

Nothing suprising here. Except for Kucinich and Sharpton, there was not a single major party presdiential contender this year who favored a quick withdrawal from Iraq. Even Dean took the line that however much he objected to the decision to go to war in the first place, we couldn't withdraw now without first putting Iraq on the road to democracy.

[Ruthless]

What if we Hit & Runners, the Sunni of Amurika were to rise up and form a "coalition" with the trashy Shia democrats?
The hell with those Republican Kurds. Just let 'em be.

Let us coalesce to expel the greasy, crusading pols of dah US who are for "democracy " (ha) and the chilren.

Out, out, damn spots.

[Jennifer]

Ruthless-
Were you sincere about wanting to read Iraqi essays? According to the Coalition Provisional Authority website, the newly-opened Baghdad Optimists' Club is sponsoring an essay contest for Iraqi high-school students. Theme: "What a Free Iraq Means To Me."

I'm not kidding. Here's the link:

http://www.cpa.gov

[Jennifer]

Rick-
Oceania is at war with Eastasia. Oceania has ALWAYS been at war with Eastasia.

[Ruthless]

Jennifer,
I had a look at http://www.cpa.gov when you mentioned in an earlier topic.
I'm sure you don't think anything will come from those essays but "happy talk." I don't.

The contest is sponsored by The Optimist Club. When will The Realist Club be formed over there?

[Rick Barton]

The government's neocon inspired Iraq agenda has gone into the switch mode of "bait and switch"....

"I don't know what we were saying about WMD. No, our real goal in Iraq is to bring them democracy and liberal values....Yeah, that's the ticket...Democracy and liberal values! Those terrorist connection...I don't know what we were talking about on that one. That's not what we meant. It's transforming Iraqi society that's important I'm telling you. Yeah that?s it. Now get with the program!

A depressing number of people, including a majority of the nation's 20 largest newspapers are swallowing it.