I have a slogan in
I have a slogan in my head, spoken in a tinny yet sonorous Movietone News announcer's voice: "The exit strategy...is Victory!"
Complete with warbling, uplifting lo-fi orchestral punctuation.
What Tom Daschle "gets" is how to float a trial balloon and see how the public reacts. He would've done much better if he had said, "Mr. President, we need to know how we're going to win this!" instead of looking forward to the moment when we pack our bags and go home because we've had enough.
Trent Lott didn't fare much better. With his stern, frowning admonition ("How dare [Daschle] criticize the President when we've got troops in the field�) he reflects the simpleminded lackey's unwavering obedience to his Master's voice.
Daschle was right to ask for some more information, but wrong to frame it in terms of defeat. Lott was right to call for strong support, but wrong to frame it in terms of uncritical obedience.
It is a reflection of the thick-witted provincialism of American politicians of all stripes that a significant portion of the leadership in the D.C. swamp doesn't understand the historical nature of the burgeoning conflict.
Our enemies believe that the God of history is on their side. They take the long view, and they want the world. It's our job to stop them from taking it.
Interestingly enough, the New York Times article on the exchange doesn't mention Daschle's "exit strategy" comment--probably for the reasons cited above. Doesn't sound good, does it?
