[ambrose]

I've noticed that these critics seem to crawl out from under their rocks during a negative news cycle. Then when things go well, they quietly vanish. It is all so transparent.

I remember during the initial campaign, they were saying that 10s of thousands of our troops would die in battle with the "Elite Republican Guard". Then there were news cycles about Iraqi armored columns, our troops being bogged down, etc. Their negativity on the chat shows was to the extreme. Then when things went well, they turned to cheerleading.

In short, they're not acting as reasoned analysts weighing in after careful reflection. They are simply acting as a "play by play" color commentator, reacting only to the immediate events of the moment.

[churchillbuff]

critics seem to crawl out from under their rocks

you view a general officer of the United States Army as somebody who lives like a lizard under a rock? wow, you certainly have a low opinion of the men who wear the American uniform.

[Ohioan]

I've noticed that these critics seem to crawl out from under their rocks during a negative news cycle. Then when things go well, they quietly vanish. It is all so transparent.

The poster of this thread has already rebuked your snide comment. But I would add this from the standpoint of my own criticism. I posted a statement of how I believed the War on Terror should be handled in the fall of 2001: War 2001--The Shortest, Surest Path To Victory. I have consistently upheld the same concepts at this venue, ever since.

General Odom clearly explained in the television interview last night, why he was not more publicly vocal earlier.

As for predicting huge numbers of American casualties in taking on Iraq? I do not think that you will find where many Conservatives ever predicted that. Those who predicted that are on the opposite side of the political spectrum; not those who understand the realities of comparative capabilities.

If you have some reasoned answer to General Odom, by all means offer it. But the snide comments suggest not reason but a desire to suppress honest discussion.

William Flax