Is there some sort of double standard in play here? Is it true what they're saying?If I'm not mistaken Hal, you gave me grief on a couple of different occasions regarding my references to Clinton-era precedent. Now, two months into a six-year term, and you're throwing out the... how did you put it....
BURNS DID IT, BURNS DID IT, BURNS DID IT 
of course, it was Clinton when you said it, but you get the point. At least now we can say you've come around to see the relevance of precedent in politics.
Kelly, aside from what I already posted, take a look.
http://www.cbsnews.com/st...5272.shtmlhttp://www.foxnews.com/st...87,00.htmlhttp://www.opinionjournal...=110009862Now before we hear about some bleeding frontpager as "evidence" to the contrary, please keep in mind that one of the most difficult things in war is to keep morale high at home. Examples of death and destruction can always be found and highlighted in battle. What you see today is a media fixation on death, even in the midst of one of the least bloody wars in world history. A camera only shows you one point in time. Often, it only shows you what the person running it wants you to see.
This is why FDR immediately formed the Office of Censorship when we entered World War II to make sure things in the media were kept positive. He understood that in some ways what you see is more important than what's really going on. Imagine the screams we'd hear for impeachment if such a thing were proposed today.
I'd like to think such harsh tactics aren't necessary... that Americans are shrewd enough to be able to look past the blood splashed on the front page, to focus on the big picture... and the real carnage that would ensue if we were to abandon our responsibilities. We'll see how that pans out.
What is truely being gained by these deaths?First and foremost, we've got a frontline with al-Qaida in Iraq. Whether they were there to begin with or not, the indisputable fact is that they are there now. Retreat now, and they'll be making more travel arrangements to the US for 9/11 part two. And when that happens, what's the next move? Start another war you say we can't win somewhere else?
[This message has been edited by Rick Kuchynka (edited 3/29/2007).]