Byrd blasts Bush’s ‘rhetorical ghosts and goblins’ on Iran.
Byrd blasts Bush’s ‘rhetorical ghosts and goblins’ on Iran.
On the Senate floor today, Sen. Robert Byrd (D-WV) denounced the White House’s saber-rattling on Iran, calling the Bush administration’s warnings of a nuclear threat “rhetorical ghosts and goblins to scare the American people”:
Today is a fitting day to discuss the issue of Iran. Today is All-Hallow’s Eve — Halloween — a day when people don masks and costumes to frighten others. The White House has been busy unleashing its rhetorical ghosts and goblins to scare the American people, with claims of an imminent nuclear threat in Iran, as they did with Iraq.
Watch it:
Earlier this month, Byrd also warned his colleagues against “sleep-walking” into another war, saying, “I hope that we can stop this war of words before it becomes a war of bombs.”
UPDATE: Steve Clemons received a previously undisclosed letter Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE) personally sent to President Bush, warning against the “dangerous and increasingly isolated position” the United States could find itself in should it continue to push for war with Iran.
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some mighty fine use of alliteration in the headline there.
October 31st, 2007 at 5:51 pmnow how long before the trolls bring up the KKK biz?
Good for Byrd.
I hear Nancy’s already trying to force him to apologize.
October 31st, 2007 at 5:54 pmTo ask the obvious questions: How many differences can you spot between the prewar rhetoric on Iraq and the current rhetoric on Iran ? How long did we still keep saying that Saddam already posseses WMDs? How much credibility do we have in the rest of the world ? Is there a current Republican candidate still justifying the war in Iraq by saying that Saddam would have had nuclear fuel by now ?
Unfortunately, if the other countries don’t join us, I’m afraid that Chimpy will still go it alone.
October 31st, 2007 at 5:55 pmI hear Nancy’s already trying to force him to apologize.
Comment by Leftside Annie — October 31, 2007 @ 5:54 pm
I hope that’s just snark.
October 31st, 2007 at 5:55 pmHagel’s plea to Bush is futile. Hagel is on his way out. Bush pays no attention to anyone who opposes him, particularly one who is not going to be around much longer.
October 31st, 2007 at 5:56 pmHe’d much rather listen to the insane warmonger, Podhoretz.
I appreciate Hagel’s effort, but I don’t have any hope for its effectiveness.
Oh goody, another senator writes to the president. I’m sure it was strongly worded.
How many times has Hagel VOTED for “give peace a chance” legislation? What was his vote on the legislation designating Iran’s military a terrorist organization? What was his vote on the “let’s set a deadline for pulling troops out of Iraq” legislation? And, didn’t he vote for the pro-torture funding legislation last year, after he and McCain and Warner declared it wrong; and they ALL truned around & gave permission to do just that?
What a waste of taxpayers’ money Congress is.
October 31st, 2007 at 6:00 pm4 – gummitch – Hopefully it is just snark.
Besides, since he’s a senator, it’d be Reid who’d be forcing him to apologize anyway. :o/
October 31st, 2007 at 6:04 pm4 – gummitch – Hopefully it is just snark.
Besides, since he’s a senator, it’d be Reid who’d be forcing him to apologize anyway. :o/
Comment by Leftside Annie — October 31, 2007 @ 6:04 pm
Nice, expecting me to pay attention mid-afternoon at work. You’re just mean!
October 31st, 2007 at 6:17 pmAnother strongly worded letter! Oh boy.
I did notice there wasn’t one word telling the chimp that he has to obtain congressional approval before any military action is commenced against Iran. Why can’t the Senators just TELL HIM to back off until he asks for permission? If you don’t explicitly TELL a petulant child that he cannot do something, he figures he is allowed to do it. It’s easier to beg forgiveness, than ask for permission.
We are doomed…
October 31st, 2007 at 6:27 pm10. The only thing that you should consider is how many things this administration has lied about in the past seven years. How many things have they been right about? Why would anyone believe a group of lying sobs who have not been right about anything. Now let us talk about backfires.
October 31st, 2007 at 6:27 pmThe only thing they know about Iran is there’s one less CIA agent trying to find out what that country’s really up to. In their twisted little world they must be thinking, “It worked before, so it’ll work again.”
October 31st, 2007 at 6:29 pmCleanup on 10. Troll piss ran down his widdle leg and puddled on the floor along with the tears.
It’s going to be ok little guy, the world has a lot of risks, you can’t go pissing yourself whenever Bush says BOO.
October 31st, 2007 at 6:54 pmIs anyone still listening to this joke of a president anymore?
October 31st, 2007 at 6:54 pmthis may be a repeat, previously known, but…
steve clemons was on rachel maddow’s show earlier talking about, among other things, the hagel letter…
October 31st, 2007 at 7:26 pmfrom what i heard and gather, mr. hagel is not happy that clemons
disclosed that letter…
but, most interesting, he said that FALLON had a positive reaction, saying there needs to be more letters like that…
…
Only an IDIOT would push for war with Iran…oh yeah, forgot, we have an IDIOT incharge, darn foiled again.
Buck Fush
October 31st, 2007 at 7:29 pmTerrorism is only a threat to the USA when traitors like Bush get into office through illegal means, and then fail to do their job.
October 31st, 2007 at 7:45 pmI remember Robert Byrd standing up and calling Dr. King a coward.
Has he changed his position? What IS his position?
October 31st, 2007 at 8:08 pmMy new mantra…kindness…kindness…kindness…
What IS kindness?
Oy.
October 31st, 2007 at 8:10 pm#13 Bob,
I’d offer the friendly amendment to what you said: Not only are we a CIA agent down on Iran, but almost certainly members of her network were killed and persons who may have been inclined to help us are now afraid to. The ripple effect, which legitimately should be classified so as not to cause our friends to be killed, is undoubtedly huge.
October 31st, 2007 at 9:12 pmPresident Bush’s disturbingly flip comment about Iran and World War III not only revealed his apparent comfort when discussing global conflagration. Bush’s gaffe also showed the common vision between himself, the man most likely to succeed him as head of the Republican Party and those who advise them both. For George Bush, Rudy Giuliani and the likes of Norman Podhoretz, the only dispute about “world war” is whether we’re already fighting it and what number we’re on.
For the details, see:
October 31st, 2007 at 10:08 pm“Bush and Giuliani on the Next World War.”
AngryOne, have another drink.
October 31st, 2007 at 10:57 pmGood night all. bedtime.
October 31st, 2007 at 10:58 pmByrd isn’t exactly a leader Donald. But sometimes he says stuff I agree with.
October 31st, 2007 at 11:42 pmAnd yet, “Good for Byrd†Leftside Annie says.
Some leader you Dems have there.
Comment by TCDon — October 31, 2007 @ 11:09 pm
and as usual, completely beside the point, irrelevant, very old stuff, not a word of which takes anything away from the truths he now routinely embarrasses you Republicans with. The fact that your side never learns anything, no matter how many times they screw up, no matter how many times they lose their pet wars, no matter how many times they are thrown out of power, doesn’t mean that nobody else learns. you’re projecting your inability to change and learn onto someone who obviously has changed and learned. You’re very stupid, and your tactics are childish and transparent. but you already know that, and are incapable of doing anything about it. Loser.
October 31st, 2007 at 11:56 pm#1: hil_1
In answer to your question of how long until some piss-soaked troll (thanks Zooey) brings up the KKK…27 posts worth of time. ;)
November 1st, 2007 at 12:16 amDear progressives:
I have just discovered that I am a psychic.
When I read the topic of this thread, and BEFORE I clicked on the Comment line to come in and read the thread, I said to myself, “Since EVERYTHING Sen. Byrd said was true (just like EVERYTHING he said about the invasion of Iraq, before the vote to invade), SOME LOUSY, STINKING, UNSCRUPULOUS TROLL is going to bring up Byrd’s membership in the KKK, to DISTRACT us from the truth of Byrd’s statement. And then I had a vision of ME reporting HIM for OFF-TOPIC abuse.
And, guess what?
As I read the thread, THERE was the miserable little troll @ 11:09 pm saying EXACTLY what I KNEW he would! I also reported him for OFF-TOPIC abuse, just as I foresaw in my psychic vision.
For any of the progressives in here who wish to use my AMAZING abilities, I will give you the benefit of my psychic powers free of charge.
NOTE: Nasty, stinking trolls need NOT apply.
November 1st, 2007 at 1:13 am.
GOOGLE Chernobyl.
This is what the BushCo propose America does to another nation.
Then look up WAR CRIME.
We can try to wash our hands of it, “It’s not our war,” but until We wash our hands of the criminals acting in our name, We will be responsible for everything we allow them to do.
It will be We, the People of America, that will end up having to suffer the consequences of OUR leadership’s mismanagement of our Nation and foreign policy of American vigilantism.
.
November 1st, 2007 at 2:05 am#27 – “Some leader you Dems have there.” Comment by TCDon — October 31, 2007 @ 11:09 pm
FACT: (Sen.) Byrd has since explicitly renounced his earlier views on racial segregation. (Sen.) Byrd said that he regrets filibustering and voting against the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and would change it if he had the opportunity. In explanation of his vote he said, “We who were born in a southern environment…ought to get ahead of the curve and take down those [white only] signs ourselves. We shouldn’t need a law to require us to do it.” (Sen.) Byrd, however, said that he realized people were too set in their ways to integrate society on their own and therefore the Civil Rights Act became necessary. (Sen.) Byrd has also said that his views changed most dramatically after his teen-age grandson was killed in a 1982 traffic accident, which put him in a deep emotional valley.” The death of my grandson caused me to stop and think,” said Byrd, adding he came to realize that black people love their children as much as he does his.
Inconvenient FACT: Sen. Thurmond conducted the longest filibuster ever by a U.S. Senator in opposition to the Civil Rights Act of 1957. He later moderated his position on race, but continued to defend his early segregationist campaigns on the basis of states’ rights; he never fully renounced his earlier viewpoints.
GREAT attempt to distract from the racists in the Republican party!
Care to comment on the fact that the Democratic party lost a number of the racist members to the Republican party when they changed their “dixiecrat” ways and embraced civil rights in the 60’s??? Sen. Thurmond is the most infamous example.
Or are you ignoring the unapologetic racists in the Republican party, hoping that nobody notices them?
November 1st, 2007 at 7:48 am#34 – “In a 2001 video clip you can find on youtube, he uses the term “white-n*****s.— Comment by TCDon — November 1, 2007 @ 9:16 am
And how many racist incidents are you conveniantly ignoring from the Republicans as you rush to pillory the Democrats?
Would you care for the outube links of those, or will you simply turn a blind eye and deaf ear to the racist Republicans?
Maybe you’d better start taking care of that beam in the collective eye’s of the Republicans before you continue your cusade against the splinter in the Democrats eyes.
November 1st, 2007 at 9:32 am#35 – “Spoken like a good ol’ Chamberlain wanna-be.”Comment by Tracy2 — November 1, 2007 @ 10:59 am
I disagree. TCDon isn’t appeasing racist Republicans as much as he’s trying to falsely claim that Sen. Byrd has remained a racist, when the fact is that Sen. Byrd has changed quite considerably from the errors of his past.
TCDon is so intent on his false claims about Democrats that he refuses to acknowledge the racism alive and well in the Republican party.
Both parties have done things in the past for which they are not proud. I feel that the Republicans are much less likely to acknowledge and address their racism than are the Democrats.
November 1st, 2007 at 1:24 pmthere is racism, and then there is hanging black folks from trees in the woods as was the common practice back in the day when Sen. KKK byrd was one of the head honchos of that murdering organization. of course since he gave up that life style all is forgiven. bless his heart. Gods little angel in the senate.
November 1st, 2007 at 1:57 pm#37 – “of course since he gave up that life style all is forgiven. bless his heart. Gods little angel in the senate.” Comment by ct — November 1, 2007 @ 1:57 pm
No, THAT title belongs to Sen. Thurmod!
You know, the one who didn’t hesitate to derail EVERY civil right act, and never once apologized for his racism!
You know, the one who knocked up a black woman, but wouldn’t pass any civil rights laws al all!
Sen. Thurmond proves that the racist party in Washington is NOT the Democrats!
November 1st, 2007 at 3:05 pm