BRILLIANT! AND REGRETTABLY TRUE.

EITHER:

CheneyCo is so blindly partisan that their reflex is to be against anything the Obama administration does - including reacting like adults in the face of a terror plot

OR:

CheneyCo is so craven and stupid that their reaction is genuine.

I don't know which possibility depresses me more.
In the spirit of "Don't Feed The Trolls," what we might want to do is pay less attention to CheneyCo and more attention to their enablers in the media - something this blog has done a nice job of lately.

The Republican strategy is BOF (Blame Obama First). They fervently hope that if they throw enough blame around somehow some if it will stick to the President and limit his effectiveness with Congress & voters.

If Democrats had tried this under Bush they would have been publicly excoriated by Republicans and accused of Blaming America First.

The point is that the GOP's reflexive, reactionary response to current events, driven entirely be an obsession to undermine U.S. leadership politically, unintentionally makes terrorists' p.r. efforts easier and more successful -- and Republicans' partisan blinders make this fact invisible to them.

Steve you give the GOP far too much credit. CheneyCo really trying to give aid and comfort to the terrorists. Without terrorism and the fear it generates CheneyCo would have nothing.

Quote: 'Again, this is not to say that the Cheneys, Pete King, Pete Hoeksta, Michael Steele, Jim DeMint, and a wide variety of media personalities are secretly supporting al Qaeda or are actively trying to undermine U.S. counter-terrorism efforts. They're not.'

Actually they are. Their fondest wet-dream is that there is a successful terror attack on U.S. soil with high casualties. They desire total failure of the Obama administration and if that failure involves bad things happening to Americans, them's the breaks. They have no viable solutions to this country's ills so the only path to power for them requires that those problems get worse. Don't be so naive.

Exactly- if repubs succeed in redefining someone who blows his own nuts off and then gets pounded by unarmed passengers as some sort of unstoppable Islamic superterrorist, then the US might as well declare defeat, since if I punch a spoon-wielding geriatric jihadist in the head to stop him from drooling on me, the bruise on my fist will be a "Successful attack on America which underscores our vulnerability to the Islamofascist menace due to liberal's fear of waterboarding" or some nonsense like that.

Alas, this one worked very well.

If Zakaria is talking about the American public, then polling shows that "We" were not terrrorized. If by "We" he's talking about the idiot media and rightwing political class, then I couldn't agree more.

pinson, I was thinking the same thing.

Odd that we would have this thought. I wonder sometimes if Steve reads his own posts.

If so he would have mentioned the recent polling indicating that the wussie Republicans have been completely unsuccessful in scaring the shit out of the American public.

no, not invisible. They simply don't care. Whether or not their partisan crap aids Al Qaeda is completely unimportant to them. Getting power back is important to them. And that's it.

We really should not forget what's going on here: our right-wing wants power back, by any means necessary. Which is how all right-wing movements function. The ends always justify the means to a wingnut. If we on the left aren't careful, these crazy people will be right back in the driver's seat in 2010.

Bushies have been giving Al Qaeda more than they could have dreamed of since 9-11. Bin Ladin's fondest dreams included the destruction of the most sectarian Arab nation - Iraq. Bush & Cheney did that for him. He wanted to provoke the US into a response that would radicalize the islamic world, and make it impossible to be a moderate Moslem. Bush and Cheney did that. He wanted to limit western influence in the Moslem world, and the Bushies took us from exemplar to detested occupier. Moving the US into a state of fear that would lead us to waste our blood and vast sums of money, damage our global reputation, and curtail civil liberties must have been the icing on his cake.

Cheney is therefore simply continuing his long-standing practice of helping Al Qaeda achieve its goals, even if inadvertently and through incompetence and flawed character. Republicans have often flung around charges of treason against democrats, but they really need to look into the mirror at their own behavior over the last decade.

Remember, Cheney had to take 5 furlows in order to serve his country. Pete King needs to yell to stay quiet. Pete Hoekstra needs to put intel out for public consumption to keep classified materials safe. Michael Steele needs to be crazier than his base to bring calm to his party. And Jim DeMint needs to condemn our president inorder to contribute to viable foreign policy.

The entire Republican chorus of criticism is based on the strategy used in the seige of Hue: The Republican party must destroy America inorder to save it! -Kevo

Why NOT "say that the Cheneys, Pete King, Pete Hoeksta, Michael Steele, Jim DeMint, and a wide variety of media personalities are secretly supporting al Qaeda or are actively trying to undermine U.S. counter-terrorism efforts"?

They ARE supporting al Qaeda by their actions. They may not agree with all the ends of the people who call themselves "al Qaeda" (and could we please stop using the phrase as though it were unitary>), but they clearly agree with some of them, and their actions show it.

And they ARE trying to undermine US counterterrorism efforts. Again, not all those efforts, but certainly some of them, by explicitly trying to scare people.

Let's call them for what they are: tacit supporters of al Qaeda, useful fools, and subversives.

They would certainly do the same -- in fact, they did!

Well Steve, you guys are being spot on. And unfortunately also, in true classic progressive mode, far to charitable towards Cheney et al - presumably for fear of appearing unfair (which apparently we on the left worry about while the other side as we all know does not).

The salient point is that Cheney and his minions don't care, or rather care less, about giving Al Qaeda a propaganda victory than they care about scoring cheap partisan tactical victories on the domestic political arena.

Furthermore, Cheney cares more about desperately trying to make his legacy something else than being the guy that for the first time since independence made it official policy torturing our enemies than he cares about the interests of the American people and our great nation.

He is - they are - reckless. That's perfectly fair. And they are reckless for narrow partisan reasons.

They value the "(R)" and Dick Cheneys and George W Bushs legacies over our national unity and the ultimate triumph of our nation and our way of life.

I don't think we need to feel hindered from stating those facts bluntly and clearly by any misguided notion of duty to always be the nice guys.

Why stop short. In pretty much all international conflicts, there are people on each side interested in escalating the conflict and others interested in seeking peace. To point out that those seeking conflict are natural allies is hardly controversial,

Cheney et al aren't actively supporting Al Qaeda or undermining US anti-terrorism efforts. That would take too much work. They're just cheering the terrorists on from their comfortable seats in the skybox.

So getting a deal with Fox is now going to replace the primary process in selecting Republican presidential candidates? I bet the founding fathers never saw that one coming.

they aren't "secretly" supporting terrorists. those bastards are praying for the deaths of thousands of Americans.

almost makes you wonder if they're secretly hoping for a successful attack ... i mean what are a few (dozen, hundred, thousand) lives when compared to priceless opportunity to hold power again ...

The cogent individuals posting here largely understand 'Terrorism'. As do the Republicans; they also understand gutter politics, and their theme song-sung to the tune of "I want my MTV"- is "I want my power back".

Bombs in underwear is extremely difficult to pull off (pun intended), and requires a very, very dedicated bomber.

Here's how to do Domestic Terrorism in one easy step:

Walk onto the stage at any crowded venue- theater, college lecture hall, Grand Ol' Opry, and announce, "There is a hand grenade under one of the seats. When you stand up it will pull the pin."

The 21st C. version of crying "Fire" in a crowded theater.

The ensuing media frenzy will ensure that every gathering for months to come will be subject to cops and dogs and pat downs.

Mission accomplished.

"The water carriers for Al Qaeda."

The great teacher Rove instructs Republicans to label all their opponents successes as failures and their own failures as successes. Keeping the public confused and afraid is their only hope.

Brng It On!!!

Again, this is not to say that the Cheneys, Pete King, Pete Hoeksta, Michael Steele, Jim DeMint, and a wide variety of media personalities are secretly supporting al Qaeda or are actively trying to undermine U.S. counter-terrorism efforts

Well yes they fucking well are. These bed wetting surrender monkeys have wished many times for a successful attack on the US strictly for political advantage. Seriously, if the tables were turned what would the respective sides be saying??? You know I don't have to spell it out for you. The Cheney's and the lot are evil incarnate gaod damn all their shit filled souls to hell.

They should be offended at the suggestion that they are acting as unpaid PR agents for Al Queda. They're Republicans, afterall - they should at least be getting paid for it.

Fox News need have no fear that they would ever become Al Qaeda targets, despite Roger Ailes' paranoia to the contrary. While Fox is not deliberately aiding and abetting Al Qaeda, that is what in fact they are doing.

Again, this is not to say that the Cheneys, Pete King, Pete Hoeksta, Michael Steele, Jim DeMint, and a wide variety of media personalities are secretly supporting al Qaeda or are actively trying to undermine U.S. counter-terrorism efforts. They're not.

Actually they are. This is how highly partisan these people have become - they'd prefer see al Qaeda succeed on a Democrat's watch than to see a Democratic administration successfully protect our citizens. They have become so narrowly focused, they'd choose to see our nation severely damaged by al Qaeda if a successful attack will somehow get them back into power. The nation's welfare means nothing to them - only wielding power. These people are morally bankrupt and the media need to call them out on it very loudly.

Cheney? Would that be the same Cheney who in a fit of personal pique outed a CIA agent working on weapons of mass destruction? That Cheney?

BTW, I think both apparel bombers were intentionally miseducated about how to construct effective bombs. If they had succeeded, how likely would it be that Cheney and his Running Dogs of Al Quaeda Worship would know about them?

Seems both bombs fizzled and made smoke pretty well, enough so the "bombers" could be quickly and effectively stopped by unarmed passengers.

They were dupes, and to look at them and read about them, they were perfect dupes, unlike the 9/11 hijackers, who were well trained.

As I've said many times before the terrorists don't brag, "Look at what we've done to America"...They brag, "Look at what we made America do to herself".

Even worse is this constant braying from America's leadership of "Show how tough we are" Or "You're not acting tough enough" which just perpetuates this macho pissing contest that is destroying morality and decency in our nation.

It's what repubs want so their military-weapons profiteers can continue to roll in the doe.

I await the sane voice who calls for rolling back aggression whenever possible by downplaying the madness altogether.

Driftglass.com has a good satire on what our nation's response should have been to this latest episode of terrorism..."Surround everybody with everything" says the general. I want all branches of the military to bring out their nukes and await instructions etc...or something to that effect.

Republican spokesmen seldom think of the long term effects of their rhetoric...just what makes them score some political points in the short term...but they assume the public is too stupid or 'ate up with fear' to notice these goobers are wrong on everything and don't know what they are talking about... and the corporate media is in the tank with them.

It's the corporatocracy vs democracy. They may have the money, the media and many politicians...but we have the numbers.

Sooner or later we learn you cannot sustain perpetual infinite growth with finite resources. We will learn to live in balance or kiss the earth goodbye.

btw...if there ever were a successful terrorist attack with huge casualties on this country again...who the hell would want repubs in charge to handle it...look what they did the last time...look at Katrina...in fact look at everything they've ever done.

They would be the last people I'd want coping with it. They've proven themselves complete disasters in dealing with anything.

Again, this is not to say that the Cheneys, Pete King, Pete Hoeksta, Michael Steele, Jim DeMint, and a wide variety of media personalities are secretly supporting al Qaeda or are actively trying to undermine U.S. counter-terrorism efforts. They're not.

Yes. They. Are. Al Qaeda has no greater friend in the world than the Republican Party which, like most fascist organizations, knows that it can never retain power without a cowed and fearful electorate. If Al Gore had been President on 9/11, he'd have gotten impeached over it, but instead C+ Augustus got treated like an immaculate god-king. As far as I'm concerned, every god-damned Republican in Washington is a traitor to their country.

Steve, it's a point of contention that your great posts preach only to what is obviously, for the most part, an already informed choir.

You need a venue that reaches minds force-fed on conservative propoganda.

Stupid geese who are force-fed end up as pate.

"this is not to say that the Cheneys, Pete King, Pete Hoeksta, Michael Steele, Jim DeMint, and a wide variety of media personalities are secretly supporting al Qaeda or are actively trying to undermine U.S. counter-terrorism efforts. They're not."

Steve, are you sure? These people, at least some of them, are not stupid. They know what they are doing, and it seems obvious that they don't care. I am willing to bet that if it came to a choice between regaining power and/or making bundles of money or protecting America, they would choose the former in a NYC minute. They use the same tactic themselves, Be afraid! Be very afraid!, to maintain their own power so I see no reason to think that they will quit it just to avoid doing al Qaeda's work for them.

As long as liberals keep up the fair-minded, politically correct front that the reptilian aliens who walk in Republican husks are any less of a threat to the future of America than the murderous al Qaeda, America is dead.

Both al Qaeda and the Republican Party must be destroyed.

'Again, this is not to say that the Cheneys, Pete King, Pete Hoeksta, Michael Steele, Jim DeMint, and a wide variety of media personalities are secretly supporting al Qaeda or are actively trying to undermine U.S. counter-terrorism efforts. They're not.'

Bullshit. That is exactly what they are trying to do. Oh some of them are just stupid. But Cheney really does want to see another attack. The terror thing is about covering up the whole war criminal thing. These things are all interconnected and until we decide to really investigate it we're going to have to keep eating this guy's shit.

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