Yeah, Me Too.
I didn't post anything about this when I saw the original item because a) I think Gary Hart is nuts and b) I don't think Karl Rove and George Bush are nuts. Joe Gandelman has put together a more thoughtful and nuanced response than I just did. The conclusions are about the same, however.
If there is any kind of a military operation right before the elections it will automatically undermine the credibility of the operation. It could help the GOP retain control of Congress, but it could also turn off independent voters. And even if the GOP retained control of Congress the international cynicism and cynicism of administration critics will be hardened. It's hard to image two years of an administration supported almost exclusively by its party's base and talk show listeners.
Those on the far left who pooh-pooh the threat of Iran ignore the threat posted by Iran and importance of, at a minimum, containing the threat. And those on the right who dream of a military operation before the elections — or those who possibly might be planning one — ignore the fact that any military operation that took place before the election would lose some of the support it might have if it came in November after the elections.
There would be short-term electoral gain and long-term loss of credibility to the reputation of serious American policy-making and to the credibility of the institution of the Presidency itself.
We will have to do something about Iran. I rather doubt this will be the October surprise, however.
Blogosphere, Politics | Gaius Sunday, 24 September , 2006
