Audacity
I agree with about 98% of this CBS News opinion piece. The author asks:
“What is the word that has more gall than gall? Nerve? Cheek, chutzpah conceit, arrogance, condescension? You name it – the squadron of chickenhawks that steers both the campaign and government of President Bush’s have pots of it. Where do these people come off impugning John Kerry’s Vietnam era guts and patriotism? John McCain, Colin Powell, Tom Ridge or Chuck Hagel might have some moral standing, but not these chickenhawks.”
Then, later:
“Allow me to add a stray point: these chickenhawks had a great influence in the decision to wage war on Iraq. After the civil war, William Tecumseh Sherman noted, “It is only those who have neither fired a shot nor heard the shrieks and groans of the wounded who cry for blood, more vengeance. More desolation.”
The most forceful advocates for war in the administration had seen the least of it. The rationales for war were cerebral, and I bought some of them, probably to my discredit. “
Good stuff.
