…and this is a 
Hummelgate? The right has sunk lower than I imagined
Category: Politics
Posted on: May 29, 2007 7:48 AM, by PZ Myers
You've probably all read Glenn Greenwald's withering dissection of a mock scandal ginned up by right-wing bloggers. If you haven't, you should—the short story is that the fact of a war falling into ignominious failure is driving the apologists to desperate acts of rationalization, and the latest effort to save face involved a fairly inconsequential memo from Iraq that mentioned some temporary difficulties. That memo had to be discredited—I don't quite see why, even if we were winning I'd expect occasional setbacks—and they turned to their usual tactic of peering at the profane text intently until they could find something that would justify their suspicions—in this case it was the discovery that the logo looked like a picture of a Hummel figurine found on the internet.
Like an entire cast of Keystone Kops, some of the loudest voices on the right-wing side of the blogosphere stumbled all over themselves to crow triumphantly over this 'victory'…and then the U.S. Embassy in Iraq cheerfully revealed that the memo was authentic. It would be embarrassing for them if they had any shame.
Personally, I wouldn't give a damn if that piece of paper were real or fake. The reality of the war does not hinge on the words in one memo or a thousand — the military produces memos like a blizzard produces snowflakes — but on the fact that people are dying. The dead do not walk nor are the wounded made whole if only some far right cheerleader for destruction can find vindication in a scrap of paper. It's as if they hope their myopia gets even more severe, so the blood in the background will blur out of focus and text on a screen becomes the only reality.
Comments
If only the right-wing blogosphere could prove that the numerous DoD press releases which identify multiple casualties every day weren't real. Then we'd be getting somewhere.
Posted by: dynaboy | May 29, 2007 8:59 AM
If only the right-wing blogosphere could prove that the numerous DoD press releases which identify multiple casualties every day weren't real. Then we'd be getting somewhere.
Obviously a fraud. Look vewy, vewy cwosewy at the so-called 'Eagle' on the alleged 'military seal' and what do you see? Why... it's...
A 'wounded' chickenhawk!
Umm...
Oh. Wait. Sorry. My mistake. In my zeal to reveal the perfidious incompetence of the MSM, I may have made a small, teensy blunder...
Yeah. Seems I was looking at a picture of Bush's cabinet...
Nothing to see here. Move along.
Posted by: AJ Milne | May 29, 2007 9:34 AM
The war is not about winning, and hasn't been for a long time.
It is about profit and cronyism. While Haliburton, C.A.C.I. and other super-corporations can continue to profit through their cost+ contracts with the U.S. government, there is no fiscal reason to pull out, stop the war, or even strive for an end to hostilities.
Posted by: Jefe | May 29, 2007 9:44 AM
I think that we can now say that the wingnutosphere is officially suffering from MDS (memo derangement syndrome.)
Posted by: JP Stormcrow | May 29, 2007 9:58 AM
Someday, China will come looking for their money.
Then the war in Iraq will be over.
Posted by: llewelly | May 29, 2007 10:24 AM
Heh. And if the USA was a corporation, the Board of Directors would have ousted the CEO by now.
Posted by: Kseniya | May 29, 2007 11:03 AM
Sad that Cindy Sheehan has quit the anti-war effort.
She has also quit the Democratic party. That is less sad.
Her letter on quitting the party:
http://www.counterpunch.org/sheehan05282007.html
On quitting the anti-war effort:
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=node/23018
Posted by: CalGeorge | May 29, 2007 11:16 AM
PZ, you missed the most interesting part. They've taken to eating their own. The memo in question was publicized by Pat Lang, a fairly well known ex-Green Beret type guy and blogger. He's quite conservative, and quite strongly against the war - he sees it as criminal incompetence. Now, "Ace" in that column accuses PL of being a "leftist" for disagreeing on the war - ideology is no longer the arbiter of ideology, but pure loyalty to
der Fuehrer,sorry I meant Great Leader, dang typos... George Bush. I needed a RW PC spellchecker now. And PL challenges him to a fight - ex-military folks take impugns on honor very seriously.Posted by: frog | May 29, 2007 4:09 PM
Arrggghhhh! That's the Salon site, which uses flash, insists on cookies, and it basically just (technologically) assine...
(I'm not saying Mr Greenwald is stupid. But Salon's site is a disaster.)
Posted by: blf | May 29, 2007 4:58 PM
blf says: "(I'm not saying Mr Greenwald is stupid. But Salon's site is a disaster.)"
Utterly agree. Its a trash can full of yummy stinks. Anybody who wants people to go through that to read their shtick can't be all that flavorful.
I have to wash my face.
Posted by: Arnosium Upinarum | May 29, 2007 6:54 PM