Pentagon Gives Word to Power: Senator Clinton Outraged

Hillary & Co. are in a snit over hearing unpleasant truths.

[Note: I've been quiet on the 'blogging' front for a while for a lot of reasons, the least of which is I'm preparing for my final post(s) on the Air Force's self-destruction. But this was just waaay too much to let go.]

The Offense: A response from Undersecretary of Defense (Policy) Edelman to a demand by Senator Clinton that we start planning and prepare for our defeat:

"Premature and public discussion of the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq reinforces enemy propaganda that the United States will abandon its allies in Iraq, much as we are perceived to have done in Vietnam, Lebanon and Somalia,..."

The article further relays that Edelman:

...added that "such talk understandably unnerves the very same Iraqi allies we are asking to assume enormous personal risks.''

A Clinton rep (Philippe Reines) provided these comments in response to Edelman's factual statements:

"Redeploying out of Iraq with the same combination of arrogance and incompetence with which the Bush administration deployed our young men and women into Iraq is completely unacceptable, and our troops deserve far better,''

Now, there are two basic problems with the Clintonian outrage:

First, Edelman's points were factual. Reines comment was inflammatory.

Second, since according to the article, Edelman's response was 'leaked', it follows that Edelman responded in private. If Edelman and DoD wanted the correspondence to remain private, it kind of points to who might find the most benefit from having Edleman's response 'leaked' doesn't it?

Hmmmm. Who might find it most beneficial to leak Edelman's letter?

(Hint: The initials are HRC, though no doubt someone will find time to credit the genius of Karl Rove making it look like a Hillary stunt.)

Sidebar: "Now here is how you could morph Edelman's comments into something more inappropriate:

Premature and public discussion of the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq reinforces enemy propaganda that the United States [with the same combination of arrogance and incompetence demonstrated by Congress in 1975,] will abandon its allies in Iraq, much as we are perceived to have done in Vietnam, Lebanon and Somalia,''

Gee, even that isn't too bad.....I suppose because it is still factual.

(Notice I didn't even comment on Kerry's two cents in the article: he STILL doesn't matter)