Josh Marshall tells us how to fight the Republicans on Iran:
With respect to what's coming on Iran, what is in order is a little honesty, just as was the case with the Social Security debate a year ago. The only crisis with Iran is the crisis with the president's public approval ratings. Period. End of story. The Iranians are years, probably as long as a decade away, and possibly even longer from creating even a limited yield nuclear weapon. Ergo, the only reason to ramp up a confrontation now is to help the president's poll numbers.Exactly. Pretending this is a real crisis is a losing proposition. Taking the fight to the enemy, hammering them on their mendacity and their cynical manipulation of national security for partisan gain--that's how we win this. They've given us the road map; all we have to do is follow it.
This is a powerful message because it is an accurate message. We have many challenges overseas today. Chief among them, as one of the Democrats' senate candidates puts it, is "refocusing America's foreign and defense policies in a way that truly protects our national interests and seeks harmony where they are not threatened." The period of peril the country is entering into isn't tied to an Iranian bomb. It turns on how far a desperate president will go to avoid losing control of Congress.
Go to his heart. Go to his weaknesses. Though the realization of the fact is something of a lagging indicator, the man is a laughing stock, whose lies and failures are all catching up with him.
Here's a roundup of other helpful advice on the subject:
- Sean Paul Kelley of The Agonist
- John Aravosis
- Newark Star-Ledger columnist John Farmer
- Greg Sargent (Tapped)
- Pachacutec (Firedoglake)
- Andrew Sabl
- Josh Marshall
- My previous posts: What to Do About Iran?; The Politics of Iran; and Iran: It's the Politics, Stupid.
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