Monday, June 25, 2007

More Interesting Than the You Tube Stare

I think if anyone takes a fair appraisal of the current state of political debate surrounding Iraq, they'll come away feeling like the staked out sides ring so hollow it's maddening. I know that I often feel frustrated and annoyed by the fact that supposed leaders are selling us analysis that is on its face just simple, if not completely backwards and wrong.

Anyway, it's funny that in a presidential race that's so bizarrely early, mind-numbing and sure to be protracted you really need the bizarro candidates to get anything said. Case in point:

Mike Gravel's Commentary on Huffington Post this week.

His article has to do with ways that Senator Clinton (as I hear it's most appropriate to address her) scares him, and the reason I re-post it to my blog is this: I share his fear of her, and the reasons for it. I also think that he's got good reason (as he points out) to fear any number of the other candidates who share adjacent views, make similar statements, etc.

I think there's a real failure of will to face down just how difficult this Iraq mess is, certainly from the current administration, but also from the Democrats. Perhaps this results from the fact that calling it as ugly as it really is, would come off sounding incredibly pessimistic next to the Tony Snows and Bill O'really?s of the world... but I dunno. I could be blathering now. Anyway, no solutions really, just a moment where I felt like the crazy guy who throws rocks in the water (wait for it... wait for it) had some interesting bits to contribute to the discourse.