When the Post does a story on Oversight hearings, I always wonder why it never looks close to home at our own criminal poster boy. Sure enough, go beyond the story to look at the video from the Blackwater-Iraq hearings yesterday, to see Tom Davis telling Condi Rice what a great job she is doing in Iraq. The Post A-2 story today covers Shays (R-CT) but is silent on hearing participation from any locals like Sarbanes (D-MD, against the war) and Davis ($-VA, against the war in election years only).If you read no further, read this: Davis says "Unable to reverse course, the Democratic strategy seems to be to drill enough small holes in the bottom of the boat to sink the entire Iraqi enterprise while still claiming undying support for the crew about to drown. As that strategy unfolds, we should not underestimate the corrosive impact on ... the morale of those pursuing US goals in Iraq."
Against the War? For responsibility? Want to know where your taxes are going? You must hate the troops!
Davis spent the last few years in the Republican majority as Oversight Committee Chair collecting favors and campaign contributions for holding no hearings on Iraq, Katrina, and Jack Abramoff Pay-to-Play corruption. Let me correct that: he had a hearing where he subpoenaed Teri Schiavo, baseball, and used Abramoff's billing records to suggest that Jack didn't really bill for much face time with lawmakers (what a nice guy!).
Yesterday at the Iraq hearing, in his opening statement, Davis criticized Waxman for including accountability concerns in Iraq oversight. True to his contractor-fundraisers, Davis says "concerns of cost overruns" are unimportant. "No amount of hand-wringing or feigned indignation here" can get your tax money back. Sorry!
Davis adds:
"Unable to reverse course, the Democratic strategy seems to be to drill enough small holes in the bottom of the boat to sink the entire Iraqi enterprise while still claiming undying support for the crew about to drown. As that strategy unfolds, we should not underestimate the corrosive impact on our diplomatic standing or the morale of those pursuing US goals in Iraq, while we gratuitously flog these problems publicly, without constructive solution."
No solution? How about coming home?
Davis has previously said war protesters - and Democrats demanding accountability in Iraq- are guilty of capital crimes.
Later, the softball questions from Davis to Rice, included:
Wouldn't it be unusual for senior departments officials of any administration, R or D, to make public accusations of corruptions against any ally, engaged in military operations?
Condi: "Of course it would."
Let's turn to a more pro-active note: explain what you are doing to eliminate corruption in Iraq.
Condi: "Lots!"
"Don't you think that the Iraqi government has the political will to fight corruption?"
Condi: "Of course they do."
Turn to the issue of private contractors, esp especially security contractors. Tell us how do you plan to increase coordination between contractors."
Condi: "Leave it to me and Bob Gates; we're working hard on that."
Then Davis, in an obviously choreographed move, yields to Mr Shays, who asks Condi to "Tell us how contractors are helping us succeed in Iraq... If the Iraq war went well it would be bad for Democrats?"