Fun with Astroturf!

Alan LeClair’s letter in my hometown newspaper smelled a little like Astroturf, so I did a Google search on “President Bush has a clear plan for victory in Iraq that begins with training Iraqi forces”. Nothing gives off that unique aroma quite like freshly fertilized GOP talking points.

Lookee what I found:

In Green Bay, WI….

Tremendous progress is taking place in Iraq

DE PERE — President Bush has a clear plan for victory in Iraq that begins with training Iraqi forces so they can defend their country and fight the terrorists. We are making tremendous progress towards this objective.

Earlier this year, Iraqi forces led the fight in clearing out terrorists during the crucial battle of Tal Afar, with U.S. troops in a supporting role, and every day, Iraqis are taking more control of the situation on the ground.

Withdrawing from Iraq, as some Democrats in Washington propose, would send a dangerous signal to our enemies that we cut and run when the going gets tough.

President Bush is offering a clear strategy to win, not a political quick fix.

Alan LeClair

http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060918/GPG06/609180518/1269

In Lafeyette, IN….

Positive push for Bush's victory plan

President Bush has a clear plan for victory in Iraq that begins with training Iraqi forces so they can defend their country and fight the terrorists. We are making tremendous progress towards this objective.

Earlier this year, Iraqi forces led the fight in clearing out terrorists during the crucial battle of Tal Afar, with U.S. troops in a supporting role, and every day, Iraqis are taking more control of the situation on the ground.

Withdrawing from Iraq, as some Democrats in Washington propose, would send a dangerous signal to our enemies that we cut and run when the going gets tough. President Bush is offering a clear strategy to win, not a political quick fix.

Carol Galloway

http://www.jconline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060913/OPINION02/609130314

In Lawrence, KS….

President Bush has a clear plan for victory in Iraq that begins with training Iraqi forces so they can defend their country and fight the terrorists. We are making tremendous progress toward this objective.

Earlier this year, Iraqi forces led the fight in clearing out terrorists during the crucial battle of Talafar, with U.S. troops in a supporting role, and every day, Iraqis are taking more control of the situation on the ground. Withdrawing from Iraq, as some Democrats in Washington propose, would send a dangerous signal to our enemies that we cut and run when the going gets tough. President Bush is offering a clear strategy to win, not a political quick fix.

Burwyn Bender,
Lawrence

http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2006/sep/11/iraq_strategy/

In San Antonio, TX from a retired Colonel who actually bothered to add a few of his own words so he could “argue from authority”….

I am recently retired from the Army and served two tours of duty during Operation Iraqi Freedom — one in the Sunni Triangle and the other in Baghdad and farther south near Nasiriyah.

I believe President Bush has a clear plan for victory in Iraq that begins with training Iraqi forces so they can defend their country and fight the terrorists.

We are making tremendous progress toward this objective. I met and
worked with many dedicated and brave Iraqi civilians and soldiers. Earlier this year, Iraqi forces led the fight in clearing out terrorists during the crucial battle of Tal Afar, with U.S. troops in a supporting role, and every day, Iraqis are taking more control of the situation on the ground.

Withdrawing from Iraq, as some Democrats propose, would send a dangerous signal to our enemies that we cut and run when the going gets tough. Bush is offering a clear strategy to win, not a political quick fix.

Equally important, withdrawal from Iraq would abandon friends and allies who have staked their lives on helping us achieve a free Iraq. Leaving them to die at the hands of terrorists in anarchy would be immoral and unconscionable.

We must stop partisan bickering and support our president. We must see this war through to a successful conclusion.

—Retired Col. David J. Cohen

http://www.mysanantonio.com/opinion/letters/stories/MYSA091706.4H.iraqfocus.20e8c22.html

Finally, here’s the original source at the GOP website:

President Bush has a clear plan for victory in Iraq that begins with training Iraqi forces so they can defend their country and fight the terrorists. We are making tremendous progress towards this objective. Earlier this year, Iraqi forces led the fight in clearing out terrorists during the crucial battle of Tal Afar, with U.S. troops in a supporting role, and every day, Iraqis are taking more control of the situation on the ground. Withdrawing from Iraq, as some Democrats in Washington propose, would send a dangerous signal to our enemies that we cut and run when the going gets tough. President Bush is offering a clear strategy to win, not a political quick fix.

http://www.gop.com/GetActive/WriteNewspapers.aspx

Honestly, the fact that I was able to spot this just reading the letter tells me a few things:

1. They do this A LOT.
2. They need better writers.

Apparently some colonels retire their integrity when they retire from the service. I simply hate when military members, past or present, use their positions in the military to advance a political agenda. Argue based on the merits of your points, not based on whatever perceived authority you think you have.

BTW, here's what a Google search on Col Cohen turned up:

http://ats.ctsnetjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/73/2/563

COL David J. Cohen, MD, USA

The content of the article is unimportant. And while the fact that he's a doctor doesn't detract from any of the alleged points he makes in "his" letter, it does put the lie to the fact that he signed his letter as a retired colonel who served in Iraq. He's a doctor, which is a non-combat officer. This is a fact he conveniently excludes from "his" letter. According to the late Col Dave Hackworth's rule about fake vets, a supply troop who says that he served with the 101st Airborne Division but leaves out the fact that he was a supply troop is a fake vet because, through his lie of omission, he leaves people with the impression that he was an airborne ranger. So too does Dr. Cohen leave people with the impression that he had something to do with the logistics and planning of the reconstruction of Iraq, when in fact, he had about as much to do with it as I do and therefore can speak from no more authority on it than I can.

In fact, even if one accuses me of being no better than him by the implication that I'm putting out some sort of partisan screed, I say this: "At least I wrote my partisan screed."