Then what will make America safer, Mr. Dean?
: The illogic of Howard Dean’s reaction to the capture of Saddam Hussein is only now fully sinking in. He said:
“The capture of Saddam is a good thing which I hope will help keep our soldiers safer. But the capture of Saddam has not made America safer.”
Hmmm. That’s not the best response to Joe Lieberman‘s statement:
If Howard Dean had his way, Saddam Hussein would still be in power today, not in prison, and the world would be a more dangerous place.
It is almost as if Dean is agreeing with Lieberman’s accusation, saying that he thinks Saddam should, indeed, still be in power and not under arrest. Now I’m sure that’s not what he thinks; I hope to God that’s not what he thinks. But by this illogic, he’s essentially saying that there was no self-interest in deposing and arresting Saddam and it makes no dofference to us whether he is in captivity.
That is on its face absurd.
That ignores the true liberal issue: The welfare and future of the Iraqi people.
That also ignores the issue of the fate of Iraq as a stable democracy — and not as a breeding ground for terrorists who would, indeed, come attack America… or Israel… or Europe….
If Iraq stays destabilized because people were hedging their bets on the eventual success of Saddam vs. America, that is clearly more dangerous for Iraq and for us and for the world.
It’s a good thing that Saddam has been captured. Dean should have said that and left it at that.
A wise president knows when to find the nearest period.
