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So I’m messing around with the radio on and I hear on NPR’s All Things Considered National security correspondent Jackie Northam actually reporting on the Shrubbery and Mole Rat’s claim that Congress had the same intelligence that the White House had when they voted for the bill authorizing force to be used in Iraq if Saddam didn’t comply with United Nation’s Security Council resolutions [no, folks they did not vote on a declaration of war against Iraq, they voted to use force if Saddam did comply].

You can listen to the audio link at: White House Takes On Iraq Critics.

The short version: Congress didn’t get all the intelligence, and what was missing were the intelligence reports that said that a lot of what they did get was bogus.

Just so no one thinks that NPR has decided to totally convert to reality, they followed this with a Barbara Bradley Hagerty piece on what a wonderful thing it would be for separation of church and state for Scalito to be confirmed as he would decide these issues exactly like Justice O’Connor, so he’s really not as radical as people would think from his opinions, oh and he ruled in favor of Muslim police officers’ beards, so he supports all religions and there’s nothing to worry about.

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Publius at Legal Fiction reports on This Year’s Jingoism, the attempt regain control of the situation by the Shrubbery and the Mole Rat.

I think his analysis is valid and has resulted in a backlash from many people who might have remained silent.

Among one of the most respected Democratic officials on defense, Congressman John Murtha [D-PA], a retired Colonel in the Marine Reserves and a member of Congress for over 30 years, has had enough. He voted to authorize Bush to use force in Iraq, but he sees no point in continuing the operation.

From the CNN report:

“U.S. and coalition troops have done all they can in Iraq,” the senior lawmaker said. “It’s time for a change in direction.”

He said he believes all the forces could be redeployed over a six-month period.

Murtha, a former Marine Corps colonel and veteran of the Vietnam war, is the first senior lawmaker to call for an immediate withdrawal. Other critics of the war have asked President Bush to set up a timetable for withdrawal.

[snip]

“I resent the fact that on Veterans Day, they criticized Democrats for criticizing them,” Murtha said. “This [the war] is a flawed policy wrapped in illusion. The American public knows it, and lashing out at critics doesn’t help a bit. You’ve got to change the policy. That’s what’s going to help the American people. You need to change direction.”

Murtha is respected on both sides of the aisle for his view on defense issues, and his open shift to opposing the war will provide cover for others, and hopefully some spine to Democrats.

[Update: My bad – I first noticed this at NTodd’s place.

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