Jeff Fortenberry on Iraq

I hope to write more on this afternoon's second and final debate between Democratic challenger Maxine Moul and incumbent First District Congressman Jeff Fortenberry, but Fortenberry's position on Iraq was so mind-numbing and idiotic that it demanded immediate attention.

The Lincoln Journal-Star reports:

Fortenberry said the fact that America has remained free from terrorist attacks since Sept. 11, 2001, is not due to wishful thinking or chance. Rather, the [Iraq] war has made progress, for example, in securing the safety in most of the country’s provinces. But with a battle for Baghdad currently being waged, pulling out now would create horrific chaos....

Former Lt. Gov. Moul tried to link Fortenberry with the president, saying empty rhetoric such as “staying the course” will not win the war in Iraq.

While she did not advocate an immediate troop withdrawal, she repeated a campaign theme of setting clear benchmarks to assess progress and decide when the United States must leave.

One candidate in touch with the reality that has seen over 60 U.S. soldiers killed in the first two weeks of October alone, as chaos already reigns supreme. The other candidate inhabiting a bubble so dense you'd expect it to be lined with lead.

That Fortenberry will still use 9/11 as a justification for the invasion of Iraq, suggesting that it has been a success at forestalling any further attacks, demonstrates a degree of self-delusion that would almost make one sad for Fortenberry if there weren't so many thousands who will continue to suffer and to die for his politically convenient fantasies.