Paul Krugman: Let's Give Up, Already!

Paul Krugman, showing that famous perseverence of his, thinks Iraq is hopelessly lost and can't wait to hightail it on outta there; he also ensures us that the volunteer army is on the verge of collapse; indeed, he thinks the patriotic thing to do is tell everyone there's no sense in hoping for victory. Ay caramba, this stuff gets old. Tom Maguire has done his usual bang-up job of critiquing Krugman, and I can't hope to top his coverage, so instead I'm going to focus on a series of lies and exaggerations Krugman tells in the lead-in (I know, lies from Krugman? Shocking, isn't it?).

1. ...after 9/11 President Bush, with obvious relish, declared himself a "war president." I don't know about you, but I remember President Bush after 9/11...I remember him tearing up at a Cabinet meeting press photo op; I remember him giving stirring speeches at both the National Cathedral and a Joint Session of Congress; I remember a man who was strong, and sensitive, and resolute. I don't remember seeing any 'obvious relish'. I doubt you do, either.
2. In November 2002, Helen Thomas, the veteran White House correspondent, told an audience, "I have never covered a president who actually wanted to go to war" - but she made it clear that Mr. Bush was the exception. And she was right. Helen Thomas is perhaps the biggest partisan hack in the business who doesn't work at the New York Times. Anyone who quotes her approvingly outside of a comedy routine has instantly lost credibility.
3. Leading the nation wrongfully into war strikes at the heart of democracy. It would have been an unprecedented abuse of power even if the war hadn't turned into a military and moral quagmire. Vietnam analogy alert! It's a quagmire. Look, even if I grant Krugman's premise, unprecedented? Paul, ever heard of the episode when Thomas Jefferson sent the troops to the Barbary coast without even notifying Congress? The Gulf of Tonkin incident ring a bell?
4. The administration has prevented any official inquiry into whether it hyped the case for war. Ummm, here's a link for you, Krugman; I'm surprised you never heard of this, it got a lot of play...

There's also a tired reference to the Downing Street Memos; I've said all I intend to say on that non-starter already.

And with that, I leave you in the capable hands of Tom Maguire...