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SEIFFE:  Durbin's Comments Aid Terrorists, Jeopardize US Troops

Saturday, June 25, 2005

By Ralf Seiffe

OPINION - Liberals embezzling your freedoms often justify their trespasses on the basis that “saving even one life” justifies their most draconian schemes.

They apply this concept to everything from skateboards to firearms, whipping up emotions for their causes rather than offering reasonable analysis.

As proof, I offer this week’s Chicago City Council initiative to ban sparklers from the city’s precincts based on the unfortunate injury to one child.

Ordinarily, emotionally driven debate results in bad laws and resolutions and should be avoided as a strategy for developing policy. Every once in a while, however, there is the exception that illustrates the rule.

We should learn how effective this strategy can be and apply the “one life saved” standard to Illinois’ senior senator.

By now, anyone reading this column is probably sick of hearing about Mr. Durbin’s remarkable lack of discrimination and judgment.

The ultra-partisan senator’s campaign to undermine the Bush Administration was in full flower last week when his judgment failed. Durbin’s goal of destroying the president overcame his grasp on reality when he compared Guantanamo Bay with the mass murderers who created the gulags, the killing fields or the Nazi concentration camps.

After a week of pillorying by rational Americans, Durbin has now offered a conditional “apology”. He regrets his remarks to the extent they “offended” but, by not unconditionally admitting his error, Mr. Durbin shows he’s unable to distinguish or discriminate between the death camps and Guantanamo.

It took a browbeating by Mayor Daley to smack some sense into Senator Durbin. Outside the vacuum of the Senate, the Mayor understood the damage Durbin was doing and he may have been thinking of his own military son. Soon after Daley called the senator’s remarks disgusting, Durbin appeared on the senate floor with glycerin in his eyes.

His apology may satisfy some, but not all. Words have effect and Durbin’s have already benefited our terrorist enemies. They know that wars waged by democracies are won or lost on the home front.

They believe that Durbin’s shameless and untrue characterization is evidence of wilting determination in US leadership. Broadcasting Durbin’s words have emboldened the terrorists that target the very soldiers Mr. Durbin says he respects.

The likely result is a more dangerous front line. Mr. Durbin’s apology won’t change that. Al-jeezera won’t break into their broadcasts to make sure the terrorists know that the second highest ranking senate Democrat has reconsidered.

Insurgents selling their plans to Iraqis and Afghanis can, with some justification, point to the absurdity of Mr. Durbin’s attack as evidence of an American crack-up.

They can position it as a sign that the Americans let them win like they Viet Cong did. Or, they can agree with Durbin that Gitmo is a modern Auschwitz and fire potential terrorists with enmity for the United States. Either way, they win.

Helping recruitment and improving terrorist morale will certainly increase activity against our troops. If it does, American soldiers will die. Iraqis and Afghanis who have taken up the cause of reclaiming their countries from the Taliban or the Ba’athists will also die.

This disadvantaging of our troops and allies must stop.

One way would be to apply the liberal’s standard to our liberal senator. We must do whatever it takes to “save even one life”, especially if that life is an American serviceman’s.

This standard justifies an emotional and personal attack on Durbin in an effort to save lives. It is legitimate to connect Durbin’s behavior with an increase in danger to the troops and demand his head.

Beyond that, Republicans must recognize Durbin and his ilk will never cooperate.

They will not work to solve the nation’s problems because it threatens their political power, something they are more interested in than in the nation’s welfare. Appeals to their better nature are as effective as attempting to teach a rock to talk.

Republicans with any backbone would, therefore, do well to refresh themselves with the 1948 presidential campaign in which conventional wisdom said Truman was a dead duck.

By making Congress the issue--calling it the “Do Nothing” Congress--Truman not only won reelection but also managed to regain both houses of Congress. It took Republicans until 1994 to recover.

Durbin and the Democrats have taken the place of Taft and the Republicans as obstructionists. Despite being in the minority, their strategy has given them control of the Senate and they are running the clock on Bush’s presidency.

In 2006, Americans will reject obstructionism as they did in 1948 the deadlock if so positioned by candidates.

If they did, Republicans might be able to save their majority, even if they aren’t too interested in using it. The one life they save may be their own.

© 2005 IllinoisLeader.com -- all rights reserved

Ralf Seiffe advises business start-ups and product launches from Chicago, Illinois and is a political analyst and columnist for the Illinois Leader.