All News Is Good News

If, that is, you're a Republican. Atrios points us to an Associated Press article reporting that "U.S. intelligence analysts have concluded al-Qaida has rebuilt its operating capability to a level not seen since just before the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks." Brendan Nyhan points out that later in the same piece, this damning indictment of George W. Bush's policies is described as something that "could bolster the president's hand at a moment when support on Capitol Hill for the war is eroding and the administration is struggling to defend its decision for a military buildup in Iraq."

I mean, look, anything's possible especially if the press is going to pre-emptively report the news in an up-is-down manner without need for aggressive administration spinning, but the intuitive thing to say here is that it's likely to weaken Bush's hand and strengthen the hand of those arguing that the country needs new policies. The point of the report, after all, is that just as war-skeptics have been saying, while the Bush administration's been chasing its own turds in circles in Iraq, al-Qaeda's been rebuilding its capacities in the Pakistan-Afghanistan border area and parts of Europe.

Photo by Sargent Brandon Aird, US Army.

Comments

I read the article last night, and that sentence made zero sense to me.

Posted by ProfD | July 12, 2007 9:06 AM

while the Bush administration's been chasing its own turds in circles in Iraq, al-Qaeda's been rebuilding its capacities in the Pakistan-Afghanistan border area and parts of Europe.

For 5 years, even!

m, 5 years, 4 months, actually

Posted by max | July 12, 2007 9:17 AM

And if the Bushies really fuck up and there's a worse-than-9/11 terrorist attack in the next 15 months, then it will even more emphatically demonstrate that only Republicans can protect us in a time like this.

The man standing next to me,
his head was exploding
I was praying the pieces
wouldn't fall on me.
--Dylan

Posted by low-tech cyclist | July 12, 2007 9:24 AM

Hitler's hand was strengthened as the Russians crossed the Oder. This was conclusive proof that the Russians posed a threat to Germany and that Hitler had been correct to attack the country.

(F*ck Godwin.)

Posted by Whispers | July 12, 2007 10:07 AM

So, we don't have Al Qeada on the run? I wonder what else isn't true....

Posted by Hank Essay | July 12, 2007 10:08 AM

Actually, this is pretty accurate, if by 'strengthen his hand' they mean rally the base.

That it is counter intuitive to an objective free-thinking person does not mean NRO won't trumpet this as a reason to give Bush more power.

It's the same idea Jon Swift mocks on his blog, where Republicans think a successful terror attack on US soil would be a boon for Bush:

http://jonswift.blogspot.com/2007/07/do-we-need-another-terrorist-attack.html

Posted by matthew c | July 12, 2007 10:18 AM

Just the thing Emperor Shrubius needs to invoke Executive Order 51.

Posted by nuQler ostrich | July 12, 2007 10:36 AM

All news is good for Bush:
The surge has caused an increase in death, destruction and violence. That's good because it indicates the last desperate spasms of the insurgency. Or:
The surge has provided a respite from death, destruction and violence. Self evidently good.

These bastards don't even rate someone going Oswald on them. Come January, 2009 there is going to be a widely popular sentiment of our long nightmare finally coming to a close. Bush having to experience that will at least be some punishment. That is if the dumb SOB was introspective and perceptive enough to know he was being mocked and ridiculed by the masses.

Posted by steve duncan | July 12, 2007 10:48 AM

They're stronger than ever after six years, untold billkons of dollars, and half a million lives? Maybe someone will ask Tony Snow if this doesn't mean failure in the GWOT. Perhaps Helen Thomas, if he's man enough to call on her.

Posted by Davis | July 12, 2007 10:57 AM

So, in exchange for leaking the report to the AP, the administration gets its spin printed in the article. That's a nice quid pro quo.

Posted by Chuck | July 12, 2007 11:35 AM

Excuse me, but 9/11 was the BEST thing that ever happened to bush & the republicans; and they've been bragging about how if we get attacked again georgejr's "stock" will go way up - why not expect news of the resurgence of al Qaeda to benefit them? Makes total sense.....

Posted by judyinnm | July 12, 2007 11:45 AM

LMFAO - "chasing their own turds in circles." That was awesome. I'm going to find a way to weave that into my conversation today.

Posted by Jalmari | July 12, 2007 12:11 PM

The perfect logic of 1984: If their plan to take over the world is failing, that's all the more reason to keep us in office to continue the fight. If some aspect of that plan has succeeded, we rule! And must continue to do so.

Or it's like the compulsive gambler on a binge. He empties his wife's and childrens' bank accounts, maxes out all the credit cards, borrows from friends and relatives and finally begins stealing from the cash register at work.

Posted by Ralph | July 12, 2007 12:15 PM

Well, as a good, obedient Murkan, far be it from me to presume to disagree with something so self-evidently true as the axiom, ANIGNFTGOP, but with all this good news pouring in so unceasingly, how is it that Bush is sagging down toward the mid-20s? I'm struggling to believe, but this kind of thing just does pose a challenge to my faith.

Posted by DrBB | July 12, 2007 12:27 PM

heh heh, you got it all wrong, Stretch. y'see, al-Qaeda rebuilt their organization 'cause that was the only way they could survive the butt-kickin' we're giving 'em. That means what we're doing is working! heh heh.

Posted by Notorious P.A.T. | July 12, 2007 1:31 PM

Obviously you guys don't read Strata. You see, this is Al-Qaeda's "surge". They're desperate. This is similar to Hitler's "surge", now known as the Battle of the Bulge, the last gasp of an enemy "on the run" (remember that one?).

Hitler's didn't work and Al-Qaeda's won't work, either.

Our surge, on the other hand, will work.

Got that?

Posted by Pug | July 12, 2007 1:40 PM

"Photo by Sargent Brandon Aird, US Army"

Matt, is the misspelling of "sergeant" due to lower enlistment standards in the Army or just one of your typos?

Posted by Fred | July 12, 2007 3:36 PM

Re: This was conclusive proof that the Russians posed a threat to Germany and that Hitler had been correct to attack the country.

Hitler's approval ratings were not in the 20's and nothing Al Qaida is capable of doing would be anywhere near as huge a threat to the US as the Soviets were to Germany in 1944-45 (never mind for the moment that Germany at that point deserved that threat). Moreover Nazi Germany was a totalitarian state, where no opposition to the government was permitted or openly existed. A very different situation. A more correct analogy might be the 3-11 Madrid attacks which led to the Aznar government being turned out of office when they were caught lying about the attack.

Posted by Jonf | July 12, 2007 3:41 PM

The Bush administration has never cared for facts, obviously, or for logic.

If Al Qaeda's on the run, that means Bush's plan is working, so we should support him.

If Al Qaeda's rebuilding, that means we need Bush, and we need to stay the course to defeat them, so we should support Bush.

When your conclusions are forgone (not to mention far gone) you just try to fit facts into those conclusions.

Our frustration is understandable, but not helpful.

What will youdo to change things? If the answer is "vote democrat" you are a fool.

Posted by daniel | July 12, 2007 5:51 PM

When the attack comes on Bush's watch, will that give the lie to all the bragging about his preventing it for years? No, because blame will be cast on the 'defeatest' behavior of Democrats, 'the media', and (implicitly but not explicitly) the majority of Americans, which has 'emboldened' the enemy.

Posted by David Tomlin | July 13, 2007 12:14 AM

I think the "all news benefits Bush" angle should be turned around. All news benefits the people who put Bush forward. And for a reason. The news reporting agents in this country are simply tools of the right wing. That whole "liberal media" gag was cover for the transformation. We need to stop complaining about the media -- because the familiar faces are stooges and tools -- and make new ones with national distribution.

Posted by Jeffrey Davis | July 13, 2007 10:28 AM