"Of course, the memos were written in 2002, so normally we would simply assume that serious planning was done at a later date. However, the evidence says otherwise, and the tone of the memos provides yet another data point to indicate that this lack of planning was consistent throughout the entire prewar and postwar period.
"After all, in March 2002 no one had thought about the aftermath. Four months later, in July, postwar planning was still nonexistent. In August, General Tommy Franks 'essentially shrugged his shoulders at what to do once Baghdad fell' -- and Donald Rumsfeld shrugged along with him."
Durbin may be trying to put the whole Nazi-analogy thing behind him, but by saying he's sorry he has ticked off people like Cenk Uygur who writes at the Huffington Post:
"Dick Durbin's apology on the Senate floor today almost made me want to cry . . . when are the Democrats ever going to learn?!
"I think Dick Durbin is a decent man and very good legislator. So, in a lot of ways, I am sorry to take part in what is bound to be a lot of Durbin bashing for his pathetic apology. Now that I've got that out of the way, it was inexcusable.
"Just when we should be getting on the war path to fight back against the administration, he caves and caves huge. To not only apologize, but to have tears in your eyes. Come on, you can't do that. It makes an already weak party look even more miserably weak.
"If you don't stand up for yourselves, you'll never convince the American people that you can stand up for them!
"Instead of apologizing themselves, Democrats should have demanded apologies from Senator Santorum, Senator Sessions and Senator Inhofe for their own Nazi references. Senator Santorum -- just last month -- compared Democrats to Adolf Hitler. There are millions of Democratic veterans who fought for this country, who died for this country, some of them while fighting against Adolf Hitler. How dare Senator Santorum say that?!
"Howard Dean says Republicans are white Christians and the roof falls in on him. Santorum says Democrats are like Adolf Hitler and not one peep from the media. Durbin says we shouldn't be like the Nazis and there's an avalanche of faux media outrage. The administration condones torture hellip and not a damn thing!"
Daily Kos is also disappointed:
"Torture isn't a partisan issue. And by apologizing, Durbin caved to those who worked their best to turn it into one. And the right-wing partisans rejoice -- content in their ability to trivialize what is one of the most serious issues facing us morally, as a nation, and practically, on the battleground.
"As for Mayor Daley, who cut off Durbin at the knees -- a pox on his house. His time is coming to an end. I hope Jesse Jackson Jr. takes him on."
Ann Althouse simply says: "Crying??!!!
"Durbin apologizing. I saw this on TV and found it . . . icky. What are you really crying about, Dick? Your own miserable little career?"
Hmm . . . Can he apologize for the apology?
