This is no man of Steele

Watching the Republican Party leadership try to “clarify” its chairman’s remarks about the Afghanistan war is making me laugh almost out loud.

RNC Chairman Michael Steele said this week that the war is of President Obama’s “choosing.” Furthermore, the chairman said the war is virtually unwinnable. Party loyalists have jumped all over Steele, saying that no RNC chairman should declare anything but unqualified support for our troops in the field. Many in the party have called on him to resign.

What the party hacks aren’t acknowledging, though, is that the Afghanistan war didn’t even start on President Obama’s watch. It began nearly nine years ago, when President Bush was in charge. And it surely wasn’t a war of choice. Bush sent the troops in to go after al-Qaida and Taliban terrorists responsible for the 9/11 attacks.

What’s interesting in the fallout over Steele’s stupid remarks — made at a fundraiser and caught on video — is what the loyal opposition isn’t saying.

If the Democratic Party chair, Tim Kaine, had said something similar to what Steele said, the GOP opposition would accuse him of hating our brave soldiers fighting for our freedom. So far, we aren’t hearing such nonsense from Steele’s political adversaries.

But oh yes, Chairman Steele has made a terrible mess that he’s going to have trouble cleaning up.