From the Sunday shows

I don't normally spend a lot of time watching or discussing the Sunday-show opinions. Yesterday was a bit abnormal in that way; I caught all of one and portions of another. So let's discuss.

Read my take on Senator McCain's Fox News Sunday appearance here.

Senator's Richard Lugar and Bill Nelson appeared with Wolf Blitzer on CNN's Late Edition. Wolf spent a considerable amount of time on the subject of Iraq, including an interview with U.S. ambassador to Iraq, Zalmay Khalilzad. Later, we were treated to the perspectives of Republican Senator from Indiana, Richard Lugar and Democrat Bill Nelson of Florida.

All was well until Senator Nelson inspired a shouted response to the parroting of talking points. To wit:

BLITZER: Senator Nelson, almost 1,900 American troops are now dead as a result of this war. Thousands of others are injured. More than $200 billion in U.S. taxpayer money has been spent. Were the expectations wholly unrealistic?

NELSON: Yes, because we were not prepared for the occupation. I have the privilege of sitting on Senator Lugar's committee, and we had hearing after hearing before the war started -- show us your plan, show us your plan, administration. They didn't have a plan. And if they had one, they didn't show it to us, and we're seeing the results.

And, yes, I think they're trying to lower expectations, because I think we're going to be there longer in order to provide the security. But what I think we should require of the administration now, in our check and balance of the constitutional system, is to make sure the administration comes forth with specific goals and benchmarks and timetables as to what can be expected in the way of progress, of allowing the Iraqi army to be able to provide their own security.

And that's the only way, in this senator's judgment, that we are going to be able to stabilize Iraq politically and economically.

I've lost count of how many times I've heard this ridiculous assertion. Though had I a dollar for everytime I have had to listen to it, I'd be a rich man.

Problem is, it's demonstrably false on it's face. How so?

There are dozens of plans in the Pentagon and elsewhere in the Federal government covering every conceivable policy scenario. For instance, take a gander at some of these plans for fighting the Soviet Union in the Cold War. Planning is something that is constant and ongoing.

Senator Nelson may not have liked the plan. He might have thought it inadequate and ineffective. To say though that there was no plan is intellectual dishonesty of the highest order.

There are plenty of criticisms to level at the Bush Administration's handling of Iraq. The Senator Nelson's of the world de-legitimize their own arguments by parroting inane talking points.