We Need Afghan Debate, But Neither Party Allows It

Joke all you want about Michael Steele's new troubles, but one part of this mess isn't so funny, Ned Resnikoff writes for Salon. It's the depressing—and dangerous—political reality that neither Republicans nor Democrats will tolerate debate of the Afghanistan war. "The leadership of both major parties concludes that the only acceptable position to take is a stalwartly pro-war one," he writes.

It's not just John McCain et al. pushing the cause. The DNC has embraced "over-heated anti-dissent rhetoric that sounds like it was pilfered verbatim from a Karl Rove-authored internal White House memo circa 2003." The US needs a robust debate on the merits of the war, but GOP and Democratic lawmakers "continue to behave as if there is no debate to be had."
(More Michael Steele stories.)