NY Times Op-Ed: Maureen Dowd:"In sports, the offense is more glamorous. It moves the ball, it scores, and everybody breaks out the high-fives. It's all about flash and glory.
Defense, on the other hand, toils in anonymity. It's about wrestling in the trenches, digging in your heels and fighting the opposition for every inch. The most important unit of the last undefeated team in the National Football League, the 1972 Miami Dolphins, was tagged the No-Name Defense.
Republicans understand the publicity advantage of a relentless offense. They had a flashy offense in W.'s two presidential campaigns and two wars, and in their war on the press.
In his 2002 pre-emptive doctrine, laying the groundwork for attacking Iraq, President Bush was reputed to have written the line, "We recognize that our best defense is a good offense."
W. successfully confused Americans by labeling the invasion of Iraq an offensive thrust in the war on terror, even though Iraq had played no role in the 9/11 attacks, had no ties with Al Qaeda and had no weapons to share with terrorists. But 9/11 was an emasculating blow, and the White House had to strike back at somebody.
What the administration doesn't acknowledge, as it crows about democracy blooming in the Iraqi desert, is that our defense against terrorists who want to attack here is full of holes, and that the war in Iraq may have made it even worse. Despite the promising election, the war has created more insurgents and given them a training ground. It has siphoned off attention, money and troops that could have been used to catch Osama, pursue Al Qaeda and secure our own country. And it has alienated not only many Arabs, but also allies who were eager, after 9/11, to help us fight Al Qaeda - even Italians are mad now."