Editorial: Bullies are at it again

Thursday, Sept. 11, 2003 | 8:39 a.m.

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, on his way back to the United States on Monday from a trip to Iraq, suggested to reporters that Democratic criticism of the U.S. war in Iraq might encourage more terrorist attacks. Rumsfeld contended that terrorists have learned from examples where attacks have led the United States to withdraw militarily, such as in Somalia and in Lebanon. "They studied instances where the United States was dealt a blow and tucked in, and persuaded themselves that they could in fact cause us to acquiesce in whatever it is they wanted to do," he said. Rumsfeld's thin skin is legendary, but intimating that criticism could cause more attacks is ridiculous in a democratic nation where dissent is essential and often helps shape public policy.

Rumsfeld did acknowledge the Bush administration "can live with a healthy debate as long as it is as elevated as possible, and as civil as possible." But for this White House, the only civil debate isn't a debate at all. If you don't agree with the administration's position it's viewed as uncivil and, even worse, can be dubbed unpatriotic. Attorney General John Ashcroft, shortly after 9-11, displayed the administration's heavy-handedness in testimony before Congress on anti-terrorism legislation, which had been criticized by civil libertarians. "To those who scare peace-loving people with phantoms of lost liberty, my message is this: Your tactics only aid terrorists, for they erode our national unity and diminish our resolve," Ashcroft said.

The Bush White House's bullying of critics grew tiresome a long time ago. Instead of throwing brickbats and impugning the patriotism of its critics -- whether they're questioning the administration's misguided tax cuts or criticizing its failure to adequately prepare for Iraq's reconstruction -- the administration would do well to actually listen. The president just might learn something.