Why are we listening to these people?

I keep asking myself why all the news programs and newspapers and just about every other kind of mass media outlet continues to look to people who have been completely wrong from Day One about Iraq to find a solution to the mess there. The Iraq Study Group is made up entirely of people who thought the war was a good idea and have since been proven dead wrong, yet most of the elites in this country are falling all over themselves to embrace the ISG and its findings.

Russ Feingold (one of the few people in politics with any sense) made this point last night on Countdown, here.

He (and I) also wonders why no one representing the rather sizable contigent of Americans who have always believed this war was a mistake is ever included in any discussion among political elites of the future course of this war. I think the that the Dirty Hippie Caucus might have the right solutions since they had the right viewpoint from the start.

Instead, our elected leaders, even the smart new Democrats who will take charge of Congress next month, are going to throw their lot in with the people who have gotten everything wrong from the beginning. Why? Because it makes everyone look friendly and nice? Because it makes everyone look like they are trying to get along? Because it makes everyone look bipartisan and centrist and not like a dirty fucking hippie?

Relying on the ISG to solve all our problems is an extremely foolish thing to do because a) the ISG recommendations will not improve a damn thing in Iraq; b) the American people want to see lots of our troops coming home NOW; c) the ISG was never meant to find a solution to what is happening in Iraq (its purpose is to find a political solution to save Bush's ass here); and d) the people who have gotten everything wrong before will continue to get everything wrong!

So again, I ask, why are we listening to these people???