...I have yet to see a single politician muster the courage to do the right thing and to 'tell the "TRUTH" like it is' - they've chosen to silently side with the 'spin' and let the status-quo be - either they're afraid of consequences to their political careers, or they're simply corrupt, or they're just plain stupid - or all of the above (and beyond) - whatever the reason, while I'm not shocked or surprised at the behavior of the puppet morons in politics, I'm disgusted at their complete lack of integrity and conscience...and to not have a SINGLE one of them telling the 'real' story behind this attack on humanity is just ticking me off...
I've also posted this rant on my blog: http://www.theparadigmshiftshere.com
...It's truly sad to see so much innocent blood spilt just because corrupt political goons will stop at nothing to fulfill their selfish greedy agendas...why do ordinary, innocent Israelis and Palestinians have to bear the brunt of the suffering on behalf of (and for the profit of) these corrupt political goons???
...This conflict has nothing to with the innocent Palestinians and innocent Israelis who have to live through this nightmare - nothing whatsoever - it is all about politics - 100 percent politics - on both sides - and the selfish greedy agendas of a handful of corrupt goons holding positions of authority on both sides...
Don’t call it the War in Iraq. Call it what it is . . . an invasion. An occupation. When you call it a war, you give George Bush and John McCain credit they don’t deserve. When you call it a war, you lose because like it or not, a war has two sides, and Americans don’t want to be losing. But we aren’t fighting a war. The United States, under false pretenses, invaded Iraq, and is currently occupying it. Adam Kokesh, Iraq veteran and anti-invasion activist, asked the question best at the Republican National Convention: How do you win an occupation?
Saddam Hussein had nothing to do with the terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11, 2008. The invasion of Iraq, because they violated a United Nations resolution, was wrong. And as Senator McCain says, in the “twenty-first century, nations don’t invade other nations.”
John McCain’s thought process (I’m being generous by calling it that), is a knee-jerk, pick up your guns and go shoot someone reaction, which incidentally also explains his choice of Sarah Palin. But both decisions leave not only his detractors, but his supporters wondering: what is he thinking? He’s not. And that’s not the person that I want running the country. As early as September 12th, 2001, John McCain was on record for invading Iraq in retaliation for the terrorist attacks. September 12th. 24 hours after the planes crashed into the building, John McCain was already pointing his guns at people without any evidence to support it.
John McCain also likes to claim that “the surge is working.” What does that mean? Lindsey Graham at the RNC kept yelling “Victory!” How do you win an occupation?
We’re not winning a war in Iraq. Osama Bin Laden, the actual architect of the attack, is still at large; Al Qaeda, his terrorist organization, is stronger than it was when they attacked us; Afghanistan, where they were training and the first country invaded by the United States, has fallen back into lawlessness; Saudi Arabia, where 15 of the 19 hijackers originated, is still a leading US ally thanks to President Bush; the United States military, the strongest in the world, is spread thin and staggering (not to mention ill-equipped, but I digress).
John McCain deserves credit for what he has done: voted to authorize military force in Iraq; vocally supported a surge in troops, putting more American service-people in danger; failing to realize the importance of the war against terrorists in Afghanistan; understanding the difference between Sunni and Shia and their allies, since those are the people we’re working with and fighting against in the region; supported deregulation for twenty-six years in Congress and then changed his mind when the banks crashed; toured with cameras for Hurricane Gustav and ignored Hurricane Ike; let his friends, surrogates, & campaign workers lie about Barack Obama while saying, “I’m John McCain, and I approve this message.”
You can call him an honorable man, who is qualified to be president. You can call his ideas “change,” and his running mate a “crack in the glass ceiling.” You can call him a maverick, who’s “even bucked his own party to do what is right.” You can call him knowledgeable about the economy, and in touch with average Americans.
You can call shit Shinola. But you can’t use it to shine your shoes.
Crossposted at Will Rhodes Portmanteau and Spreading the Word on September 19, 2008.
I found this on the net, we need to get pictures of these troops as proof.
______
There Are Presently 90,000 Chinese Soldiers In Uniform 20 Miles South Of TijuanaHey guys take a gander at this. As usual we really can't tell if this has any truth in it but stay alert anyway. We have been hearing about this from several sources and there are a lot of differing opinions about it. However I think it would be wise to stay aware. Frank sent this to me.From: XXXXThis information is being sent for your prayerful consideration. The source is realizable.- MaryCol Farrell: A friend of mine gets info from a couple who have many contacts among military and CIA intelligence people. One of them relayed information from a 12-page report to her. Here are some of the notes she took: There are presently 90,000 Chinese soldiers in uniform 20 miles south of Tijuana (border of Mexico and California). Most of those people in intelligence have removed their families out of the country. He states most of these people are now gone (from U.S.) 75% of the economy is coming down. 10,000 Class 1 Al Kida ( phonetic sp) in U.S. now (high-trained troops); and 20,000 Class 2 (trained troops) - all set to go. Bush is getting all of our military out of the country so we have no protection. Bombs are already in placed and our cities will be nuked one at a time. All food crops will become unusable. A "Suicide squad" that will be using crop dusters and dropping small pox on our populations. They will pick locations where there are steady, 8-mile-an-hour breezes so that the contamination will travel. They predict 20 million deaths to occur. The U.S. will be giving Cuba "free trade" status; Cuba will be the third such country to have this. Three weeks after Cuba gets free trade status - Israel will attack first; we will follow.Bush will send 690,000 troops to North Korea; we will be fighting a war on three fronts (Iraq, North Korea and [do not have 3rd country in notes]. Everything is going to shut down in this country; there will be absolutely no travel. January 9th, 2003, commenced the two-year countdown that the U.N. believes will result in their complete take over of this country. A Saudi Arabia newspaper said the Chinese are going to invade us on all fronts. They have naval base in California and on east coast; they will also swarm in from Canada and Mexico.The three phases of the take-over of this country will be: Phase 1 - war; Phase 2 - disease; Phase 3 - famine. George Bush will destroy one of our own ships and kill 2,000 to 5,000 of our servicemen. A strategic part of take-over will happen during the Christmas season. New Zealand has offered all our officials asylum.Frank Eugene===CharlieI moved from Tucson in December to the four corners area. What is contained in the article you sent was the primary reason. I am aware of Mexican military incursions into the U.S. In one of these incursions the village of San Pedro was sealed off by the Mexican military for 3 days, probably to protect a huge drug shipment. I know that many folks of many nationalities are coming across the border, mainly around the Tohono O'Odham Indian reservation. Many of the folks there, most of whom make money as coyotes, either for illegals or drugs, have told me personally of Orientals and middle-eastern types being among the border crossers they have escorted.I have had first hand reports of Chinese Military maneuvers in the Naco area across the border from Douglas AZ. Some involving armored vehicles. Just had one such report this morning, although it came from a source of which reliability is questionable.Charlie, I have no reason to doubt we are in serious trouble here. I have moved to a remote area, have plenty "supplies," and contingency plans for my family.Your comments Sir?Mikehttp://www.rightwingnews.com/crackpots/reddragon.php<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/GCM24Og2Jqo&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/GCM24Og2Jqo&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
..plus it also shows some UFO type technologies such as the Noiseless Battallion Helicopter, did Sen McCain ever thought of this in 72 years he has lived and is a military??, well it goes to show that some human beings are more inteligent and superior without having 7 houses and hundred of millions, I bet he will try to steal them as the soviets did as the video explains, watch it...
Why The Russians Are So Defiant Video
Look At the end of the post, a day before Russia's Invasion calling them "Unfriendly", it's here down 3 posts, like this:
".....I place a prediction that Chavez is losing this referendum battle at present by 51% No, 49% Yes, and this may deteriorate even more if oil prices keep going lower as the military apparatus is big, secret numbers and ineficient officials with low intelligence that I can call them donkeys as all they do is buy weapons from unfriendly russia and none of them even invent a rifle, a bunch of low life worthless people in uniform which I believe will never stand a fierce battle".
..yes, I lost the prediction however there were rumors that some kind of fraud was committed and this technique is used even from the past right governments, they use a list of dead people and register them but there is a limit to it and it's rumored also this was used in venezuela in the last vote where the NO won by small margin so that is why the confidential internal polls of gov done before this november election where several governors posts are at stake and it shows them with a lesser than 50% approval so the NO vote even won by a wider margin, and this technique they tell each other cronies to use it, but a heavy opposition turn out can offset this unethical maneuver.
Well, let's start by telling Sen Obama to see how and what kind of nasty people the republicans are, Sen McCain was given Full coverage like acting like presidential by making him talk about the Russian invasion and NOBODY complained as of today, but look at recent past and see the way how they complained with their dirty money at YOU Sen Obama when you went to Europe and millions complained about you being made look presidential, see the kind of worthless people they are and they call us "mindless fans", well Sen Obama I bring YOU quality intelligence information that McCain ,who is in washington and support all Bush says including the 'Russia is a friend" phrase, and the rest of the mostly WASP worthless intelligence agents don't know, and this blog shows us how out of touch with reality they are when I am gonna show a blogger who in July 23, 2008 many weeks before Russia's Invasion is asking and putting to doubt that "Russia is a Friend" phrase, and this blog post from an independent blog (as criticism of America's racism is present there) also tells and ask why is Russia selling weapons to a criminal named Hugo Chavez who unknown to the intelligence community has tried to kill an innocent US Citizen in February 2004 when visiting relatives and when traveling to the Capital to return to US, if the US Embassy in Caracas has good telephone records THEY can see the distress call made at 6am to the US Marine who is 24/7 in that post and the Marine tells this person to call after 8am NOT helping him, then after telling the Marine that he appeared to be in danger and ONLY needed a taxi sent to go to the airport 1 hour away, because the Embassy phones sounded busy all the time after 8am and we now know that Hugo Chavez had been wiretapping all communications from overseas and to Embassies and the phone number from this house was cut off by the government and then the order to kill was sent even to these relatives who once one of them was mentioning to the US Citizen to go to Habana instead of Miami without no explanation and to the citizen's surprise, it is worth mentioning that this neighborghood was infested with so called cuban doctors and workers, and NOW you can see HOW McCAIN WANTS to get all credit for this Georgian crisis when he is all behind Bush failed policies and know nothing about what is happening, he is taking advantage of the situation to make him look good in National Security when they represent NONE and this blog is super evidence of this, additional I am gonna mention that Russia will be defiant as there is a president that has caused damage control to this country by invading Iraq and what comes from the mouth of the Communist Leaders is " American military is a paper tiger now when they could not put up with 30K insurgents in Iraq with 160K soldiers" and now you see the kind of National INSECURITY that has been exposed that is not reported by the worthless media and that is repeated by the America Haters and this blog is and will become heated from now on less than 60 days before election, because what YOU need to do Sen Obama is bring and rest those troops at home and then make them the majority in plainclothes and use intelligence as future wars will be won with intelligence and NOT soldiers in uniform and this is where McCain fails and NEVER will win any war as he doesn't have this idea/strategy and do not let him steal it and say this 1st as they call us "mindless fans" when YOU Sen Obama has super Intelligent people as supporters and I hope You see them, as all McCain thinks is use a plane to bomb civilian targets as the way to win wars and he will be dead wrong..so here is the blog it is in spanish but use Google to translate it or find a spanish-speaking person as I do not have time to translate now....
Here It is:
http://Politico-Digital.blogspot.com PS: Plz, Don't Forget To Digg it..for heavy traffic...
For folks that find this type of operation incredible, here is an extensively, well documented false-flag example:
"Operation Northwoods, or Northwoods, was a false flag conspiracy plan, proposed within the United States government in 1962. The plan called for CIA or other operatives to kill innocent people and commit acts of terrorism in U.S. cities to create public support for a war against Castro-led Cuba. One plan was to "develop a Communist Cuban terror campaign in the Miami area, in other Florida cities and even in Washington". This operation is especially notable in that it included plans for hijackings and bombings followed by the use of phony evidence that would blame the terrorist acts on foreign governments. The plan states, "The desired resultant from the execution of this plan would be to place the United States in the apparent position of suffering defensible grievances from a rash and irresponsible government of Cuba and to develop an international image of a Cuban threat to peace in the Western Hemisphere." Operation Northwoods was drafted by the Joint Chiefs of Staff and signed by then-Chairman Lyman Lemnitzer, and sent to the Secretary of Defense."OPERATION NORTHWOODS, BAMFORD VIDEOJanuary 31st, 2003 Bush’s proposal to Tony Blair was to paint a U.S. plane in UN colors and fly it over Iraq in the hopes of getting it shot down was straight out of Operation Northwoods (Philippe Sands, Lawless World)
"Operation Northwoods, or Northwoods, was a false flag conspiracy plan, proposed within the United States government in 1962. The plan called for CIA or other operatives to kill innocent people and commit acts of terrorism in U.S. cities to create public support for a war against Castro-led Cuba. One plan was to "develop a Communist Cuban terror campaign in the Miami area, in other Florida cities and even in Washington". This operation is especially notable in that it included plans for hijackings and bombings followed by the use of phony evidence that would blame the terrorist acts on foreign governments. The plan states, "The desired resultant from the execution of this plan would be to place the United States in the apparent position of suffering defensible grievances from a rash and irresponsible government of Cuba and to develop an international image of a Cuban threat to peace in the Western Hemisphere." Operation Northwoods was drafted by the Joint Chiefs of Staff and signed by then-Chairman Lyman Lemnitzer, and sent to the Secretary of Defense."
OPERATION NORTHWOODS, BAMFORD VIDEO
January 31st, 2003 Bush’s proposal to Tony Blair was to paint a U.S. plane in UN colors and fly it over Iraq in the hopes of getting it shot down was straight out of Operation Northwoods (Philippe Sands, Lawless World)
*
Brzezinski: On The Path To War With IranThe Rationale for War “...a terrorist act in the U.S. blamed on Iran...” Zbigniew Brzezinski.01 Feb 2007 The National Security Advisor to former President Carter testified before the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations on 1 Feb 2007. Dr.Zbigniew Brzezinski delivered a scathing assessment of the core mistakes made by the Bush administration in the Middle East. Just before describing what he termed the “mythical historical narrative” of the policy, he offered a scenario that the Bush administration might use as a convenient invitation to attack Iran...“…by some provocation in Iraq or a terrorist act in the U.S. blamed on Iran; culminating in a ‘defensive’ U.S. military action against Iran…”
Brzezinski: On The Path To War With Iran
The Rationale for War
“...a terrorist act in the U.S. blamed on Iran...” Zbigniew Brzezinski.
01 Feb 2007 The National Security Advisor to former President Carter testified before the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations on 1 Feb 2007. Dr.Zbigniew Brzezinski delivered a scathing assessment of the core mistakes made by the Bush administration in the Middle East. Just before describing what he termed the “mythical historical narrative” of the policy, he offered a scenario that the Bush administration might use as a convenient invitation to attack Iran...
“…by some provocation in Iraq or a terrorist act in the U.S. blamed on Iran; culminating in a ‘defensive’ U.S. military action against Iran…”
To Provoke War, Cheney Considered Proposal To Dress Up Navy Seals As Iranians And Shoot At ThemThink Progress | July 31, 2008Speaking at the Campus Progress journalism conference earlier this month, Seymour Hersh -- a Pulitzer-Prize winning journalist for The New Yorker -- revealed that Bush administration officials held a meeting recently in the Vice President's office to discuss ways to provoke a war with Iran.In Hersh's most recent article, he reports that this meeting occurred in the wake of the overblown incident in the Strait of Hormuz, when a U.S. carrier almost shot at a few small Iranian speedboats. The "meeting took place in the Vice-President's office. 'The subject was how to create a casus belli between Tehran and Washington,'" according to one of Hersh's sources.During the journalism conference event, I asked Hersh specifically about this meeting and if he could elaborate on what occurred. Hersh explained that, during the meeting in Cheney's office, an idea was considered to dress up Navy Seals as Iranians, put them on fake Iranian speedboats, and shoot at them:HERSH: There were a dozen ideas proffered about how to trigger a war. The one that interested me the most was why don't we build -- we in our shipyard -- build four or five boats that look like Iranian PT boats. Put Navy seals on them with a lot of arms. And next time one of our boats goes to the Straits of Hormuz, start a shoot-up.Hersh argued that one of the things the Bush administration learned during the encounter in the Strait of Hormuz was that, "if you get the right incident, the American public will support it.” "Look, is it high school? Yeah," Hersh said. "Are we playing high school with you know 5,000 nuclear warheads in our arsenal? Yeah we are. We're playing, you know, who's the first guy to run off the highway with us and Iran."Transcript: HERSH: There was a meeting. Among the items considered and rejected -- which is why the New Yorker did not publish it, on grounds that it wasn't accepted -- one of the items was why not...There was a dozen ideas proffered about how to trigger a war. The one that interested me the most was why don't we build -- we in our shipyard -- build four or five boats that look like Iranian PT boats. Put Navy seals on them with a lot of arms. And next time one of our boats goes to the Straits of Hormuz, start a shoot-up. Might cost some lives...
To Provoke War, Cheney Considered Proposal To Dress Up Navy Seals As Iranians And Shoot At Them
Think Progress | July 31, 2008
Speaking at the Campus Progress journalism conference earlier this month, Seymour Hersh -- a Pulitzer-Prize winning journalist for The New Yorker -- revealed that Bush administration officials held a meeting recently in the Vice President's office to discuss ways to provoke a war with Iran.
In Hersh's most recent article, he reports that this meeting occurred in the wake of the overblown incident in the Strait of Hormuz, when a U.S. carrier almost shot at a few small Iranian speedboats. The "meeting took place in the Vice-President's office. 'The subject was how to create a casus belli between Tehran and Washington,'" according to one of Hersh's sources.
During the journalism conference event, I asked Hersh specifically about this meeting and if he could elaborate on what occurred. Hersh explained that, during the meeting in Cheney's office, an idea was considered to dress up Navy Seals as Iranians, put them on fake Iranian speedboats, and shoot at them:
HERSH: There were a dozen ideas proffered about how to trigger a war. The one that interested me the most was why don't we build -- we in our shipyard -- build four or five boats that look like Iranian PT boats. Put Navy seals on them with a lot of arms. And next time one of our boats goes to the Straits of Hormuz, start a shoot-up.
Hersh argued that one of the things the Bush administration learned during the encounter in the Strait of Hormuz was that, "if you get the right incident, the American public will support it.” "Look, is it high school? Yeah," Hersh said. "Are we playing high school with you know 5,000 nuclear warheads in our arsenal? Yeah we are. We're playing, you know, who's the first guy to run off the highway with us and Iran."
Transcript: HERSH: There was a meeting. Among the items considered and rejected -- which is why the New Yorker did not publish it, on grounds that it wasn't accepted -- one of the items was why not...There was a dozen ideas proffered about how to trigger a war. The one that interested me the most was why don't we build -- we in our shipyard -- build four or five boats that look like Iranian PT boats. Put Navy seals on them with a lot of arms. And next time one of our boats goes to the Straits of Hormuz, start a shoot-up. Might cost some lives...
False Flags by Captain Eric H. May Global Research, February 23, 2008The easiest way to carry out a false flag attack is by setting up a military exercise that simulates the very attack you want to carry out. As I'll detail below, this is exactly how government perpetrators in the US and UK handled the 9/11 and 7/7 "terror" attacks, which were in reality government attacks blamed on "terrorists."...
False Flags by Captain Eric H. May
Global Research, February 23, 2008
The easiest way to carry out a false flag attack is by setting up a military exercise that simulates the very attack you want to carry out. As I'll detail below, this is exactly how government perpetrators in the US and UK handled the 9/11 and 7/7 "terror" attacks, which were in reality government attacks blamed on "terrorists."...
The necon regime has had plenty of precedent to study and exploit. Let’s hope we can throw a monkey wrench into their schemes to prevent another.
More Info Here:
The Power of Nightmares - Why We Fight
When is a Surge not a Surge: When an Invasion/Occupation is not a War
Peace, Best Wishes and Hope
It kinda Makes You wanna go, Hmmmmm
President George W. Bush’s former press secretary, Scott McClellan has shocked both the Bush administration and the world by revealing in his new book, "What Happened", that the Bush administration has been manipulating the American people, and the invasion of Iraq was based on a farce.
Oh, really? Well, what else is new?
On September 15, 2002–six months and four days prior to the Iraqi invasion--I published an article entitled "Would Bush’s Saber Rattle as Loudly Against China?", in the Portland Independent Media Center http://Portland.indymedia.org/en/2002/09/21292.shtml –no one else would publish it at the time–that said the following:
Printed with Permission of Col Charles F. Kriete
THE ARMY
When civilians hear the word "commander" they mostly think of someone giving an order to subordinates. And, of course, commanders do give orders. But "command" as a concept has far greater meanings and implications than ordering folks around. It is in fact the basis of the claim that military service is a profession. The military's real purpose is "to control the violence of war in a way that permits the outcome to be some useful social outcome" (Morris Janowitz)
The key sentence in the army regulation which defines command says, "The commander is responsible for everything his unit does or fails to do". This statement forms the basis not only for the operation of units, both in combat and peacetime, but also the ways those units are organized, and how they relate to one another and the enemy. It is that legal structure which creates a purposeful organization out of an uncontrollable, destructive mob.
The command system works as it was designed to work only when all the elements of the chain, from Theater Army to squad, speak honestly with each other - without concern for the effect that their words will have on both superiors and subordinates. Human nature being what it is, this is a seldom fully-realized ideal. Courage, and confidence in your commander are needed on both sides when the news you bring is bad news. The army succeeds ONLY to the degree that speech up and down the command is truthful and complete. The corollary of the orders given is that the commander giving them takes responsibility for the outcome of their execution.
A classic case of the breakdown of this reponsibility is Abu Ghraib, Iraq. The torture of prisoners there was leaked to the public by pictures taken by folks at the lowest levels of command. The Major General appointed to investigate this ugly situation made a thoroughly honest report. It confirmed that the provisions of the Geneva Convention (actually, they are laws binding the behavior of the armies of all signatory nations, the USA being one of them) were violated repeatedly, on direction from superiors. The ultimate response of the highest levels of command was to blame the lowest ranking personnel, prosecute them in military courts, and then dismiss the whole matter in hope that it would be quickly forgotten.
When the trial of one of the offenders began, a subpoena was issued to Maj Gen Geoffrey Miller (who was in charge of the interrogation of the prisoners) by the legal counsel of one of the Warrant Officers conducting the investigations who was the defendant at the trial. This General Officer took the Fifth Amendment (against self-incrimination) rather than testify, on the grounds that if he told the truth in his testimony he would be incriminating himself. There is no record that he ever did or said anything to acknowledge any of his responsibility for their behavior. This Major General had also supervised the interrogation of inmates at our prison in Guantanamo.
Maj Gen Miller's refusal to take any responsibility for the outcome of his instructions he may have given at Abu Ghraib is just one of the instances in which the Army doctrine of command responsibility has been flouted in our invasion of Iraq. What is at stake here is not the relatively trivial problem of actions which violate both the letter and the spirit of the Army Regulation governing the performance of the command function. Not one senior officer connected with our invasion has stood up to take responsibility for any of the reprehensible activities so far disclosed. And those who planned and executed that invasion, failing to anticipate what chaos would develop there after the Iraqi army was disbanded, have been completely silent. None has stood up to take responsibility for the plans they prepared and the orders given to execute their provisions. They have been completely silent.
Those of us who love the Army, and respect the command structure, and who have given it our best efforts in Vietnam and elsewhere, are ashamed at what its commanders have now done and refuse to take responsibility for, in and after our invasion of Iraq. That invasion, condemned by Pope John Paul II in an encyclical issued before that invasion took place, was based on lies and false intelligence. "We, the People", now need to hold them accountable for their lack of honor.
Charles F. KrieteCh(COL) USA, RetiredDistinguished Fellow, US Army War College
Currently, we are 21 minutes into Part 2 of "Bush's War", on PBS.
Part 1 from last night should be viewable right here...
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/bushswar/
You won't want to miss this!!
Please, pass it around!!! I could only post it to 10 groups... This is something every American needs to see!!
Take a look:
There is no guesswork about what our candidates do and have done.
http://votevets.org/pages/?id=0006
Does this look like a candidate who criticized the prosecution of the invasion of Iraq?
I have just come to horrifying realization that my children have never known life without war. My kids are 8 & 5 years old. Obviously the 8 year old is a pre-war kid but any parent will attest that awareness beyond onseself doesn't really kick in before age 3.
My kids have never know life without war. I am speachless. I am deeply saddened. And I'm here safe & sound in WA. I can't imagine the life 8 & 5 year olds in Iraq & Afghanistan have known.
There will be vigils on this most solemn of anniversaries. I will be there, along with my family, to honour the fallen, all of the fallen be they our soldiers or Afghan & Iraqi civilians.
I hope you will be there too.
While the speech was mostly empty rhetoric, it did contain some remarks worth noting.
“The Iraqi people quickly realized that something dramatic had happened. Those who had worried that America was preparing to abandon them instead saw tens of thousands of American forces flowing into their country.”
I doubt the Iraqis were afraid the US would abandon them. If anything they fear the troops may never leave. But it’s a clear indication that Bush actually believes the Iraqi people are happy to have American troops stomping around. This kind of hubris is very chilling in a man with this much power.
“A free Iraq will be a friend of America, a partner in fighting terror, and a source of stability in a dangerous part of the world.”
More hubris of course, and more illusions. When the US finally dares to leave this volatile region there are no more guaranties of eternal friendship then there were in Afghanistan back in the eighties, or any of the countries in South America that the US has poured money and resources into hoping it will have a dutiful ally. The truth is people don’t like to be invaded and they don’t like to be told what to do or who to support. Odds are the Iraqis will, in time, find a way to make this very clear to America.
“We must do the difficult work today, so that years from now people will look back and say that this generation rose to the moment, prevailed in a tough fight, and left behind a more hopeful region and a safer America.”
I have a strong feeling the history books will not quite remember this time the same way Bush Jr will. Even if Iraq becomes peaceful and democratic I doubt anyone will give Bush the credit for it, which is what I assume he means with “this generation”. It is a thankless job, being a superhero as I’m sure little Junior is figuring out. More importantly, history is a harsh mistress.
“We're also standing against the forces of extremism embodied by the regime in Tehran. Iran's rulers oppress a good and talented people. […] Our message to the people of Iran is clear: We have no quarrel with you. We respect your traditions and your history. We look forward to the day when you have your freedom. Our message to the leaders of Iran is also clear: Verifiably suspend your nuclear enrichment, so negotiations can begin.”
By copying the same type of rhetoric he used in relation to Iraq I suppose there no longer is any doubt he intends to invade Iran as well. When he does invade it will of course be a very different war than any America has ever fought before. It may also be the last one the country ever gets to fight. I guess all we can do is hope that Bush will be too busy working on his golf swing to get around to it before his time is up. At least now we have someone reasonably sane in charge in the Pentagon, so maybe he can rein him in.
“But above all, know this: America will confront those who threaten our troops. We will stand by our allies, and we will defend our vital interests in the Persian Gulf.”
Same old crap no one really believes anymore. Most former allies try their best to keep America at arms length, like that embarrassing cousin your parents forced you to invite to your high school dance. And I’m not sure which vital interests he’s referring to but I think everyone can agree there isn’t really a whole lot of anything in that region that is particularly well defended. The surge may have put some bandage on the leaking hull, but that won’t last through the next storm.
Nor will the bandage on the economy, especially with all the military expenses he apparently thinks are more important than health care or education. But I suppose all Bush has to do is hope it last the next twelve months. After that it’s someone else’s problem. Politics when it is at its absolute worst.
I understand if the average American missed the little news tidbit about an incident with Iranian ships in the Strait of Hormuz today. It wasn’t a big thing, but it is these small indicators of trouble that scares the hell out of me.
I saw an interview with the Iranian President Ahmadinejad on CBS 60 minutes a while back. Normally I find the team behind this TV show to be very honest, honorable and neutral but in this instance the interviewer; Scott Pelley, apparently found the man sitting in front of him to be a joke. Pelley was arrogant and condescending, and you could see on Ahmadinejad’s face that this was exactly what he had expected. Pelley clearly thought that the Iranians confidence that it could strike back, if America decided to attack, was ludicrous and he couldn’t understand why the Iranian President didn’t understand that too. The real tragedy is that I fear most Americans share this belief.
Looking at the isolated case of a showdown between Iran and America obviously America will win out. But this is where Americans usually goes so terribly wrong in their assessment of world events. The notion that situations like these can be isolated is a dangerous misconception.
