Potpourri June 2007

RESPONSE TO ASSERTION OF SCOTT ADAMS THAT CHANGING POLICY IN MIDDLE EAST WOULD HAVE NO EFFECT ON LIKELIHOOD OF FUTURE TERRORIST ATTACKS IN THE US

You have an interesting thesis, but I am having a hard time finding examples from history to support it. Look at Vietnam which is now considered a bosom buddy and favored trade partner. That nation had a lot of intractable people, many downright crazy suicidal ones, who used terrorism as a very successful tactic and did so uninterrupted for many decades through at least several sets of external enemies back even before the French and Japanese. We got kicked out and they had pretty good cause to want revenge. Yet, I know of no incident of them following us home to continue “picking at the scab.” Same for Somalia and Lebanon where we exited with tails between our legs.

Or, look at Korea. Call that one a draw instead of an eviction. Technically, we are still at war with them. It is merely in ceasefire. Although they seem to have the ability to pierce that far heavier guarded border than our own with frequency, I don’t recall them coming over here for any incidents.

Would it make a difference where the terrorists essentially lost such a Malaysia or Northern Ireland instead of won or tied? Events would suggest no. Why then, other than guilt or fear, is there the automatic assumption that a withdrawal from Iraq would lead to Al Queda or others continuing to pursue a war in the States?

Granted, it seems intuitive, but where is the preponderance of the evidence showing it happened in similar situations in the past?

REGARDING THE ALLEGED PLOT TO ATTACK FUEL TANKS AT JFK AIRPORT

So . . . There really was a conspiracy regarding JFK after all. Has anyone alerted the Warren Commission? Attention: Oliver Stone. Please call the studio office.

REGARDING THE REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES IN WHICH THE CANDIDATES ACKNOWLEDGED TORTURE WAS OKAY

Current events Quiz: What country has either its supreme ruler or candidates for that office openly espousing torture as an acceptable tactical tool to use on its citizens or others? Is it A. Iran, B. North Korea, C. Cuba, D. Tibet. Or E. The United States of America? Hint for those who do not follow current events: The country has an “S” in its name.

REGARDING THE GITMO CASE TOSSING

What happened in Gitmo? Three separate cases against alleged terrorists were simultaneously totally thrown out for lack of jurisdiction. The entire system for prosecuting them is now in jeopardy as a result. Is this yet another case of Bush badly betting on his battalion of bungling barristers? Or, did the various judges involved simply remember their oath of office, that little bit about swearing to uphold and defend the Constitution? I thought it was supposed to be “quaint” to still believe that scrap of paper has merit. Courageous of them. They better watch out though. Any judge who disagrees with Bush the II could end up benched and on the wrong side of the bars at Gitmo.

REGARDING THE IMMIGRATION BILL DEBATE

As a compromise to those who want to reduce the number of immigrants, let’s make absolutely everyone pass tests proving they know history, understand the Constitution, believe in freedom and speak English. Of course, that’d force Bush to leave the country, but it’s a fair trade.

REGARDING TURKEY’S INVASION OF THE KURDISH PROVINCE OF IRAQ

Since Iraq is now our “ally,” do we go to war with invading Turkey? On the other hand, Bush had offered Turkey $30 Billion dollars back in 2003 if they would join his “coalition of the willing” he was assembling to invade Iraq. Perhaps the Turks were just slow getting moving. Perhaps they are just following our sterling example of pre-emptive invasions. In fact, they have even better standing to do so than we did since they at least knew the terrorists bedeviling them actually came from Iraq.

REGARDING PARIS HILTON’S RETURN TO JAIL

Maybe we ought to free Paris Hilton. We’re going to need that space in the jails for the many Bush Administration officials who should be locked up and punished. Gitmo simply isn’t big enough to hold to hold them all.

REGARDING THE JUDICIAL DECISION ON DETAINEE TRIAL

There might be a perfect way to end Gitmo as a detention center. Let’s declare that any politician convicted of ethical or criminal violations must serve his time there. Better yet, let’s insist that we are permitted to use Gitmo “enhanced interrogation techniques” to question our politicians as to whether they have committed any ethical or criminal violations. Bet that prison and its torture rooms would be closed the following day. The best way to protect human rights is to threaten to deprive politicians of them.

REGARDING THE NO CONFIDENCE VOTE ON AG GONZALES

Attorney General Gonzales on the eve of his “No Confidence” vote in Congress insisted “I’m focusing on what’s important to the American people.” Since Justice, Fairness, Honesty and Democracy are, or at least should be, what’s important to the American people, he probably wouldn’t have been facing a “No Confidence” vote if he hadn’t been trying to thwart all those things as head of the Department of Justice.

REGARDING THE ADMINISTRATION’S NEW POLICY OF ARMING SUNNI GROUPS IN IRAQ

Cheney and Bush are claiming Iran (a militantly Shiite country) is arming Al Queda (a predominantly Sunni group) in Afghanistan. No doubt the Prez and his puppeteer are just trotting out rationalizations gearing up for another unwanted invasion soon, but either they have forgotten history or never bothered to learn it. The latest excuse has even less credibility than the WMDs hidden in Iraq excuse because Shiite and Sunnis openly hate each other more than the Hatfields and McCoys and have killed each other for centuries longer.

It is possible that they hate us more, but no doubt they will go back to killing each other as soon as we are driven out. And, we will have supplied them the weapons to do so.

Besides, if Iran actually is supplying arms, it is just following our own “brilliant” example. We are apparently deliberately arming the Sunnis in Baghdad. It makes you wonder. Did our Administration put the Chairman of the National Rifle Association in charge of our foreign policy or just the Chairman of the Colt Firearms factories?

RESPONSE TO SCOTT ADAMS RE DEFECTIVE TENNIS BALLS

 

A while back you suggested Mr. Adams that we persuade Iran not to become a “nuke-you-lar” bomb power by offering to trade them Bush and Cheney’s testicles if they would give up that goal. Now we know neither Bush nor Cheney would ever give up their balls merely to save Civilization from total destruction. But, they might trade their own balls for something they deem actually valuable. So, why don’t you contact the White House and ask if they would swap you their balls for yours. That way you could offer the Presidential testicles to Iran yourself. Maybe there would even be a tax deduction in it for saving Civilization.

WHAT IF WE WERE CASTING A MOVIE FOR DILBERT?

I nominate Bush for the clueless pointy haired boss. Cheney for evil personnel director Catbert. Rove for self serving, immoral Dogbert. Rumsfeld for bumbling Ratbert. Coulter for aggressively vicious, loud mouthed, triangle haired woman. Rumsfeld for work shirker, lying Wally. And, maybe Ron Paul for Dilbert. Probably none of them will be available though since hopefully all except Paul will be in court or jail soon.

Potpourri May 2007

THE DECISION OF THE IRAQ PARLIAMENT TO GO ON VACATION DESPITE CRITICISM FOR NOT COMPLETING CRITICAL “BENCHMARKS”

The Iraqi legislators are planning to take a 2 month vacation while our troops surge and die for them. Who do those ungrateful, insensitive, foreign political hacks think they are? Bush?

THE FAILURE TO RE-EQUIP OUR NATIONAL GUARD UNITS RETURNING FROM IRAQ

Like clockwork, major blizzards, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, or forest fires happen every single year. Predicting they will reoccur somewhere in American is assured of 100% accuracy. Why then, was the White House seemingly unable to predict our National Guard units might need their equipment here to deal with disasters such as the leveling of Greensburg Kansas, rather than left behind in Iraq? Has Bush learned nothing from Katrina? Is “plan” nothing but a four letter word to this Administration? If you want the fun of wearing a flight suit under a Mission Accomplished banner, then you are expected to understand what goes with the job or resign and let someone competent do it.

ATTORNEY GENERAL GONZALES’ NINETY-SEVEN “I DON’T REMEMBER” ANSWERS AT A CONGRESSIONAL HEARING ON HIS FIRING OF NEARLY A TENTH OF HIS SENIOR STAFF

The Attorney General’s “I know nothing” defense sounds a lot like Sergeant Schultz. Should we start calling his boss, President Klink?

HOW SELLING THE SURGE SOUNDS LIKE AN INTERNET SCAM

FBI ALERT: The ubiquitous Nigerian con artists plaguing the weak minded on the internet have struck again with a new scam. This time, instead of asking potential suckers to stupidly disclose their bank account numbers, the new scheme is a variation on the old “Ransom Dodge.” The crooks tell the victims their sons and daughters are being held captive in Iraq and will be killed unless 300 Billion Dollars is immediately sent to the White House with no questions asked. Victims are threatened that their offspring and hope for the future will be killed unless those holding them are given the right to do whatever they want for as long as they want. The victims are also given the vague promise that their children might be allowed to come home someday bringing with them lots of cheap gas plus heavenly peace in the Middle East. Needless to say, the spiel is a total ripoff. There has been a surge in such con games in recent days and no end in sight. The titular leader of this gang, known as El Generalisimo, is a smarmy little coward afraid of guns himself. The second in command though, Fat Boy, is armed and dangerous.

THE CONGRESSIONAL DEMOCRATS IGNOBLE DECISION TO DROP BENCHMARKS AND TIMETABLE ON THE IRAQ WAR

Question: What is a synonym for gutless, spineless, fearful, weak-willed cowards?

Answer: Congressional Democrats!

I would call them chickens, but in actuality poultry is far more courageous than most elected Democrats. Perhaps the Democrats should trade in the jackass and adopt the amoeba as a symbol.

Why the outburst of name calling you ask, particularly when Bush is obviously infinitely worse on all counts? Well, normally, calling an adult a derogatory name has little effect. It is, or should be, the old “sticks and stones” response once we are past kindergarten. But, apparently calling the Congressional Democrats names scares the hell out of them and goads them into action. Or, in the case of Bush calling them “surrender monkeys” on Iraq, cowers them into inaction.

Perhaps calling the Congressional Democrats names for knuckling under to Bush’s vetoes and not taking the difficult course of finally getting out of that Middle East fiasco might counterbalance their fear accumulated from being falsely labeled by Republican war hawks as supposedly “not supporting the troops” or the biggest lie of all – “losing Iraq.”

The Congressional Democrats seem to bend in the wind coming from blowhards in the White House. Perhaps if the wind blows hard enough the other way with countervailing accusations of the same specious type, they might finally stand up and stay standing up for long enough to do what is right and needed. Get us out of the folly overseas.

TO: CONGRESSMEN WU, WYDEN AND SMITH REGARDING THE IRAQ FOLLY FUNDING

I cannot begin to express my disgust, disagreement and disillusionment with the current proposal before you to give the President unfettered right to continue the Iraq War without oversight, instructions or end. I have become convinced that the costs of staying in Iraq far exceed the costs of getting out immediately. Disaster is not strong enough a word for what has been created on every level. “Veto” this silly and obscene supposed “compromise” for funding the President’s monumental folly of Iraq before he singlehandedly destroys our own nation, its military and everything that made it worth saving.

I say that as a former volunteer combat infantryman, a lawyer, a patriotic American and an outraged voter.

It should be noted that, at the moment, my irritation is starting to as much with the Democrats in Congress for being so utterly weak and ineffectual as it is with the Bush for being so utterly delusional. Bush, as a result of his incompetence may have lead us to where we are, but it is the apparent incompetence of the present Congress that is keeping us there. And, if those in office are not capable of dealing with him, then they should immediately admit it, step aside and let others be appointed who can rid us of this menace.

REGARDING THE BIRD WHO POOPED ON BUSH’S JACKET AT A RECENT OUTDOOR PRESS CONFERENCE

“Who killed the sparrow?” asked the reporter inanely.
“Me with my bow and arrow” bragged VP Dick Cheney.

“It crapped on my Boss,” justified the shooter so proudly.
“So, it wasn’t a big loss. I declare that quite loudly.”

“Next, I’m hunting the Bin Laden who did that terrible thing.
Sadly, he’s been disguised as a Robin and hiding at the West Wing.”

“That’s why we couldn’t find him despite all our searches.
His nasty acts were little different from our own rightward lurches.”

“A peck-a-dillo it may be for such a bird to hide there.
But, we’ll get him. You’ll see. Cause that’s our own private lair.”

“We’ll catch him and roast him.” said the President’s spokesman.
“Only we are permitted to act lunatic in the open.”

THE COLLAPSE OF THE DEMOCRATS ON THE WAR FUNDING TIMETABLE

We need a new approach to finally getting out of Iraq. I propose a “novel” one, perhaps an epic to be entitled “War and Impeach.”

THE GUN BATTLES BLACKWATER HAS BEEN GETTING INTO IN THE STREETS OF IRAQ

Let’s see. Dress a gang of testosterone drenched guys in what looks kinda like American military uniforms, festoon them with weapons and other macho gear just like our regular Army carries, remove them from any legal restraints whatsoever and let them loose in a country where 7 out of 10 locals already have reasons to hate Americans. Oh yeah, what could possibly go wrong with that scenario?

What was Bush thinking when the “Great Decider” decided using mercenary companies like Blackwater would be better for our foreign policy purposes than using normal American soldiers? Aside from the command and control issue, have the once supposedly fiscally conservative Republicans forgotten that each mercenary costs at least five times as much as a US private doing the same task? For a fifth less money we could have double the number of real soldiers plus doubled their pay.

No wonder we are losing the war, breaking our military, bankrupting our treasury and simultaneously daily earning new enmity. Get our current Georgie Custer out of office before he destroys us all.

REGARDING THE PHOTO OF A GRINNING DICK CHENEY, A LEADER OF THE HOMOPHOBIC REPUBLICAN PARTY, HOLDING THE BABY OF HIS OPENLY LESBIAN DAUGHTER

The Websters Dictionary folks ought to post this picture next to its definition for “Hypocrite.”

Potpourri April 2007

MCCAIN’S GRANDSTANDING HEAVILY GUARDED “STROLL” IN A BAGHDAD MARKET

We should insist that all Republican and other candidates who insist the Iraq war continue do a “stroll” though the Shorja Market in Baghdad like Senator John McCain did. BUT, if they genuinely believe that Bush’s so-called “surge” is working, then they should do so without being surrounded at government expense by 100 heavily armed soldiers, armored vehicles and attack helicopters diverted from real work solely to waste time on guard duty for one man. If the pro-war types running for office actually want voters to perceive Baghdad being no more dangerous than “a normal outdoor market in Indiana” as McCain insists, let the candidates do their “strolling” there with the same lack of protection that, say, the average journalist or aid worker faces. If the blowhards in charge (or hoping to be in charge) won’t risk their own precious little bodies, we will have further evidence of what prevaricating, unpatriotic, hypocritical cowards they truly are.

THE CONTINUED REVELATIONS EMANATING FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

I have to admit it’s an amusing sight watching formerly arrogant federal prosecutors squirming under oath as they are caught mired in mendacity. Listening to them take the Fifth Amendment, for which they have long chastised others, is more fun yet. At the same time however, I’m filled with disgust that it has come to this.

What was wrong with them to think they could continuously attack our Constitution and all the safeguards of our way of life without consequence? What lead them to believe they were above the law, above ethics or even above the tradition that the Justice Department was not to be used solely for partisan purposes?

Was it the fault of the professors at their law schools who apparently failed to teach them how important our checks and balances on dictatorial power are? Was it their parents who failed to instill in them a sense of honesty and honor? Was it their Republican Party that seems to shortsightedly corrupt every office into incompetence and/or partisan zealotry?

Frankly, thanks to them, I’m embarrassed to admit I hold a law degree. The new Injustice Department should be an embarrassment to us all.

Potpourri March 2007

THE ABUSES OF WOUNDED SOLDIERS IN THE CARE OF BUSH’S VETERAN’S ADMINISTRATION

As Walter Reed Army Hospital horrors, VA benefit cuts, extended tours, and equipment/training shortages prove once again, the only thing Republicans really care about troops is whether they can be used to support oil companies.

ON ANN COULTER’S CALLING CLINTON, GORE AND NOW JOHN EDWARDS A “FAG”

Since the most vocal gay hating Republicans so often seem to be discovered as either active gays themselves or fearful of their own gay inclinations, I wonder if it is only a matter of time before Ann Coulter is caught in the girl’s restroom molesting teenage girls.

FURTHER ANN COULTER “FAGGING”

 

The most reliable indicator that someone is a well-educated, intelligent, thoughtful, tolerant, practitioner of what Christ actually taught is being attacked by Ann Coulter, Russ Limbaugh or anyone from the Fox Noise Channel. The best possible endorsement for a presidential candidate like John Edwards should be vilification by the likes of them.

THE CONTINUED INABILITY TO GET OUR TROOPS OUT OF IRAQ

Up to this point, all the blunders, stupidities, lies, losses and costs in the Iraq fiasco belonged exclusively to Bush and the delusional set of sycophants surrounding him. From now on however, every useless death of both our brave young soldiers and any innocent Iraqi women and children should be laid at the feet of the gutless Democrats and intimidated Republicans who refuse to do what is necessary to halt that improperly declared and baseless war. Every ally disgusted, every trillion wasted, every corruption overlooked, every law broken, every pain of the wounded, every moral high ground surrendered and, worst of all, probably almost every new terrorist created from this point forward becomes attributable to those in Congress who remain so blind, so callus, so frightened, or so inept that they can’t or won’t speak out to stop the fiasco – immediately – by whatever means are available. As Bush has pointed out, either you are with us (those who were right from the beginning) or you are with them (the lying, greedy, hypocritical Administration criminals who got us in the hopeless mess we are).

FOX NEWS WONDERING WHY THE POLITICAL DEBATE IN UTAH TO BE RUN BY FOX NEWS WAS CANCELLED AFTER THE COMPANY PUBLICALLY ATTACKED CANDIDATE OBAMA

Why does anyone still listen to anything originating at the Fox Nausea Channel? After all, it really should be known as the official PR Department for the Republican Party?

COMPARING THE CURRENT PRESIDENT TO PRIOR ONES

Warbird Johnson was arrogant and thin skinned.
Nasty Nixon was a mean spirited, vindictive crook.
Fumbling Ford was a partisan lightweight.
Clueless Carter was impossibly naive.
Reactionary Reagan was a B-movie actor concealing early on set Alzheimers.
Patrician Papa Bush Senior was out of touch ignorant as to the sufferings of others.
Clinton was a randy liar.
Yet, every last one of them looks like a virtuoso of brilliance, talent, tolerance, rationality, compassion, honesty and bipartisanship compared to what we are stuck with today.

Imagine for a second that Osama bin Laden had been the one preempted into the Oval Office in 2000 by the five Republicans on the Supreme Court. Ask yourself if he could have done us as much harm as Bush has. Would we have trusted someone in a turban, beard and AK-47 as we foolishly did the one costumed in a cowboy hat and flightsuit?

ON THE PERMANENT RELOCATION OF HALLIBURTON CEO DAVID LESAR TO DUBAI

Halliburton has apparently decided to move its CEO David Lesar to a Dubai address in the United “Oil” Emerites. No doubt he will feel safer there since he will not have to worry about extradition for corruption, overcharging, war profiteering or war crimes tribunals. But, where is former Halliburton CEO Dick Cheney planning to hide?

MORE ON THE PERMANENT RELOCATION OF HALLIBURTON CEO DAVID LESAR TO DUBAI

As Halliburton has demonstrated time and again, there is no effective limit to the greed of corporations, particularly multi-national ones that move their bases and executives off-shore. There never were any ethical standards applicable to them as there are to many licensed professionals like attorneys and doctors. Thanks to the bad examples set by Congressional and Evangelical leaders, there are no longer any “moral” models restraining corporate greed. Corruption is encouraged through “good ol’ boy” lobbying, no bid contracts, secrecy and lack of accounting or other oversights, internal or external. Worst of all, thanks to Republicans, there are few laws or other regulatory restraints, even if regulatory agencies weren’t being systematically starved of both budgets and enforcement personnel.

Consequently, perhaps companies like Halliburton should be banned from contracting with the US at least on overseas activities unless and until they submit to at least full transparency on all their internal files as to what they’re doing and agree to abide by same codes of conduct that our ordinary citizens and soldiers must obey.

But in any event, there should be no more private mercenary armies paid for with treasury funds regardless of what is promised by corporate executives.

ON THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OFFICE’S PARTISAN FIRINGS AND THE SUBSEQUENT DISINFORMATION TO CONGRESS ABOUT SUCH FIRINGS

In light of the Attorney General Office’s latest disinformation to Congress along with its history of continued attacks against the Constitution and its basic principles, Attorney General Gonzales should not only be fired, his license should be revoked and perhaps his license law diploma as well. The Constitutional Law professor that instructed him in law school ought to be embarrassed.

On the Attorney General Office’s partisan firings and the subsequent disinformation to Congress about such firings

Attorney General Gonzales supposedly has “apologized” to the attorneys he summarily fired, apparently for the rotten way he fired them and for the purely political reasons he used. But, I will bet they stay fired.

Apologies are just noises to this Administration, but they seem to actually mean nothing to the spokesmen who say them. I hope the attorneys who got fired become Democrats and are part of the special prosecutors panel that will be needed later to indict Gonzales and his boss for malfeasance, misfeasance, and nonfeasance.

BILL MOYERS FOR PRESIDENT

We have a national poet laureate. Perhaps we should have a national conscience laureate. I would nominate Bill Moyers for that. Better yet, let’s draft him for President in ‘08.

THE AG’S APPARENT PUTTING ALLEGIANCE TO BUSH AHEAD OF HIS ALLEGIANCE TO THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT’S LONG ESTABLISH NEED FOR IMPARTIALITY

Attorney General Gonzales appears to have forgotten that his Oath of Office requires loyalty to the Constitution and the US, not the president or a party. Pretty poor job performance if sworn oaths still matter.

THE COWARDLY LIONS

The biggest problem with America today may be a toxic epidemic of cowardice. Examples include politicians of all stripes so afraid of losing office they’re afraid to speak their conscience. Journalists so afraid of losing their perks and access to power that they’re afraid to genuinely question the powerful. All of us so terrified of what the other side has to say (or so fearful of our own lack of persuasion abilities) that we attempt to shout down debate.

We have become a nation of fear and fear mongers. Since that is almost the only way to spread concepts that would otherwise be anathema to us, our national health, or at least our psyche, is at serious risk. Not only the Iraq “conquest,” but all the dangerous re-writings of our underlying Constitutional protections came to pass that very way, to name but a few of the resulting odious manifestations of such fear.

We should recognize there is a difference between common sense caution and paranoia. Unfortunately, the latter creates a petri dish for breeding cowardice infections.

Maybe it’s because we have such gutless leaders for models. The spineless Democrats afraid of the word “liberal.” The fearful Republicans afraid to say “The facts of Iraq have subsequently proven me wrong.” The “I’m-hiding-in-my-secret-bunker-all-the-time” Vice President. The “You-go-die-in-Vietnam-while-I-guard-a-Country-Club” President. But, none of us are immune.

If there is an inoculation for such immobilizing fear, it sure deserves the needle.

REGARDING THE GLARING DEFICIENCIES IN HEALTH CARE FOR OUR VETS

A sure fire cure for the appalling defects exposed at Walter Reed Hospital and the entire heath system would be to demand that neither the President nor any member of Congress be allowed, regardless of their riches, to have better health care, now or hereafter, than their average constituent. Bet changes would be made almost instantly.

REGARDING THE HOUSE IRAQ FUNDING WITH CONDITIONS VOTE

Bush claimed it would take “an army of lawyers” to figure out whether the benchmarks for “winning the war” had occurred. The obvious retort is suggest he write some simpler ones of his own so we can decide whether we agree with them.

But, it got me to thinking. Maybe the answer is we do need to draft an “Army of Lawyers.” Like the Corp of Engineers, let’s draft a non partisan Corp of Attorneys whose sole purpose is to do a legal audit of everything Bush is and has been doing to see if they are legal. Let’s check his imbalances.

There is already a precedent for it, albeit a silly one. It could be similar to the large Brigade of Republican attorneys Special Prosecutor Ken Starr hired to delve into every detail of President Clinton’s life with such relish. Republican zealot Starr proved to be as big an incompetent as so many other Republican zealots have proven to be like “heckofajob Brownie.” Nevertheless, until Bush arrived, the third rate Perry Mason imitation of Starr proved to be at least a brake on some of the randy excesses of presidents wanting to father a new country. Granted it might keep government from doing anything at all, but that can be a good thing too.

This new “Corp of Discovery” (a lawyer pun) when not busy cataloging the encyclopedia of bungling and illegalities of Bush, could be used for more mundane tasks such as figuring out a set of workable benchmarks that will satisfy everyone on when we should finally recognize this mistake is going to cost more that whatever it was ever worth.

RESPONSE TO INTERNAL DISSENSIONS WITHIN THE VARIOUS FACTIONS WANTING AN END TO THE IRAQ WAR

Upon returning from the Vietnam War, I promptly joined the activist Vietnam Vets Against the War organization. Interestingly, the prevalent feeling at the time was not only intense animosity toward those who keep us in that ill advised war, but also those fellow protesters who had successfully evaded going there. We initially adopted the (admittedly irrational) position that you had not earned the right to dispute the war unless you had been there. Essentially, we believed there were both right and wrong reasons to oppose something.

Over time, that view moderated. We still pretty much despised those who had not gained first hand experience as to why the war was so stunningly stupid, but it became more important to save lives of our comrades in uniform than to question the motives of others who said they too wanted the war ended. Ending it was what counted most and by whatever means.

As to the present war in Iraq, it comes down to this. Self defense is important and anyone who does not believe that is hopeless naive. We obviously need a strong military and those who devote their time to that endeavor should be given strong support. Similarly, there are wars genuinely worth waging if all else fails. The first Gulf War was probably one of those.

HOWEVER, as to this second Iraq incursion, it was not only unjustified, it has been executed by our present “leaders” with a previously unimagined level of incompetence that borders on outright treason. It is so bad it demonstrates we desperately need a Constitutional amendment adding incompetence to the grounds for impeachment. It certainly is not worth one single further life destroyed or maimed. Even on a purely mercenary cost/benefit ratio economic analysis leaving out the mental and moral aspects, it cannot justified to continue even if we “won” which looks to be impossible now thanks to the four years of fiasco that have brought us to this point. There is no way, even if we stole every last drop of oil there, for “benefits” to exceed the costs.

Consequently, I do not care what is done to end it so long as it is ended immediately and our troops removed from Iraq. Although Bush has been wrong on just about every word coming out of his mouth, perhaps he was right in saying “Either you are with us or against us.” He is against the American people getting out of that particular fiasco. Let us not lose sight of that unifying fact even though we might internally disagree as to why.

So, get off your duff and take militant action to let your ineffectual Congressional representatives and presidential candidates know that either they neutralize Bush’s Iraq war delusions themselves or we will find someone else who can next time around. No more excuses on why they supposedly can’t. Lives, our future and our nation morality depend on it.

THE ASTONISHING IMAGE OF BUSH JUSTICE DEPARTMENT TAKING THE FIFTH AMENDMENT TO AVOID INCRIMINATING THEMSELVES

Bush, his Attorney Generals and all his appointees took oaths of office swearing to obey and defend our entire Constitution, but the only parts they seem to honor are the 2nd and 5th Amendments.