Mr. Bush, This is Madness
I’ve been silent on the recent developments with regard to Iraq, mostly because I’m outraged and confused, and at nearly a complete loss as to how to even talk about it without shouting. I have always believed solidly in our democracy and passively trusted that leaders, when faced with overwhelming political opposition to their plans, will reach for a compromise.
Yet George Bush does just the opposite. Instead of looking for diplomatic or creative solutions in Iraq, he calls for a “surge”. Not only does he call for a “surge”, but he actually begins it BEFORE he brings his pre-State of the Union address to the nation. In concert with the inevitable bloodbath he is initiating, troops are sent to Somalia, bombs are dropped, more lies are told, and Bush once again tries to leverage out-of-the-air accusations toward Iran and Syria as a way to sell this insane plan to the people.
Instead of listening to his advisors, the Iraq Study Group and others, he shrugs and does what he wants anyway. This is not the way of democracy, but then, I’m convinced that Bush has never been a very big fan of democracy.
Bush will leave this legacy: He will be known as the most evil and destructive President to occupy the Oval Office, and by extension, Americans will be forever marked as the fools who allowed this man to wreak havoc upon the world in general and Iraq in particular. If we’re lucky, Iraq only. More likely Iraq, Syria, Iran and any other country he can wreck in his remaining two years.
Bush should be impeached. I said that in a comment on Kris’ blog last night. Yet, as I wrote it, I realized that impeaching Bush would leave us with Cheney, an unacceptable and possibly worse alternative. To that end, it was a brilliant strategy to keep Cheney, because he is the only person I can see that’s more evil than Bush — he is the back-end machinator.
Part of me wants to slap the 50%-plus-one-or-so-voters that put this evil cabal back in office again. Part of me wants to repatriate. What I feel most is a sense of deep disappointment and disillusionment. I have sons and a daughter who Bush would not give a care to sending over there to die. My friends have sons and daughters. My son will graduate from high school this year and have to register for the draft. His friends will register; some will enlist. Some who enlist will die, and their graves will be marked with valor for their individual sacrifice even as our country will be called to account for the crimes our leaders have committed against other countries.
Crooks and Liars has some wonderful posts reacting to last night’s speech. From AttyTood via Nicole Belle, a comparison of Lyndon Johnson’s State of the Union address dealing with the Vietnam issue to Bush last night:
LBJ, Jan. 10, 1967: We have chosen to fight a limited war in Vietnam in an attempt to prevent a larger war–a war almost certain to follow, I believe, if the Communists succeed in overrunning and taking over South Vietnam by aggression and by force. I believe, and I am supported by some authority, that if they are not checked now the world can expect to pay a greater price to check them later.
GWB, Jan. 10, 2007: Tonight in Iraq, the Armed Forces of the United States are engaged in a struggle that will determine the direction of the global war on terror – and our safety here at home. The new strategy I outline tonight will change America’s course in Iraq, and help us succeed in the fight against terror.
And of course, Keith Olbermann’s Special Comment on last night’s lunacy, which can be summarized with this one spectacular question:
Mr. Bush, the question is no longer “what are you thinking?,” but rather “are you thinking at all?”
Go watch the whole thing. There are times where I’ve considered Olbermann to be shrill. This is not one of them.
It could be that shrill is the new black. We may have to be shrill to be heard, because the conventional ways to communicate have not been effective. If you’re a Californian, it’s time to let Dianne Feinstein know that she needs to take a stand against this madness. Call her and demand that she oppose this call to send more of our sons and daughters to their deaths. California: 415-393-0707 Washington: 202-224-3841
Technorati Tags: Iraq, surge, state of the union, keith olbermann, crooksandliars, MSNBC