Surge without End

Yesterday, two stories struck me as illustrative of the fiasco that we are continuing to engage in and perpetuate in Iraq. One was the report that we are sending over 13,000 more National Guard troops to Iraq without proper training or rest or even proper equipment. The second story that caught my attention were the remarks made by an increasingly delusional and mad Dick (Darth) Cheney in which he tried once again to link Sadam to Al-Qaeda. It was interesting to me that these remarks were made on the same day that the Pentagon released yet another report that shed even more doubt on this dubious connection and in fact stated clearly that no such ties ever existed. On a side note, the right-wing newspaper, the New York Sun also launched a campaign to encourage Mr. Cheney to get into the race for the White House. While I think that this is an excellent idea, it is not because I think Cheney would do any better with the title of President rather than just remaining in his shadowy, behind-the-scenes, pulling-the-strings presidential role, but rather it may be one of the few ways to demonstrate to Cheney how irrelevant and out-of-touch he has become. I think it would be genius for the Republican Party to stake their political future on a man who repeatedly garners around 17 - 18% approval ratings in the polls. It just might once and for all hold the Neo-Cons up as the complete power-hungry, authoritarian, greedy ideologues that they are.

Back to the Surge-without-end: this war is so clearly a complete and utter failure wrapped in a delusion of potential victory, that no number of U.S. lives heading over to Iraq can save the horrendous mess we've created there. What upsets me more than anything else is the way that Bush (National Guard AWOLer) and Cheney (five deferments, count 'em five) send our brave men and women over to Iraq and Afghanistan not unlike disposing of used Kleenexs. Requiring them to go back time and time again, until they die or are so badly injured that they physically can't go on another tour. Where are the Bush twins? As much as I hate to see a draft reinstated, I am in favor of any tactic that would bring this senseless war to an end. The folks who are going over and fighting in Iraq are for the most part undereducated, people of color, or from rural communities with few job propects. I'd like to see how fast Congress would engineer an exit from Iraq if Senators' and Representatives' sons & daughters were faced with the prospect of a tour of duty in Iraq. The following story speaks volumes about the price we are paying in human lives by continuing this illegal and immoral war: Injured in Iraq, a Soldier Is Shattered at Home.

These are just a few thoughts that have been bouncing around in my head over the last few days, and I thought I'd share them with whoever reads this blog. Feel free to comment on this post or any others on this blog.
Later, MFaye

Other related articles:
Bush's War Mantra Criticized (MiamiHerald.com)