One more Memorial Day tribute

I just had to bring you one more Memorial Day tribute video, because this one is pretty good, plus it includes some war dead statistics that you may not have known. (I for one didn't know we lost that many in World War I and Korea.)

Desert Storm and the current Occupation of Iraq are the only two wars that I've lived through (full disclosure - I was born in 1971, so technically I lived through Vietnam, but not really). I'm a pretty enthusiastic student of history, and I look back with pride on how American society as a whole sacrificed during times of war during World War I, World War II, the Korean War and Vietnam. That's not the case now. While I don't believe in the Occupation of Iraq at all and think it's highly immoral, I find it even more immoral that America isn't being asked to sacrifice anything, other than our futures because of the cost of this war.

When people dare to raise their voices in opposition, they are often shouted down, sometimes metaphorically, sometimes literally, as being unpatriotic. To sell this war, this administration has resorted to slander, smear and fear, PR gimmicks and tactics and a slick marketing effort. And now, it's all collapsing, or is it? Bush continues to get his way, and his war funding.

When will it all end? Not soon enough, but according to Bush, Iraq may be another South Korea. From Reuters:

White House spokesman Tony Snow said Bush would like to see a U.S. role in Iraq ultimately similar to that in South Korea.

"The Korean model is one in which the United States provides a security presence, but you've had the development of a successful democracy in South Korea over a period of years, and, therefore, the United States is there as a force of stability," Snow told reporters.

He said U.S. bases in Iraq would not necessarily be permanent because they would be there at the invitation of the host government and "the person who has done the invitation has the right to withdraw the invitation."

"I think the point he's trying to make is that the situation in Iraq, and indeed, the larger war on terror, are things that are going to take a long time. But it is not always going to require an up-front combat presence," Snow said.

"The president has always said that ultimately you want to be handing primary responsibility off to the Iraqis," he said.

"You provide the so-called over-the-horizon support that is necessary from time to time to come to the assistance of Iraqis but you do not want the United States forever in the front."

Snowjob is back to his old self again. I wish I could say that's a good thing, because I hope he beats cancer.

But Iraq, like Korea? That's like comparing a bottle rocket to an ICBM.

Quickly now - how many American soldier deaths have there been in Korea since a cease-fire was declared in July, 1953? Without checking, I'd have to say zero, or very close to it. Certainly none from combat.

Anyone think that when the U.S. declares "victory" (which will be sometime next year, before the election, but more on that in a later post) that the senseless slaughter of U.S. troops will cease. If you think that, kindly go back to burying your head deep in the sand.

Tony Snow returns to work

Tony Snow returned to work today, and that's very good and heartening to see, and I attack no qualifiers to that. No one deserves to go through the scourge that is cancer, but especially someone as young as Snow, who is 51 with three young kids.

Here's hoping you beat this, Tony. I may disagree with Snow politically, but when it comes to something like cancer, politics is a meaningless, distant second.

One other quick note - the comments section of this video on YouTube sickens me. Some people are taking pot shots at Snow, even during his struggle to beat cancer. Anyone who does that is beyond contempt.

Snow said some things today that I whole-heartedly disagree with, and I'll deal with that in a separate post, but to kick someone when he's down is revolting. Many on the left, myself included, decry intolerance and hate speech, but those who are taking the opportunity to slam Tony Snow in the middle of a cancer fight are no better than the conservatives who make intolerant remarks that we on the left condemn.

Tony Snow has cancer again

This might not come off as sincere because I'm typing it, but I sincerely do mean it.

I just read that White House Press Secretary Tony Snow has cancer again. I've screamed and howled at some things that Snow has said in the past, but when you read about something like this, politics seems so stupid... so trivial.

I hope he beats it. I wouldn't wish cancer on my worst enemy. I've seen it strike down too many people in the prime of their lives. Snow is 51 years old. 51.

From AP:
Snow had his colon removed in 2005 and underwent six months of chemotherapy after being diagnosed with colon cancer. A small growth was discovered last year in his lower right pelvic area, and it was removed on Monday. Doctors determined that it was cancerous, and that his cancer had metastasized, or spread, to his liver, White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said.

Here's hoping you get well soon and beat cancer this time, too, Tony.

Another one of millions of tragic examples as to why we need to find a cure for this dreadful killer.

Photo from AP

Tony Snowjob slips on a banana peel, suffers from a nasty case of amnesia

Tony Snowjob's divorce from reality is continuing apace. Take a look at this exchange a few days between Snow and CBS This Morning's Harry Smith:



Tony's got a short circuit, selective memory, or just outright denial. Let's take a look at what he had to say during the height of the Clinton impeachment craze, when Special Prosecutor Kenneth W. Starr issued subpoenas to just about everyone in the White House, including Clinton's top advisers, and Secret Service Agents (the latter of which was an unprecedented step.)...

"Evidently, Mr. Clinton wants to shield virtually any communications that take place within the White House compound on the theory that all such talk contributes in some way, shape or form to the continuing success and harmony of an administration. Taken to its logical extreme, that position would make it impossible for citizens to hold a chief executive accountable for anything. He would have a constitutional right to cover up.

"Chances are that the courts will hurl such a claim out, but it will take time.

"One gets the impression that Team Clinton values its survival more than most people want justice and thus will delay without qualm. But as the clock ticks, the public's faith in Mr. Clinton will ebb away for a simple reason: Most of us want no part of a president who is cynical enough to use the majesty of his office to evade the one thing he is sworn to uphold — the rule of law."

Hmm. Double-standard police - pull your vehicle to the side of the road, Mr. Snow.

This is another example of people having selective memories. The Congressional Research Service tells a different story. (The CRS is the non-partisan research arm of Congress.) According to a 2002 CRS report, during President Clinton's eight years in office, 31 people from the White House testified under oath before Congress. You may have heard of some of them:

Former National Security Adviser Sandy Berger...

Clinton Presidential Council Lloyd Cutler...

And John Podesta, President Clinton's fourth and final White House Chief of Staff.

As usual, Snow's credibility is melting under his feet.

It's funny how Tony Snow is so slow to learn from his mistakes, in particular his name calling.



Here, in response to some tough questioning, Snow calls NBC White House Correspondent David Gregory "partisan," hardly a compliment.



Snow later apologizes, but he's slow to learn his lesson. He should take the word partisan out of his vocabulary, because when he uses it, he only sounds like what he's complaining about - partisan. As a White House press secretary, he's supposed to be above that.

Considering his pedigree from Fox News, it's pretty unlikely Snow will change.

Snowjob takes a swipe at Gore

I just caught this one over the wire.

Earlier today in a press briefing White House Press Secretary Tony Snowjob was asked what he thought about Al Gore's documentary film, An Inconvenient Truth, winning an Oscar. Snow blurted out, "I'm happy for him," and jibed, "It's good to have a second career."

Snow was formally a "journalist" for Fox Noise Channel and a radio talk-show host before being named White House press secretary last year.

Okay, so this isn't a big deal or anything, but really? Was that necessary? It's an compliment wrapped in an insult. I've worked for bosses who were masters at that sort of thing.

What an uncouth rube. I hope Gore reads statements like that and seriously considers getting into this race.

Run Al, Run.

Urge him to jump in the race Here.

Tony tries to Snow the press on Walter Reed

I've already blogged about the appalling conditions at Walter Reed hospital in Washington, D.C., where wounded and disabled troops convalesce. But, you've got to listen to this press conference by White House Press Secretary Tony Snowjob.

A few thoughts...

Support the Troops is not a mantra? Yea right, Tony. The Republicans have been beating that drum like Alex Van Halen for over four years now. It IS a mantra, and the Republicans pimp this phrase shamelessly as an attempt to silence critics of the war.

Clearly, the Bush Administration is passing the buck on Walter Reed. I freely admit that NO administration can possibly know about all problems in all departments at all times. But, once something like this comes to light, a president WOULD issue orders, some people WOULD get fired, and these conditions wouldn't exist for long once they were revealed.

Snowjob winds up this brilliant press conference by saying, "The president is somebody whose passion for these forces should never EVER be a topic of doubt for the forces, or the American people."

Oh, excuse us, Tony. So, I guess inadequately armored Humvees, cutting medical benefits for troops, starting this stupid war with too few troops in the first place, the appalling conditions at Walter Reed, extending tours of duty for some troops by years (and by that, I mean National Guard troops) and lying to our faces about Donald Rumsfeld five days before the election all constitute lots and lots of "passion," eh? Again, it's worth noting what Snow hates being labeled a "mantra." Supporting the Troops? Humph! Where is that now?

That last point always kills me, too. After Rummy was sacked, President Bush, with a straight face, said that he announced it after the election because he didn't want to have "any influence over the election." I guess that's why the announcement of Saddam Hussein's verdict was moved up to the Sunday before the election, even though the verdict wasn't completely ready yet, eh, Mr. President? Lies, lies, lies.

This administration grows more and more incompetent by the day. 695 days to go - we have almost two more years to put up with this disaster.

Snow: "Crazy" we'd influence Saddam trial

When the going gets tough, the tough get better PR.

My prediction earlier today that Bush and his blowhards would be licking themselves all over about the Hussein verdict has come to pass, and there shouldn't be one person in American surprised by this latest PR gimmick.

White House Press Secretary Tony Snow, decried the assertion as "absolutely crazy" that the Bush administration had anything to do with the verdict being announced so close to the election. I'd be surprised if Snow's own mother would believe him. Bush and Snow are both fucking liars.

(According to Media Matters, Snow told CNBC on November 2 that the Saddam Hussein verdict "will be a factor" in the midterm elections.)

Consider these facts: this administration has a well-established track record of smearing anyone who stands in the way of it or its party holding onto power, both in the presidential election and in Congressional races (consider John Murtha, John Kerry, Max Cleland, among others); this administration wanted to prevent the 9-11 Commission from reporting its findings until after the 2004 presidential election; Bush said a few weeks ago, with a straight face, that he was never for "Stay the Course" when, over the past three years since the war began, anyone who has heard him speak on Iraq has heard him mutter that phrase; and how about the Valerie Plame Affair? Anyone remember Bush publicly stating that "anyone involved in leaking" in the case "would be fired"? Karl Rove has given public testimony that he was the source to some reporters in the case.

I could blog for three days straight about the lies of Bush and those who work for him. These people will do and say anything to stay in power. Now, we're to believe that it's a wild coincidence that the verdict was announced 48 hours before a critical mid-term election, when it's been widely reported that the verdict and sentencing wasn't due until mid-November? Umm Hmm. On to the ridiculousness. ...

According to AP, Snow said voters "ought to be heartened" by the verdict. "This is getting the Iraqis to stand up on their own. You can't have civil society without rule of law."

The hilarity continued when Bush resumed campaigning this morning.

Bush spun Saddam's conviction and sentence for maximum political effect. "They've sacrificed for the security of the United States," said Bush. "Without their courage and skill, today's verdict would not have happened."

"Today we witnessed a landmark event in the history of Iraq," Bush said on the campaign trail in Western Nebraska.

No, Mr. President. What we witnessed today was classic Wag the Dog. I hope and pray American voters, many of whom are fed up with your lies, deceit and failed policy in Iraq and at home, aren't fooled on Tuesday.

Bush's "Whoops!" on Iraq

This Freudian slip is funny - I wonder if there will be a big outcry about what Bush really meant with this gaffe, vis-à-vis Kerry's flub last week? Of course not.

The more distance we get from Kerry's goof, the angrier I get at the GOP's trying to club us over the head with their messages about it. It's hilarious, but sad, too. Keith Olbermann put it best last week when he said that if you take quote in its entire context, there's no way you could cconceivably think that Kerry was referring to the troops: He spoke about being in Texas the day before, and that Bush used to live in Texas, now he's in a state of denial; he spoke of the importance of education and if you don't do well, you can get stuck in Iraq (he was referring, I'm guessing to Bush's bragging about his "C" average at Yale). The context is pretty uunmistakable to anyone who listens to an extended version of the clip, which I have, and not the 20 second clip played over and over on the "news" networks. Even the most partisan of hacks would have to admit that nowhere in his remarks was he even insinuating that the troops are stupid.

In essence, the GOP's running on a gaffe - what a laugh. Hey, they've got nothing else to run on, do they?

I'm sort of echoing Keith Olbermann's commentary from the other night as I type this (Get those clips from my blog Here), but really there is no boundry these people will not cross to stay in power. And I almost just typed, "The only thing they haven't used to stay in power is the military" and then I stopped myself. Because they have. The War in Iraq wasn't conceived solely for the Republicans to stay in power, but it's part of it.

Anyway, back to the boundries thing. Thanks to Karl Rove, "Swiftboating" has entered the political vernacular. In '04, Rove and the Republicans made Kerry, a decorated Vietnam Vet who earned a Silver Star, a Bronze Star Medal and three Purple Hearts, sound like a traitor. How laughable is that, especially considering that most of the ass wipes who are criticizing him have never served one damn day in combat - President Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney and Tony Snow among them. And Kerry isn't the only one that Republicans have done this to - Max Cleland and John Murtha are two other Hall of Fame examples.

What's more curious to me is how combat veterans could possibly support, much less condone and vote for people who see no shame in committing such reprehensible behavior. That's like an African-American supporting a KKK candidate for president.

Kerry the comedian

What a crazy 48 hours its been in U.S. politics. It certainly is the silly season in Washington, as it is before every election, and this one is no different.

How's that shoe leather tasting, Senator Kerry? What an unforgivable gaffe, just in time for the '06 elections. For those of you living in a cave, here's what Kerry said during a campaign stop on Monday:

Kerry told students at Pasadena City College in California, "You know education, if you make the most of it, you study hard, you do your homework, and you make an effort to be smart, you can do well. If you don't, you get stuck in Iraq."

On Tuesday, the rhetoric heated up, with Kerry taking shots at White House Press Secretary Tony Snow and Bush; and both returned the fire in kind. A combative Kerry refused to apologize, which only encourages the blood-thirsty, sound-bite obsessed press. The media treated the gaffe as if Kerry had just urinated on the Lincoln Memorial while lighting an original copy of the Constitution on fire.

Kerry should have apologized right away, but a small part of me dug the fact that he didn't take criticism sitting down, specifically from quick-to-pounce Republicans, whose prospects do not look good this coming Tuesday.

Following Kerry's flub, Snow remarked, "Senator Kerry not only owes an apology to those who are serving, but also to the families of those who've given their lives in this. This is an absolute insult."

Kerry, upon hearing Snow's remarks, was apoplectic. Responding to reporters, Kerry said, "This is the classic GOP playbook. I'm sick and tired of these despicable Republican attacks that always seem to come from those who never can be found to serve in war, but love to attack those who did. I'm not going to be lectured by a stuffed suit White House mouthpiece standing behind a podium."

Where the hell was this Kerry in 2004 in the face of the laughable swift boat attacks? I'm sure glad this combative Kerry reported for duty in the face of this red herring, one week before a hyper-critical election.

Kerry explained that he flubbed an intended joke aimed at President Bush's handling of the Iraq War. Kerry's aides said he had mistakenly dropped one word from his prepared remarks, which was originally written to say "you end up getting us stuck in a war in Iraq." In that context, they said, it was clear Kerry was referring to Bush, not to the troops.

Fair enough, at least in my eyes (and probably many others, who realize that there are about 1,000 more important things we need to be worrying about right now than a tone-deaf, bumbling senator), but not in the eyes of the GOP smear and fear machine.

Bush called Kerry's comments "insulting" and "shameful" and said Kerry owed an apology to the U.S. military.

Judas John McCain was also quick to pounce, saying Kerry owed the troops an apology. So was Dick Cheney, whose speechwriters never miss a chance for a cornball, lame-assed zinger. On the campaign trail, Cheney said, presumably with a straight face:

"Of course, now Senator Kerry says he was just making a joke, and he botched it up," Vice President Dick Cheney said in remarks prepared for a campaign appearance in Montana. "I guess we didn't get the nuance. He was for the joke before he was against it."

Kerry didn't take that bullshit laying down, either. "John McCain ought to ask for an apology from Dick Cheney for misleading America. He ought to ask for an apology from the president for lying about the nuclear program in Africa," said Kerry.

"He ought to ask for an apology for, once again, a week ago referring to al-Qaeda as being the central problem in Iraq when al-Qaeda is not the central problem. Enough is enough."

Uh oh, there's been a "real issues" sighting on the campaign trail!

"I'm not going to stand for these people trying to shift the topic and make it politics," continued Kerry. "America deserves a real discussion about real policy, and that's what this election is going to be about next Tuesday."

Okay, JFK, nice rebound.

Kerry apologizes on Wednesday. He was hard to understand.

Today, Kerry apologized to "to any service member, family member or American who was offended," saying he never intended" to disparage U.S. troops with a "poorly stated joke" aimed at Bush.

The media coverage of this has been so exhaustive and ridiculous, I won't spend much time on a recap, other than to say networks like CNN make a mockery of "reporting" the news, because all the network does is repeat the same stories like this one over and over, giving us very little news. When the network runs out of things to say, it simply has "experts" on who comment on the trivial. This is "The most trusted name in news"?

I'll resist the temptation to sandblast the stupid notion that we have a "liberal" media. Wait, did I? Allow me to throw out a few examples of the hypocritic double standard...

For instance, after all the verbal miscues that have come out of Bush's mouth, it is laughable that the GOP now is groping for this Weapon of Mass Distraction. I remember Bush's disparaging and racist comment about people in the Middle East: "They don't look like us." The GOP apologists went into overdrive claiming he didn't mean what he said - and the press gave him a pass on it, like he got for the crass skit below. Roll tape, YouTube...



The "comedy" skit above (I know, some of the video is dark, but listen to the audio and you'll get the point) is from a media dinner in March 2004, at the height of the "missing WMD" debate. I don't know about you, but that's about as unfunny as it gets, especially when troops at the time (and to this day) are dying in Iraq because of the "slam dunk" intelligence that indeed Iraq had WMDs. This is tasteless at best. Anyone remember the outrage? Yea, me neither.

Anyway, read more about that story Here.

One final thought - where is the outrage and media demand that pumpkin head Rush Limbaugh apologize for his gutless comments about Michael J. Fox last week?

Yea, I'm holding my breath.

Let's get back to the real issues that affect our lives, like when the troops are coming home and when we are getting the hell out of Iraq, and quit debating a gaffe by Kerry.

Stay the Course & Cut 'N Run - DOA

This is one of my favorite pieces from MSNBC's Countdown with Keith Olbermann. Personally, there's nothing sweeter than the Bush White House getting caught in a lie (Tony Snow in this case), and it's not hard to find cases of it these days. (Or the old political stand-by, the half-truth that Clinton made so famous.)

President Bush has been preaching "Stay the Course in Iraq" to the American people for well over two years now. Funny what the potential of your party getting its ass kicked in an upcoming election can do to your point of view. Iraq is getting bloodier and bloodier, and more and more Americans are dying (over 100 in October now), and for what? To try to impose Democracy on a Middle Eastern country that simply does not want us there? Nearly 70% of Iraqis in a recent poll want us OUT, yet this administration arrogantly plows ahead, unwilling and/or unable to admit its terrible mistake.

Funny how the president just smirks that arrogant smirk of his and says, with a straight face, "We've never been stay the course." How fucking stupid does he think the American public is? Evidently, pretty stupid.

And, Sean Insannity jumps right on the bandwagon, parroting the White House line on official state TV, Fox News.

I'm sure the phrase sounded good to Republicans when they started using it for Iraq, just like Cut and Run. I'm so sick of these slick PR gimmicks that Republicans dream up, but I've got to give them credit - they seem to be better at the PR game than Democrats.

Probably my favorite non-war related GOP PR euphemism is the Death Tax. Sorry, folks, but I'm not for millionaires inheriting wealth and paying no taxes. The rich need to pay their fair share, too. If Democrats were smart, they would call the Death Tax the "Paris Hilton Lifetime Laziness Tax" or something like that. Look at it this way - if I hit the lottery, I pay wicked taxes. Why? It's unearned income! On the other hand, if I ever inherit $25 million (yea, that's happenin'!), that's also unearned, and should be taxed. I'm no economist, but that's my take. The deficit shouldn't skyrocket so Republicans can line the beds of their rich benefactors. It's such a no-brainer ~ I'm not going to collect my Social Security check when I turn 70 (hell, it will be 80 by the time I retire if I live that long), so country club kids can collect fat trusts from Mommy and Daddy? Hmmm, that's really a tough one!

Anyway, getting back to the issue at hand - Cut & Run is another one I get a kick out of. This one sooo smacks of Vietnam it isn't even funny at all. No one wants to look like a pussy, so all legislators in Washington puff their chests out and say, "I'm not for cutting and running." Hey assholes, I wonder how many of you have sons and daughters in the line of fire? I'm sure there are a few, but probably damn few. This is the same kind of reasoning that gave us Vietnam, and 58,000+ dead Americans - because no one had the courage to say, "This isn't working - we gave it our best shot, but it's time to bring 'em home." (Cue tape of Richard Nixon, campaigning in '68 that he had a secret plan to end the war, and he did! A five-year plan - the cease-fire was signed in January of '73.)

So what if pulling out costs someone an election - sometimes doing the right thing is a helluva lot more important than winning an election. And besides, to be rankly materialistic for a second - all ex-presidents become millionaires these days, and Bush will be no exception, nor will his successors.

So, the real question is, how many dead Americans will it take before someone who really can make a difference will say, "Enough is enough." I'm not holding my breath and I seriously doubt it'll happen anytime soon.

Regardless of what happens a week from Tuesday, you can bet your ass that Bush will indeed change policy in Iraq after November 7. This course simply cannot continue.

We need to send a message to these morons in Washington, and we need to do it in eight days. This is bigger than party politics now - it's about American lives.

The whole "Support the Troops" silliness really makes me full hot, too. Any Republican who says that we shouldn't question military actions while troops are in the field has no idea what this country is founded upon and doesn't deserve to hold public office, period. "Support the Troops" is another way of saying, "Keep your mouth shut." Ain't happenin', capt'n.

For those of you with short memories, I have many, many recollections of Republicans asking lots of very public questions during the War in Kosovo, calling Clinton incompetent, a liar and worse. (Tom DeLay, Trent Lott, Dennis Hastert, Rick Santorum, Orin Hatch, I could go on and on.) A few quick questions about that war - 1. Was the intelligence cooked? 2. Did Clinton try to cook the intelligence? 3. Did we succeed? 4. Oh, and how many troops did we lose again?

Ain't history a bitch?

White House v. Woodward: Who's lying?

The Washington Post's Bob Woodward appeared on Meet the Press yesterday to talk about his book, State of Denial - take a listen above. I get a tremendous kick out of this entire video clip, specifically White House Press Secretary Tony Snow (of Fox News fame) trying to impugn the integrity of Bob Woodward. Who do you believe?

That's like choosing between used cat litter and Godiva chocolate. Please.

I don't want to say I told you so, but I'm saying I told you so. I blogged a few days ago about how the Mark Foley scandal had derailed the Republicans coming after Woodward for this book. Score! The Foley scandal is about a week old, and here comes the White House. I guess it happened a bit sooner than I thought it would, but hey people, we've got an election in less than a month! Do I think they are lying? Hmmm. Did the Cowboys get their asses kicked yesterday? The answer to both is an obvious yes.

As I've written, I'm listening to State of Denial on audio, and I'll be finished by the end of the week. I'll give you my thoughts on the book this weekend, but I'll give you an early one now.

Woodward has written a stunning indictment of this administration and the lies & half truths we get on a daily basis about the War on Terror and the War in Iraq. It's throughly documented and pretty breathtaking in its scope. It's little wonder that the White House is in a full-court press about the book - we'll see if they can run roughshod over Woodward like they did Richard Clarke and John Kerry. My guess is no, but one thing's for sure - they will sure as hell try. They've got an election to try to win, and they will not lose power and go quietly.

Debunking the "Support The Troops" sheep mentality

I had an interesting conversation with a guest in the restaurant the other day. She noticed the "Count Me Blue" bracelet that I've been wearing since the disastrous 2004 elections. I wear it with pride, but I'm not obnoxiously political (in person at least - this blog notwithstanding!), and I certainly won't discuss politics at work unless pressed. Anyway, she asked me what the bracelet meant, and I told her.

"Dumb Democrats," she teased, and we had a good laugh about it. Hey, I can take a ribbing, even about my political affiliations.

Then she said something that pissed me off. "I just don't like it when people don't support the troops," she whined. "People shouldn't criticize the troops while they are in the field."

I just smiled and walked off. Hey, I was at work, and alienating tables is never a good idea, especially when I'm working for a tip... and guests' hoped-for generosity. Anyway, the more I thought about it, the more angry I became.

On the drive home, I couldn't help but think of the trite but apropos quote often attributed to Oscar Wilde: "Patriotism is the virtue of the vicious." In the case of the war in Iraq, I have a hard time disagreeing.

I'm about had my fill of people, Republicans mostly, using the whole "Support the Troops" mantra to attempt to silence critics of the president's ill-conceived war in the Middle East. I often hear this from supporters of the president's policy in Iraq, and this includes Republican leaders who decry criticism of the use of our troops in Iraq: "People should not criticize the use of troops once they are in the field. The president made the decision, and they are there, so let's get behind them."

People who parrot the above quote without analyzing our troops use and deployment don't understand America, Democracy and freedom, and I'd also like to point out that these people have a very short memory span.

During the War in Kosovo, when President Clinton was in the Oval Office, it certainly was a different story. Let's travel back in time, shall we?

From Texas Governor George W. Bush...

"Victory means exit strategy, and it's important for the President to explain to us what the exit strategy is."

Do I need to comment on the irony there?

From Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum (R)...

"President Clinton is once again releasing American military might on a foreign country with an ill-defined objective and no exit strategy. He has yet to tell the Congress how much this operation will cost. And he has not informed our nation's armed forces about how long they will be away from home. These strikes do not make for a sound foreign policy."

Don't worry, Rick. Your time is just about up, and come November, you will hopefully be home, unemployed, where you can ponder your hypocrisy and obsess over new ways on how to exclude homosexuals.

From Karen Hughes, speaking on behalf of candidate George W. Bush...

"If we are going to commit American troops, we must be certain they have a clear mission, an achievable goal and an exit strategy."

From Tom Delay (Remember him?!?)...

"American foreign policy is now one huge big mystery. Simply put, the administration is trying to lead the world with a feel-good foreign policy."

AND...

"I cannot support a failed foreign policy. History teaches us that it is often easier to make war than peace. This administration is just learning that lesson right now. The President began this mission with very vague objectives and lots of unanswered questions. A month later, these questions are still unanswered. There are no clarified rules of engagement. There is no timetable. There is no legitimate definition of victory. There is no contingency plan for mission creep. There is no clear funding program. There is no agenda to bolster our overextended military. There is no explanation defining what vital national interests are at stake. There was no strategic plan for war when the President started this thing, and there still is no plan today."

Was this about Kosovo in 1999, or Iraq in 2006? Can Tom DeLay see into the future? That would be the one quality that would be admirable in him.

AND...

"Bombing a sovereign nation for ill-defined reasons with vague objectives undermines the American stature in the world. The international respect and trust for America has diminished every time we casually let the bombs fly."

Okay, enough on DeLay. The irony here is thicker than his corruption file.

From Tony Snow (yes, THAT Tony Snow, the new White House Press Secretary)...

"You think Vietnam was bad? Vietnam is nothing next to Kosovo." (Fox News, 3/23/99)

Lastly, from Sean Hannity of Republican News Channel fame...

"Explain to the mothers and fathers of American servicemen that may come home in body bags why their son or daughter have to give up their life?" (Fox News, 4/6/99)

AND...

"No goal, no objective, not until we have those things and a compelling case is made, then I say, back out of it, because innocent people are going to die for nothing. That's why I'm against it." (Fox News, 4/5/99)

Sure, Sean - we distort, you decide. The stench of hypocrisy is overwhelming.

The bottom line here is that Americans have every right to not only criticize why the troops were put into harm's way in Iraq in the first place, but whey they are still there. There is clear evidence that not enough troops were sent to do the job, and they are walking targets right now. I'm reminded of a John Kerry quote from Vietnam, and I'm paraphrasing to fit the war in Iraq: "Do you want to die in a hot, miserable land where the people mostly don't want us, all for a lie?" Oh, wait - Kerry was a coward - he went to Vietnam and won three purple hearts. Beetle Bailey has more combat experience than Dick and Bush. I'm always amazed when men who don't know the price of war are quick to rush into one. This was the argument that Republicans used against Clinton the "draft dodger" in '92, but it was inconvenient for them when Bush became president.

Another thing that annoys me is when I hear people who get annoyed with criticism of Bush or the way the country is headed. "If you don't like the US, leave!" they obnoxiously suggest. I always laugh when I hear this one. My first thought on that is, if you don't like the criticism, you leave. This is how a democracy works - people, events and policies get criticized, debated and analyzed - so deal with it.

Republicans continue to point out that many Democrats, including Kerry, voted for the war. Yep, they did, at first, when the "intelligence" was presented to them. When it was later revealed by Richard Clarke, Paul O'Neill and others who were in the administration when these decisions were made that the intelligence was cooked, many Democrats said, "Wait a minute here." Then Republicans, hoping that people really weren't paying attention, simply said that the Democrats were flip floppers. Yea, right.

Democrats have the right to change their minds when new evidence comes to light, just as all Americans do, whether troops are in the field or not. Opinions evolve as events unfold. I'm still amazed that people continue to use the whole "We should support the troops while they are in the field" mantra. It's just a thinly disguised attempt to tell me to shut up. Well, I won't shut up, and I don't think any American should, as long as our troops continue to get cut down in the prime of their lives over lies about WMDs and the "threat" that Saddam posed.

If bin Laden wore a blue dress, the Republican-controlled Congress would have found him by now. Let's rename him Osama bin Lewinsky and send that scumbag Ken Starr after him. I'd give it about five days and we'd have Osama's head on a stick.