British leaving Iraq, but no worries!

A British convoy in Southern Iraq last week. No truth to the rumor that they are driving straight to the Chunnel, across the English Channel and back to Great Britain.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair is under the gun in his own country, so I certainly understand the absolute necessity for his wanting to bring some British troops home.

What's quite another matter is the spin doctoring that the White House, along with Vice President Dick Cheney, put on the British withdraw.

The White House lamely tried to couch Blair's move in a positive light, saying the British pulling their troops out of the southern Iraqi city of Basra is a sign of "some progress in Basra." The British have been responsible for policing Basra since the the invasion.

Cheney is just flat out bonkers, floating above the rest of us in some alternative reality. From halfway across the globe, Shooter intoned that the British pullback is evidence that there are some areas of Iraq where "things are going pretty well."

If they are going that well, Dick, then why are we sending more troops over there? What's more, the British draw down will certainly put added pressure on already taxed U.S. forces. Blair said that Britain will withdraw around 1,600 troops from Iraq over the "coming months" and aims to cut its 7,100-strong force to below 5,000 by late summer, if local forces can secure the southern part of the country. He also announced that British troops will remain in Iraq until at least 2008 and work to secure the Iran-Iraq border and maintain supply routes to U.S. and coalition troops in central Iraq.

However, take a look at the anti-war protests in London over the weekend...

This protest took place in central London on Saturday, February 24.

Above, another offensive picture from the central London protest, with Old Glory splattered with blood. I don't enjoy these pictures any more than the next American, but it certainly is an indication of how far our fortunes have fallen around the world. Anyone else remember The Star-Spangled Banner being played outside of Buckingham Palace on September 11? I do. If we've lost our closest ally, then the president and his advisors should be taking a close look at our participation in this war. But, Shooter Cheney and Dubya insist on our current course of action, which is to escalate the war by 21,000 more Americans, because, conceivably, we have a chance at "victory."

I didn't think I'd agree with John McCain on just about anything, but I agree with his statement that he made over the weekend about how the War in Iraq "may cost him his career." He made similar statements about Tony Blair. At this point, who can disagree? Only time will tell, but I wouldn't be surprised if both of McCain's remarks turn out to be true.

Another interesting development last week - Finland announced it's bringing all of its troops home, and Lithuania is also considering bring home its remaining troops. That begs the question - who's left? The answer is not many - we now comprise about 94% of the troops in Iraq. That's some coalition, Mr. President.

The only encouraging thing about the British pullout, quite frankly, was Barack Obama's comments, which were steeped in reality.

Obama, speaking at a rally in Austin, Texas, said Tony Blair's decision this week to withdraw 1,600 troops is proof that Iraq's problems can't be solved militarily.

"Now if Tony Blair can understand that, then why can't George Bush and Dick Cheney understand that?" said Obama. "In fact, Dick Cheney said this is all part of the plan (and) it was a good thing that Tony Blair was withdrawing, even as the administration is preparing to put 20,000 more of our young men and women in.

"Now, keep in mind, this is the same guy that said we'd be greeted as liberators, the same guy that said that we're in the last throes. I'm sure he forecast sun today," Obama said to laughter from supporters. "When Dick Cheney says it's a good thing, you know that you've probably got some big problems."

That's a pretty good start to what I hope all of the Democratic candidates continue to do over the next 18 months or so - make Bush, Cheney & company eat their words about the War in Iraq.

You can even go back to Tom DeLay's quotation about the War in Kosovo to get an illustration about our situation in Iraq (bear with me). Here it is, from the New York Times April 29, 1999 edition:

"Was it worth it to stay in Vietnam to save face?" asked Representative Tom DeLay, the House majority whip. Sharply criticizing the NATO bombing campaign, he said: ''What good has been accomplished so far? Absolutely nothing."

Was DeLay talking about Kosovo or Iraq? About Kosovo, he was dead wrong, but if you use this quote about Iraq, it's spot on. And I love his point about Vietnam. We proved nothing by staying there and saving face, just as we aren't now. By the way, you know I'm feeling pretty strongly about this if I'm using a DeLay quotation - a man I despise with every fiber of my being.

Sadly, it seems that our reality-show-based society has a memory span of about two weeks, so it's up to the Democrats to remind all voters of the lies, distortions and rosy predictions that were made (and continue to be made) about this war.

I can't wait for 2008.

Third photo from top from The Huffington Post
All other photos from AP

Bush's Vietnam coffee break

Yea, I'm way behind in my blogging, so tonight and tomorrow where will be some quick hits a bout a few things that are a bit older, then I will be coming on with lots of ferocity between now and this weekend.

It was awfully interesting to read about and see President Bush's visit to Vietnam in late November. (Above, reviewing Vietnamese soldiers in Hanoi during his arrival.) Am I the only one who saw an overwhelming irony in his visit to the country he avoided going to in the 60s, yet we are mired in a war in the Middle East that resembles our disastrous foray into Southeast Asia.

Bush's visit to Vietnam could not have been more different than President Clinton's in 2000.

For instance...

In 2000, the Clintons mingled with thousands of Vietnamese in the streets. Hillary Clinton even stopped into a silk shop in Hanoi to great fanfare. The Bushes failed to do the same or even anything like it. Take a read on this story from the New York Times during their visit:

The Hadong Silk shop in this city's Old Quarter is the first port of call for well-heeled visitors on the hunt for the tailor-made silkwares for which Vietnam has become famous. This weekend, with heads of state from 21 countries in town for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, a parade of dignitaries streamed in for fittings of made-to-order shirts, dresses and suits.

Laureen Harper, the wife of Canada's prime minister, Stephen Harper, showed up on Friday, made a few purchases and signed the guestbook for Dang Thi Thu Thuy, the petite, exquisitely dressed owner. Ditto for Australia's first lady, Janette Howard.

But Mrs. Thuy was searching for more. "We really hope that Mrs. Bush will come into our store," she says. "We are waiting for her, but she hasn't come."

The walls of Hadong Silk are lined with giant framed photos of Hillary Rodham Clinton, who came to the shop during Mr. Clinton's visit in 2000. There is a photo of Mrs. Clinton towering over three saleswomen, another of her standing next to Mrs. Thuy, both clad in silk suits, and one upstairs of her, surrounded by Secret Service agents, perusing silk blouses.

Vu Thi Thu Huong, a saleswoman, said the shop was so excited after Mrs. Clinton left, having bought 10 raw silk shirts for her husband, that the distinctive square collar on their men's silk shirts was renamed the "Bill Clinton Collar."

So, will there be a "George Bush Collar"?

Mrs. Thuy shrugged. "I'm not sure," she said. She gestured to her camera, and said, "If she comes we will take her picture, too."

In many ways, Bush's visit typified his presidency - the superficial, photo-op, highly staged event so we can tell the American people he visited a country and that "we're making progress" on Viet-raq. Yite!

Simply more Bush boilerplate.

Wake me in November

I know, I know, I've been video crazy on here lately, but the weather on Planet Frist has alternated from outright stupidity to hilarity. Take a look at these three videos when you are having a bad day and need a good laugh - it's about 10-12 minutes of pure joy and entertainment. The one above is a recent clip from CNN where Frist basically blames the network for the GOP's low ratings. Where do I start with that one? Hey Bill, not every cable news outlet is going to be state-run TV like Fox News.



His recent screw ups have been classic, from his Terri Schiavo fiasco (above) to his laughable idea of sending every voter $100 to ease their burden on rising gas prices. That's not even three tanks, Bill.

I've got a better idea, you moron - how about raising MPG standards, which have languished for 20 years, or moving us away from our dependence on foreign oil? With his two disasterous mis-steps, I have a better chance at being president than Frist does, and that's a good thing - I want him to be the Republican leader in the Senate for many years to come, because he's such a screw up, it's nothing but good news for the opposition. By the way, more on the oil debate in a post by the end of the week (hopefully!).



This one's a bit older, but it could be my favorite. The GOP's horrible phrase du jour is Cut and Run. This one goes into the GOP Hall of Lame, along with Shock and Awe, Wanted Dead or Alive, and Axis of Evil. It's gaining no traction, and the American people are beginning to realize the costly and needless suffering that this war is bringing not only to the American people, but to everyone in the Middle East.

The best part about Frist's and the GOP's use of Cut and Run is this - it's Vietnam all over again, but in reverse. In the 1960s, Kennedy (to a small degree), LBJ and later Richard Nixon didn't want to Cut and Run; that is, to be the first president to go in history to lose a war. Well, we did lose, because stupid theories that never materialized told politicians we should remain and not abandon South Vietnam (an "ally" with a phoney regime whose people only wanted us there because they didn't want to fight, and they wanted our money. Sound familiar?) When some Congressional leaders proposed that we pull out of the country, they were portrayed as pussies, wimps, unpatriotic Americans who didn't want to fight, regardless of the waste and drain on America both in money and blood.

Now, you tell me - am I writing about Iraq or Vietnam? I don't like to overuse Vietnam as a metaphor, but there are a lot of similarities, and thankfully, the number of American lives lost isn't one of them, so far. Anyway, unlike Vietnam, this is largely a Republican war, not a Democratic one, so we'll see in November just how angry the electorate is. I hope it's half as pissed as I am.

Wake up, America, and go to sleep, Senator Frist. Wait, you've already been asleep for a while. Time for the Democrats to take over, and they'd better not screw it up, because they truly are our last hope, because Ralph Nader is a political has-been and Ross Perot is a never was.