"Why," an emailer wanted to know, "do you hate Bush?"
Sorry pal. I don't hate President Bush. I am, however, saddened by what he and his policies have done to the country I love.
Freedom, as we used to know it, is vanishing in America, disappearing rapidly because of the rights-infringing actions of the Bush administration and a Congress that has rubber-stamped far too many of his policies.
The USA Patriot Act is, in my opinion, the greatest single threat to the future of this country ever devised by the idiots we too often elect to office. Promoted as a weapon to fight terrorism, it has -- instead -- become a tool the government uses to spy on virtually any American, monitor their financial records in real time and track their travel habits. The Department of Justice issues 30,000 "national security letters" a year to obtain information about Americans from employers, banks, libraries, credit bureaus and other sources.
Meanwhile, the war on terror is not being fought on the real fronts. Osama bin Laden's zealots have been able to regroup in Afghanistan while our military resources were diverted to Iraq. In Iraq, where Bush proclaimed "Mission Accomplished" two years ago, dozens upon dozens of Iraqi civilians and American militrary personnnel die daily.
Hate? No. Sadness? Yes. Disgust? Yes. Frustrated. You betcha.
Bush's "Mission Accomplished" statement on the Abraham Lincoln concerned the US mission is Afghanistan, NOT Iraq. Bush has repeatedly said that our work in Iraq is not over. Sloppy, as is so much of your writing ....
No, Epmenard, the "Mission Accomplished" statement refers to the end of "major combat operations in Iraq", whatever that's supposed to mean. They sold this war on the notion that it would be quick and easy, a "cake walk" if you will. Even if it did refer to Afghanistan, it was still wrong, because Afghanistan ain't over yet. In fact, the Taliban is apparently making a comeback, thanks to our taking our eyes off the ball. Quit drinking the White House kool-aid.
You're right on that one Alen. Emmenard has his head up his ass. Talk about sloppy.
"You're right on that one Alen. Emmenard has his head up his ass. Talk about sloppy."
And it's the same kind of sloppy thinking that Bush supporters employ to dismiss any vehement crticism as hatred, subversion, treason, or whatever brand of malfeasance is on their minds that day.
As an Iraq veteran, I can tell you that despite what the Bush supporters try to tell people, protest and dissent are NOT damaging to the morale over there. In fact, the troops are inclined to agree with you. I can't tell you how many times I heard my fellow soldiers say "We shouldn't be here", "We came here for the oil, and these people(Iraqis) are having to pay for it. I don't blame them for hating us" and so on. Deep down in our guts, we know that if what happened to Iraq happened to the US, we'd be fighting a unrelenting guerilla war of our own. I guess I'm just another damn "librul" because I can't stop applying my own thinking process instead of letting some political party do all my thinking for me.
"I guess I'm just another damn "librul" because I can't stop applying my own thinking process instead of letting some political party do all my thinking for me."
And isn't ironic that the lockstep partisans are the ones who yell things like "koolaid drinker" at their "enemies"? It's pretty humorous in a pathetic sort of way. I'm not sure when stupidity became a virtue, but some of these wags have turned it into an art form--maybe even a religion.
Anyway, I enjoyed reading your post, Allen. It's always so much more informative to hear from the experienced than it is to listen to the boola-boola rhetoric of the cheerleading squad.