Bush, Iraq and other thoughts

I listened to parts of George Bush's talk on the fifth anniversary of the Iraq war. And the President said:

Looking back, Bush said, "Five years into this battle, there is an understandable debate over whether the war was worth fighting ... whether the fight is worth winning ... and whether we can win it. The answers are clear to me: Removing Saddam Hussein from power was the right decision and this is a fight America can and must win."

George, what don't you want to remember and understand? Shall we hand you the copy of the 2003 State of the Union address, the very speech you gave to justify the invasion and occupation of Iraq?

No one doubts Saddham Hussein was a ruthless dictator, but how many more of them are there in the world? A dozen or more? And you picked Saddham? Why? He didn't have WMD's - any remaining from the First Gulf War were useless. He didn't have an missiles to deliver imaginary WMD's. He didn't have a nuclear weapons programs, just a bunch of ideas and plans by his scientists. He didn't have any connection to Al Qaeda, he persecuted them as terrorists and he was on their enemies list. He wasn't involved with 9/11, most of those terrorists were from Saudi Arabia, the very country we support.

So, why are you lying to the American people?

Is the fight worth winning? For what? You have never clearly defined what winning is except some ambigous goal of a democratic nation in the Middle East when it's not realistic. So, is the wothiness really about the US control of a country and its oil supply?

Can we win it? Where have you been? And what reports have you been reading? A winnable war? When? You keep putting this goal out as it's now about America's pride than the future Iraqi people and government. It's now five years, so what haven't you done right to accomplish your own goal? Who failed?

As for your statement, "The terrorists who murder the innocent in the streets of Baghdad want to murder the innocent in the streets of American cities. Defeating this enemy in Iraq will make it less likely we will face this enemy here at home."

Do you have any proof of this? September 11th was about Al Qaeda in Afghanistan, not Iraq. The Iraq people want us out of Iraq, and nothing more. They want their country back from the US occupation. We're the enemy there, so why haven't you understood that fact and reality?

Al Qaeda in Iraq as the enemy? The Iraqi people and government doesn't like or want Al Qaeda there. Why do you keep making them the enemy when they're only about 5% of the acts of violence, the rest are by Iraqi insurgents, criminals, and ethinic or religious groups? What don't you understand?

And by the way, George, No One is expressing that we completely withdraw or retreat fromIraq. So, why do you keep putting all those who disagree with you in that camp when no one is in that camp. Or don't you like that we have realistic views and answers to this war you started, can't finish, and didn't win?

So who failed George? The soldiers didn't because done their best, and many have died and are permanently injured or disabled. How about the General and leaders who failed to support the troops with the right equipment? How abou the political leaders who failed to do their job to help build an Iraqi government? How about you? Where is this victory you so claim so much is the key to Iraq?

And one last question. What happened to the surge? You promised it would be short, and it's been almost a year now. And you're deciding it's, like your tax cuts for the rich, something you love but can't justify. Have you read the books on the history of President Johnson's troop surges and Vietnam?

Oh, I forgot, you're leaving in January 2009. You're going to dump the worst poltical and military disaster on the next President, who you're hoping is John McCain, who not just continue your policy but worsen it with more troops, more money and more dead and injured soldiers. Is that your new plan? To exit the stage leaving this country with the worst war in our history?

Gee, thanks. My final word to you. Go home to Crawford and cut brush. Mayabe someday, a decade or two from now when we're still in Iraq, you'll wake up to realize what you did, and won't find it good.

Ok, enough about George being the blind ignorant jesture with no clothes.

I listened to Obama's speech about the Rev. Jeremiah Wright's speech. Thanks. For once an realistic answer to a controverial subject, race. Thank you for separating the man and his words. For separating one speech and his history. No one doubts people on both sides are what Rev. Wright describes. I had mine from a young black man in basic training who hated me for the color of his skin. He was from Detroit in the 1960's. Who can aruge with his experience?

It's endemic on both sides. But I'm glad it's out there in public forum. We all have our experience, our understanding, our knowledge and our beliefs and faith. It's ours, and sometimes it doesn't sound comforting. And maybe because the truth and reality isn't comforting.

Mr. Obama, I like this speech. I think it's time for some hope in the current times. We don't need lots of specifics because we know they're just promises of the moment and have no real meaning when it matters. I want to know a candidate's heart, spriit and faith to know where the look at the world, this country, the people, the issues, and so on.

If I want specifics, I'll wait until October when I want to evaluate your plans, but I will still know it's not promises, but ideas, thoughts and plans you'd like to do. I'll wait to argue the specifics when you're President.

And lastly, the NPR story on birth control. This is good news that respects the reproductive right of women to the whole range of choices. They deserve the choice, and no physician or specialist has the right to exercise their conscience and morality. Leave that at home. Practice medicine and have your concern that of your patient's, your basic responsibility as a medical professional.

Ok, I've had enough coffee, mentally I feel like this without any breakfast yet. Ok, I'll depart the premises.