And...and...he made the levees break, too!!!!!

And so it begins:


CORONADO, Calif., Aug. 30 -- Invoking the spirit of Franklin D. Roosevelt, President Bush on Tuesday cast the war in Iraq as the modern-day moral equivalent of the struggle against Nazi fascism and Japanese imperialism in World War II, arguing that the United States cannot retreat without disastrous consequences.
…

Reaching back into history, Bush repeatedly cited Roosevelt's steadfastness as the model for today's conflict, comparing the Japanese sneak assault on Pearl Harbor in 1941 to the al Qaeda terrorist attacks on New York and Washington on Sept. 11, 2001. Much as Roosevelt fought pre-Pearl Harbor isolationism, Bush urged against a return to what he called the "pre-9/11 mindset of isolation and retreat."
….

While praising Democratic presidents Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman, Bush implicitly criticized Bill Clinton for showing weakness during the 1990s. Citing a succession of terrorist attacks in recent times, all but two during Clinton's presidency, Bush said the country's enemies took heart from the lack of forceful response. "They concluded that free societies lack the courage and character to defend themselves against a determined enemy," he said, without naming Clinton.

Lessee..

Weapons of mass destruction …didn’t work
Saddam was a despot…didn’t work
We are bringing democracy to Iraq … didn’t work
We must honor the sacrifices of the fallen … not working
CLINTON!!!!!!

Eveything would have been soooo much better had Bill Clinton taken care of these terrorists back in 1998!!! Gosh we’d have a free Iraq and North Korea eating out of our hand and oil flowing like lemonade.

Too bad they didn’t think so at the time:

THE United States launched cruise missile strikes in Afghanistan and Sudan yesterday against centres allegedly linked with the terrorist bombings of two American embassies. Gen Henry Shelton, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said further military operations were being considered. The threat posed by terrorists meant no details would be given in case they endangered US troops.

"Our target was terror. Our mission was clear," President Clinton said last night in a television address to the nation after America hit training bases in Afghanistan and a chemical plant in Sudan with sea-launched missiles. The offensive had been mounted to "counter an immediate threat". He said military intelligence indicated that a "gathering of key terrorist leaders" was planned yesterday at the site in Afghanistan.
….
With suspicions aroused that the attacks were timed to distract public attention from the grand jury's questioning of Miss Lewinsky, Mr (William) Cohen was asked to respond to suggestions that the action bore a remarkable resemblance to a recently released film. Wag The Dog, starring Robert de Niro and Dustin Hoffman, concerns an American president who is caught fondling a teenage girl while she was touring the White House. As a diversion, his spin doctors invent a war with Albania.

But, at the time, everyone rallied behind the Commander in Chief. Politicians put aside partisan differences and united behind the President. Kinda.

President Clinton won warm support for ordering anti-terrorist bombing attacks in Afghanistan and Sudan yesterday from many of the same lawmakers who have criticized him harshly as a leader critically weakened by poor judgment and reckless behavior in the Monica S. Lewinsky scandal.

A few senators, however, noted that the timing of the attack raised the question of whether Clinton had ordered it to deflect attention from his personal affairs. Others suggested the scandal may be preventing the president from paying attention to critical international problems.
…
But Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.), one of Clinton's severest critics earlier in the week, said, "There's an obvious issue that will be raised internationally as to whether there is any diversionary motivation." Sen. John D. Ashcroft (R-Mo.), a possible presidential candidate in 2000, noted "there is a cloud over this presidency."

And Sen. Dan Coats (R-Ind.), who called on Clinton to resign after his speech Monday, said: "The president has been consumed with matters regarding his personal life. It raises questions about whether or not he had the time to devote to this issue, or give the kind of judgment that needed to be given to this issue to call for military action."


The only saving grace is knowing that all this Blame Clinton crap rolls off Bill like water off a duck’s back. And it’s a good sign of just how desperate this administration is when they start trotting out Big Bill the Bogeyman.

It's only money.

Katrina still has a lot of damage to do, but the current estimates of damage are anywhere from 9 to 26 billion. That’s a lot of money, until one considers that the was in Iraq is costing 7.4 million dollars an hour,

So I have a suggestion. Even at 26 billion, the damage estimates still equal a little less than four hours of war. I propose everybody fighting in Iraq take four hours off (without pay, of course). There’s a holiday weekend coming up – fire up the grill, cook a few burgers, kick back with a cold brewski for half a day. You get a nice break, we cover the bills with a nice cushion for any damage from Lee, Maria, Nate, Ophelia…

Or maybe we should just set it aside as a down payment for this.

A Child Left Behind

Macho Nachos:A Tasty Tex-Mex Treat! (honest-to-God that’s what it says on his blog) decries the lack of resolve in his fellow wankers twenty-somethings:

There are times when I am ashamed of my generation, although not for the reasons that you might assume. I am not naive enough to think that our generation is the first to struggle with difficult moral issues, and to be pulled through the mire of various kinds of depravities. Indeed, when it comes to being morally reprehensible, there is truly "nothing new under the sun."

What often disappoints me about my generation is the shocking lack of willingness that we have to defend ourselves and our culture from threats - and the weak-kneed lack of resolve to see even the most banal conflict through to its conclusion. Nowhere has this become more evident than in the current conflict in Iraq.

Banal conflict:Iraq as campfire:Chernobyl

It has become a point of political extremism these days to point out the rather obvious fact that, in the historical scale of warfare, the casualties we have sustained in the Iraq war have been small. Infinitesimally small, in fact. Let it not be said that any of us would wish to minimize the lamentable loss of a single human life in warfare, much less approximately 1,800 in the same war. However, our respect for the dead and their sacrifice does not mean that we are obligated to abandon historical perspective in a sea of shrieking hysteria.

So suck it up, ya pussies

In further comparison to the wars of the past, our casualties in the Iraq war seem even smaller still. In a single day during a single batter (the battle of the Bulge) in World War II, it is estimated that over 5,000 U. S. soldiers died. Throughout the course of World War II, the greatest generation watched as hundreds of thousands of the best and brightest were forcibly drafted into a war to stop a madman who was terrorizing a far away continent, and further as over a hundred thousand of them died over a four year period. Even the widely disparaged Vietnam generation tolerated several years of forced enlistment, and much higher casualty rates without the benefit of an alternative media before becoming utterly war weary.

Got it? It’s not that so many have died, it’s that not enough have!

The liberals in this country love to berate the President for spending so much time in Crawford, accusing him of taking a five week "vacation." Honest folks know, however, that the job of being President never stops, regardless of where the President is. One of the things that Conservatives like about Bush is that he genuinely seems to dislike Washington, and being there. However, it is time to criticize the President for being in Crawford for so long for an entirely different reason. During this critical juncture in the war, when even prominent members of his own party are publicly defecting over the war, the President should have been using this time taking his message to the American people. We will not lose this war militarily, we will only lose it politically. For the President to ignore this reality and spend five weeks in Crawford while his detractors flail away at his policy and the public at home grows increasingly war weary is tantamount to neglecting his duty in the prosecution of this war. Sometimes, a President who wishes to be perceived as a man of strength and conviction, as the President claims to be, must do things he should not have to do for the sake of the cause he believes in.

I call upon the President to do so now. Remind us now, and remind us often, why this war is worth fighting. And remind us, most importantly of all, even for those who simply will not agree that the war is worth fighting, why immediate withdrawal represents disaster, and will cost more American lives in the long run than staying the course until the conflict is done.

And remind me of the address of the nearest recruiting station. HAHAHAHAHA Jes' kiddin'.

At least it's more than the feminists got

Goyische Putz, Exhibit A:


The Christian broadcaster Pat Robertson issued a statement today apologizing for his televised remarks calling for the assassination of Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez.

"Is it right to call for assassination?" he said in the statement. "No, and I apologize for that statement. I spoke in frustration that we should accommodate the man who thinks the U.S. is out to kill him."

But Mr. Robertson was far from apologetic on his television show today, instead insisting that he had been been "misinterpreted" by The Associated Press and that he had never used the word "assassination."

"I said our special forces should 'take him out.' 'Take him out' could be a number of things, including kidnapping," Mr. Robertson told his audience on the show "The 700 Club" today.
…
On Tuesday, Mr. Robertson's comments were denounced by both the State Department and by Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld. In Caracas, Mr. Robertson was criticized by the vice president of Venezuela, and in Havana by President Fidel Castro.

He's a uniter, not a divider

There's not much difference between a burkha and a shroud.

Former Middle East specialist for the CIA, Reuel Marc Gerecht, appeared on Meet the Press this morning. It was nice to see Mr. Gerecht up and around after waking from his 100 year nap:

I mean, one hopes that the Iraqis protect women's social rights as much as possible. It certainly seems clear that in protecting the political rights, there's no discussion of women not having the right to vote. I think it's important to remember that in the year 1900, for example, in the United States, it was a democracy then. In 1900, women did not have the right to vote. If Iraqis could develop a democracy that resembled America in the 1900s, I think we'd all be thrilled. I mean, women's social rights are not critical to the evolution of democracy. We hope they're there. I think they will be there. But I think we need to put this into perspective.

I’m not sure how “thrilled” the families of these women would be, knowing that their daughters and mothers and sisters died for a concept that’s “not critical to the evolution of democracy.”

Pamela G. Osborne, 28, 10/11/04
Cari Anne Gasewiec, 24, 12/04/06
Tina Safeira Time, 22, 12/13/2004
Barbara Heald, 60, 01/29/2005
Jessica M. Housby, 23, 02/09/2005
Katrina Lani Bell-Johnson, 32, 02/16/2005
Lizbeth Robles, 31, 03/01/2005
Adriana N. Salem, 21, 03/04/2005
Aleina Ramirezgonzalez, 33, 04/15/2005
Sam W Huff, 18, 04/18/2005
Linda J. Villar, 41, 06/03/2005
Carrie L French, 19, 06/05/2005
Holly A Charette, 21, 6/23/2005
Ramona M.Valdez, 20, 6/23/2005
Regina R. Clark, 43, 6/23/2005
Tricia L. Jameson, 34, 7/14/2005
Lavena L Johnson, 19, 07/19/2005
Toccara R. Green, 23, 08/14/2005

I hear ya knockin' but ya can't come in.

He speaks!

Vice President Cheney declared yesterday that the United States "will not relent" in the war in Iraq and will hunt down insurgents there "one at a time if necessary," implicitly rebutting escalating pressure on the Bush administration to bring U.S. troops home.

Addressing a friendly audience of combat veterans a day after antiwar candlelight vigils were held around the nation, Cheney cast victory in Iraq as "critical to the future security of the U.S." and said the country should not lose its resolve to defeat the militants.

"They believe that America will lose our nerve and let down our guard," he said at the 73rd national convention of the Military Order of the Purple Heart held in Springfield, Mo., according to a transcript provided by the White House. "They are sorely mistaken."
….

The vice president cited the darkest days of the American Revolution, when the war was going badly and ragtag rebels were ready to go home until George Washington rallied them. "They stayed in the fight, and America won the war," he said. "From that day to this, our country has always counted on the bravest among us to answer the call of duty."

Knock, knock
Who’s there?
Duty.
Sorry, I have ”other priorities”

In February 1962, when Mr. Cheney was classified as 1-A — available for service — he was doing poorly at Yale. But the military was taking only older men at that point, and like others who were in college at the time, Mr. Cheney seemed to have little concern about being drafted.

In June, he left Yale. After returning home to Casper, a small city in east-central Wyoming, he worked as a lineman for a power company.

At that point, the Vietnam War was still just a glimmer on the horizon. In 1962, only 82,060 men were inducted into the service, the fewest since 1949. Mr. Cheney was eligible for the draft but, as he said during his confirmation hearings in 1989, he was not called up because the Selective Service System was taking only older men.

But by 1963, ferment in Vietnam was rising. Mr. Cheney enrolled in Casper Community College in January 1963 — he turned 22 that month — and sought his first student deferment on March 20, according to records from the Selective Service System. After transferring to the University of Wyoming at Laramie, he sought his second student deferment on July 23, 1963.

On Aug. 7, 1964, Congress approved the Gulf of Tonkin resolution, which allowed President Lyndon B. Johnson to use unlimited military force in Vietnam. The war escalated rapidly from there.

Just 22 days later, Mr. Cheney married his high school sweetheart, Lynne. He sought his third student deferment on Oct. 14, 1964.

In May 1965, Mr. Cheney graduated from college and his draft status changed to 1-A. But he was married, which offered him some protection.

In July, President Johnson announced that he was doubling the number of men drafted. The number of inductions soared, to 382,010 in 1966 from 230,991 in 1965 and 112,386 in 1964.

Mr. Cheney obtained his fourth deferment when he started graduate school at the University of Wyoming on Nov. 1, 1965.

On Oct. 6, 1965, the Selective Service lifted its ban against drafting married men who had no children. Nine months and two days later, Mr. Cheney's first daughter, Elizabeth, was born. On Jan. 19, 1966, when his wife was about 10 weeks pregnant, Mr. Cheney applied for 3-A status, the "hardship" exemption, which excluded men with children or dependent parents. It was granted.

In January 1967, Mr. Cheney turned 26 and was no longer eligible for the draft.

Now watch this drive.

What he could have said:

Mrs. Sheehan, thank you for meeting with me. I know you may think this is easy for me to say, but I do grieve with you for the loss of your son. I grieve for the loss of every one of our men and women who have lost their lives in this war. I pray for them and for their families every day.

I know that no explanation will bring back your son, but I want you to know why I still believe this war is necessary, and why our continued presence in Iraq is important. I believe that we were right to go to Iraq because the people of that country were oppressed by a brutal dictator. I believe that by helping the Iraqis establish a democratic government, we will show the other people in that region that it will not be necessary to resort to violence to have their voices heard. When people are truly free, terrorists will no longer have a breeding ground to promote their message of hate and violence. Neither you nor I may see the benefits of our work in Iraq during our lifetimes, but I believe the world will be a safer place in the long run because of the actions I have taken.

You have asked why neither of my daughters has enlisted in the military. I can no more control the actions of my daughters than you could control the actions of your son. Our children do what they do, and we love them no matter what.

You and I will continue to disagree to on whether this war is justified. Let me assure you that I did not make this decision lightly, and I fully accept the consequences of my decision. I will continue to pray for you and your family, and I hope you will pray for me and mine.

What he said:

"But whether it be here or in Washington or anywhere else, there's somebody who has got something to say to the president, that's part of the job," Bush said on the ranch. "And I think it's important for me to be thoughtful and sensitive to those who have got something to say."
"But," he added, "I think it's also important for me to go on with my life, to keep a balanced life."
…
"I think the people want the president to be in a position to make good, crisp decisions and to stay healthy," he said when asked about bike riding while a grieving mom wanted to speak with him. "And part of my being is to be outside exercising."

What a hopelessly deluded sociopath.

Fingers in his...um..ears...

Whenever the NY Times starts charging for access to its columnists and editorial content, it might just be worth it to read stuff like this:

Someone Tell the President the War Is Over

LIKE the Japanese soldier marooned on an island for years after V-J Day, President Bush may be the last person in the country to learn that for Americans, if not Iraqis, the war in Iraq is over. "We will stay the course," he insistently tells us from his Texas ranch. What do you mean we, white man?
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The president's cable cadre is in disarray as well. At Fox News Bill O'Reilly is trashing Donald Rumsfeld for his incompetence, and Ann Coulter is chiding Mr. O'Reilly for being a defeatist. In an emblematic gesture akin to waving a white flag, Robert Novak walked off a CNN set and possibly out of a job rather than answer questions about his role in smearing the man who helped expose the administration's prewar inflation of Saddam W.M.D.'s. (On this sinking ship, it's hard to know which rat to root for.)

Rich’s point is that the war on terror global struggle against extremism is being lost in the hearts and minds of the American people. Only 34% of Americans approve of how the President is handling this war.

Which is exactly why the Republican solid front is beginning to crack. The 2006 elections are looming, and with 61% of Americans voicing opposition to the war, these Senators and Representatives are gonna have some ‘splainin to do.

And the Republicans CAN count:

These are the tea leaves that all Republicans, not just Chuck Hagel, are reading now. Newt Gingrich called the Hackett near-victory "a wake-up call." The resolutely pro-war New York Post editorial page begged Mr. Bush (to no avail) to "show some leadership" by showing up in Ohio to salute the fallen and their families. A Bush loyalist, Senator George Allen of Virginia, instructed the president to meet with Cindy Sheehan, the mother camping out in Crawford, as "a matter of courtesy and decency." Or, to translate his Washingtonese, as a matter of politics. Only someone as adrift from reality as Mr. Bush would need to be told that a vacationing president can't win a standoff with a grief-stricken parent commandeering TV cameras and the blogosphere 24/7.

But none of this matters to the Clown Prince of Crawford. In the splendid isolation of the “ranch”, he can blissfully ignore any fact that doesn’t fit into his vision. Surrounded by sycophants (nee Cheney and Rice) he can pretend that none of this matters. He’s not running for re-election, so he need not care about public opinion.

It is the “Nyah-nyah I can’t hear you” school of governing.

Or something worse.

Hey you damn kids! Get off the grass!

Sometimes these things just write themselves:

Bush Taps Miller to Oversee War Monuments

WASHINGTON - After snubbing his Democratic Party to deliver the Republican keynote address for President Bush, former Georgia Sen. Zell Miller seemed a good bet for an ambassadorship, adviser post or maybe even a Cabinet office. On Tuesday, the White House revealed Miller's choice: a seat on the American Battle Monuments Commission.

"I'm just an old man looking after cemeteries," Miller said in an interview Tuesday after President Bush tapped him for the job.

…

According to the group's Web site, the commission is responsible for commemorating the work of American armed forces since World War I. Among its duties are constructing military burial grounds around the world and designing and constructing monuments.

Jaysus wouldn’t you love to be the architect meeting with THAT commission?



Dammit I said make those cannonballs this big !

This Old Spacecraft

Discovery is headed back to earth with touchdown expected early tomorrow morning. I know that previous flights may have accomplished more, but these guys speak to those of us who grapple every day with houses and vehicles that have seen better days.

As someone who has almost met her demise while trying to replace a shower curtain rod, I am amazed by the repairs that have been made floating in space, attached to the mother ship by the slimmest of tethers. They went out armed with duct tape and a hacksaw, and ended up ripping off the stuff that was sticking out. And who among us has not done the same, only with feet planted on terra firma? This, to me, is of more scientific importance than whether fruit flies can successfully copulate in zero gravity. Never again will we be able to use the excuse “I can’t figure out how to get to it” to put off long-needed repairs. Hell, if we can put a man on a heat shield 8 miles above the earth, we can clean out a clogged gutter two stories up.

The return to earth will be dicey, and one wonders what these astronauts can be thinking as they prepare for re-entry. Because of the Columbia disaster, cameras were installed on Discovery that recorded the damage done, so for the first time we knew what went wrong and could figure out how to fix it. But prior to Columbia we were just damned lucky. Without the cameras, we have no idea how many times just this kind of damage occurred. Kinda like covering up the Check Engine light with electrical tape, an approach often recommended by Tom and Ray. And astronauts returned to earth blissfully unaware of just how much like a ’64 Dodge the spacecraft they were traveling in was.

But now they know. And we know, too. And we’re holding our breaths until they touch down safely. Especially those of us who have to hold onto the bracket every time we raise the mini-blinds because we were off by half an inch when we installed it.

Godspeed, Discovery.

First!

The latest tropical storm has developed in the Atlantic and its name is Harvey. Which makes it difficult to track, since it only appears here and there, now and then, to this one and that one.