Bush's Folly

The Associated Press headline this morning said: “4 Bombs Kill 160 People in Baghdad”

AP’s article went on to report: “Four large bombs exploded in mostly Shiite areas of Baghdad on Wednesday, killing at least 160 people and wounding scores as violence climbed toward levels seen before the U.S.-Iraqi campaign to pacify the capital began two months ago.”

How many more Iraqis and Americans die before we finally recognize the folly of George Bush’s so-called “plan for victory?”

Oh, I know what the Republican apologists will argue, “The surge needs time to work.” To which I ask, “What part of the fact that your ‘time’ translates as ‘dead’ innocent Iraqis and dead American young men and women don’t you understand?”

You watch, in another month or so, when it is finally becoming clear that the “surge” is not bringing any meaningful reduction in violence in Iraq, George Bush will say he needs another “surge” of American troops.

Because, if “victory” as Bush defines it is to stop the sectarian violence in Iraq, then the only way that can be accomplished is if the United States becomes an occupation power, with not 160,000 troops there, but double that number or more. Then there will be no difference between us and Saddam Hussein, and we will have radicalized hundreds of thousands, if not millions, more Islamists, thus making us less safe instead of more safe.

I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again here: George Bush is the best recruiter al Qaeda has.

What will be the tipping point?

According to an Associated Press report published today: “The way the government rates service members' disabilities is inconsistent, and the Army might be shortchanging injured soldiers, the chairman of a special commission said Thursday.

“Testifying before a Senate panel, retired Lt. Gen. James Terry Scott, chairman of the Veterans' Disability Benefits Commission, detailed problems in the Pentagon and Veterans Affairs ratings systems. Critics contend the ratings are easily manipulated to limit disability payments and create undue confusion in a claims system already strained to the limit,” the article said.

I am a fan of Chaos Theory as a way to understand the dynamics of systems, such as the complex way that public opinion is formed. One of the fundamental tenets of Chaos Theory is that there is often a “tipping point,” seemingly small and by themselves more or less inconsequential occurrences that later prove to have had ultimate effects that are far out of proportion to their initial size.

Here’s my question: What will be the tipping point that finally reveals for all Americans --- even diehard Republicans --- the complete incompetency of George Bush and his administration?

Which one of just the most recent in a long list of bungling by Bush and his cronies will be the tipping point?

- The arrogant and ham-handed way the Justice Department handled the “firing” of several local federal attorneys?

- That now, after four years, Bush and his people think they need a White House level czar to execute their Afghan and Iraq War strategies?

- The disgraceful conditions that Iraq wounded veterans endured at Walter Reed Hospital that were only addressed when the press finally noticed?

- Or will be the shabby and apparently penny-pinching way the VA tries to screw vets out of their disability? (See news story above)

By the way, I want to hear NOTHING --- no one peep --- from any Republican about how the Democrats aren’t supporting the troops!

Colossal hyprocrisy

It seems that the Bush people have absolutely no limits to the dispicable levels of hyopocrisy they will sink. According to an article reported today on Raw Story:

"The White House on Friday condemned as 'unfortunate and extremely disappointing' any mistreatment by Iran of British naval personnel held captive by Tehran for roughly two weeks.

"'What the sailors said this morning is unfortunate and extremely disappointing if they were treated inappropriately in any way,' national security spokesman Gordon Johndroe told reporters."

"'If what they described is accurate, and I have no reason to believe it is not, if what they described is accurate then that would not seem to be appropriate behavior and action,' said Johndroe."

Mr. Johndroe, Abu Ghraib --- which, in case your "can't recall" (which seems to be the CYA mantra among Bush Administration flunkies these days) was the Iraqi prison camp run by AMERICANS --- made what the Iranians did to the British sailors seem like a picnic in the park. If the Iranian treatment of the British soldiers was "not appropriate," then what does that make Abu Ghraib? "War crimes" seems to fit.

With National Security people like you, Mr. Johndroe, no wonder the Bush Administration has zero credibility left on the world stage.