Some "Known Knowns" To Munch On
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"...as we know, there are known knowns. There are things we know we know. We also know that there are known unknowns. That is to say: we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns - the ones we don't know we don't know".Donald Rumsfeld
with straight face, no less
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Well, mine eyes have seen the glory! It is a civil war! How could that possibly be? There is no whiff of magnolia in the sweet southern breeze. There's no Old Black Joe singing Camptown Races under a warm rebel moon. There are no southern belles of unquestioned virtue. There is no cotton. There ain't no Dixie.
And they call this a civil war???
Just a few days ago, NBC News announced that from this day forward, that would be the term used to describe the conflict in Iraq. "Conflict" sounds a little bit understated, does it not? As of today, December 1, 2006, as far as Iraq is concerned, we're almost in apocalypse country. This entire obscenity has been brought to you courtesy of the village idiot of Crawford, Texas. From the first cabinet meeting in January 2001, according to Paul O'Neil in Ron Susskind's book, "Price of Loyalty" and Richard Clarke in his book "Against All Enemies", these murderous bastards were determined to invade Iraq - come hell or high water. They convinced themselves - and a lot of foolish Americans - that it would be a "cake walk", that we would be greeted with "flowers and candy" and that the streets of Baghdad would be littered with rose pedals. They were going to turn the entire country into fucking Disneyland and we were all gonna to live happily ever after.
Oh, Tinkerbell! If we believe hard enough, it will be true!
We are now almost four years into this atrocity - that you and I (as taxpayers) are funding - and there is no light at the end of the tunnel. None. Not a flicker - not even a hint of a flicker.
Mission accomplished. Does that phrase just give you an uncontrollable fit of the giggles, or what?
With the findings of the Iraq Study Group due on December 6, speculation in the media has been as to whether or not the First Fool will be wise enough to act on their recommendations. Don't hold your breath. If there's one thing we've come to expect from this nightmare of an administration it is that when faced with a decision of momentous import, they'll always do something really stupid - always. That's the reason we're bogged down in Iraq to begin with.
Consider this: They actually believed that invading a hostile, Arab country, in total violation of international law and opinion, was a good idea. Over a half a million lives later it is now a given what was obvious to every thinking person from the beginning: the invasion of Iraq was the worst foreign policy blunder in American history. The consequences of what they have done has barely scratched the surface of our national awareness - but it is deep and it is long lasting. The damage that George W. Bush and company have done to our nation and the planet will be palpable a century and a half from now.
What they have done to our country has severely weakened our social and economic infrastructure to the point that we are on the verge of a bona fide national emergency. Whether it be with respect to the educational system or the condition of our bridges and highways, our country is quite literally falling apart. The day will come in the very near future when we will no longer be able to simultaneously support the vital social services that have been in place since the administration of Franklin Roosevelt and the Military Industrial Complex. The far-right wing actually believes that they will be able to do away with all of our societal safety nets - Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, unemployment insurance - and that the American people will be more content with guns rather than butter. They're wrong. Our society needs to be strengthened and our planet needs to be made safe from the utter destruction that is all-but-inevitable because of the existence of our out-of-control armaments industry. The coming generation will see the end of the American corporate military machine. You and I will see to that.
At a press conference in Jordan the other day, Bush said that Americans should not expect a graceful exit from Iraq. Who the hell in their right mind is expecting that?? America's exit from that shattered country, whether it be in 2008 or 2028, will be in total, humiliating defeat. That is the reality that we all need to come to terms with. That is the inarguable fact. The sooner we own up to it, the better off we'll all be. This war is over - get used to the idea. Anyone who seriously believes that this is a winnable situation has been watching too much FOX News while drinking near-lethal levels of Stupid Juice. It's over. It's all over. Maybe we won't be able to save the Iraqi people from themselves, but it's a sure bet that we will be able to save them from us.
If the Republicans are smart - yes, I know that's wishful thinking but hear me out - they'll insist that Dick Cheney retire for "health reasons" immediately. There are trainloads of evidence to impeach and remove the president and vice-president. And while the prospect of a President Nancy Pelosi is fine and dandy on this end, I'm sure it's the GOP's worst nightmare.
2007 is only a month away and of this there can be no doubt: it will be the most tumultuous political year since the 1860's - not the 1960's, mind you - the eighteen-sixties! All I can tell you is that it's going to be one hell of a ride so brace yourselves, folks! Keep your feet planted firmly on the ground and - for the love of Mike! - make sure the kids are fastened tightly in their safety seats! It's going to be that kind of year.
Pray for peace.
Tom Degan
Goshen, NY
posted by Tom Degan @ 6:08 AM
13 comments
13 Comments:
Tom- Terrific rant. Insightfull analysis and skillfull creative writing- as usual. You got the writing gift.Thanks for sharing it!
I agree 07 will be a watershed.I am almost overwhelmed by the possibilities and eager to see it all play out. Because I think better times "they are a comin"
YOU HAVE HELPED IN NO SMALL WAY
Dr. Rick Lippin
"Blake"
Well...Tom...I have to tell you I changed my mind about the impeachment deal we discussed in your last post. I had an epiphany yesterday with Dub's latest dumb speech. He's absolutely delusional and cerifiably nutty...I see it and hear it clearly now...and he and his buds must be removed from office. They will kill us all with their (I'd like to say ideas)...but they don't have any! So where does the line begin so I can write my name down on the petition. I'm all about petitions!
Blake, I want to say the times HAVE to get better, they can't get worse but remembered I have been thinking that ever since Dumya hit Washington and sinks to a new low with each breach of the Constitution "that Goddamned piece of paper" he swore TWICE to uphold.
Sumo there are petitions everywhere begging for signers.
all we can do is keep fighting against the insanity. we won't live to see the end result, but perhaps we can rid future generations of this tumor. the right is still fighting. they still have their think tanks and corporate support- and the folks like delay and gingrich are still there in the background- and on podiums poisoning the air we breathe. they haven't stopped and neither should we. these mid-term elections have meant next to nothing. the only thing it has done is buy us some breathing room to rest and continue the fight.
betmo- it is noble and moral to fight for future generations. Thank you! But we will personally live to see changes.(depending on how old or sick you are of course).I'm predicting seismic (not incremental) changes over next 3-5 years. The stars are alligning.
Bless you
Dr. Rick Lippin
"Blake"
If ever, if EVER, the reality of the so-called "war" in Iraq is driven home in its shameful, sorry and lying state it is this:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/30/AR2006113000932_pf.html
these poor soldiers treated like so much luggage: disrespected, dismissed and dishonoured. Mission Accomplished, indeed. If it were a matter of honour their bodies would be militarily-paraded down every main street in the U.S.
If ever anyone on this earth should be called to account it is the Current Occupant.
Blessings on your light and truth, Tom.
The Liberal Party of Canada has chosen a new leader Stephan Dion - an intellectual out of a dynamic group of candidates. Of the 3 leading, we had to university professors and 1 labor leader.
This is a far cry from what I see going on in the GOP - which seems to be populated by the strangest bunch of people one could ever hope to meet. What makes these people so attractive to the American populace?.
In any case, Canada is getting ready to eject its minority-leader, Steven Harper (mini-bush) as soon as possible.
Tom,
You continue to give thoughtful and provoking commentary. This is America--and we DO have freedom of expression. I read/skim a lot of sites and I always enjoy reading your reflections. And, as you know, sometimes I even comment.
SHALOM!
Johnnie Walker
New York, Harlem
Bush is already saying he is not going to consider a withdrawal of troops from Iraq, regardless of any recommendations. He is determined to continue on the suicidal course he has inflicted on Iraq and the American public. I, too, felt that impeachment was a diversion from critical work that must be done by the incoming Congress. I still believe-sadly-that the Dems dont have the spine or the moxie to take on impeachment. However, Bush has gone over the edge. He evidently cannot connect with any reality about Iraq. His narcissistic personality disorder is evolving into total ego dissolution. In other words, he definitely isnt playing with a full deck. Impeachment may be the only way to save the country from a seriously disturbed individual. He is so angry and so threatened by the repudiation of his policies in the last election, that he is determined to thumb his nose at the people, and even punish them. He always was an elitist. It is going way beyond that now. He feels no responsibility to the citizens of this country. He does not see himself (well, he never has, really) as a public servant. He has become the proverbial rat backed against a wall; and Cheney is goading him on.
I frequently read articles about the economy. The current batch are frightening, to say the least. Read the article: "Death Knell of the US Dollar," by Clive Maund, found in Information Clearing House, Sunday November 26, 2006. Once the dollar stampede begins,and I believe it will begin soon, the ship is going down. Bush may be forced to face reality, whether he wishes to or not. We have been the country of "In DEBT we Trust" for too long to recover easily. The average consumer has an overload of personal debt; the housing bubble is bursting; the banks are being hit with rising numbers of mortgage foreclosures; and the U.S. government is drowning in debt. The Middle Class is being hit by ever-increasing health care costs, tuition costs, energy costs,local property taxes, and astronomical credit card interest fees. All of this means that consumer spending will have to decrease. Yes, Tom, there is going to be a very rocky road ahead.
In yesterday's New York Times, Frank Rich wrote an excellent piece called, "Has He Started Talking To The Walls"?You can read it at the Information Clearing House Web Site. There is a link to it on this blog. It is a humdinger, folks!
Cheers!
Tom Degan
There COULD be light at the end of the tunnel. IF the newly elected Democrats and the returning Democrats went to Washington with the clear message of cleaning out the corruption, governing according to the Constitution and turning this country into the country it used to be.Most of the surviving Republicans would go along, they surely read the handwriting on the the ballots. Forget phoney bipartisanship, look where it got us under the Gingrich gang and especially under Bush. In today's Washingtonspeak bipartisanship means gut it if it is any kind of "entitlement".
hey tom degan. ran in to you in the comments section over on alternet's story on olbermann and droped a comment quoting you. not in your thread. a new one. sorry 'bout misspelling your name.
also droped one to the gem who asked, "dissent has an audience?"
recon he'll ever wake up?
anyhow, just wanted to say howdy and thanks for carrying the torch.
and add a comment to your welcome.... federal prison is too good for em. I want em OFF THIS PLANET!!
keep rantin. and oh ya, keep the roses watered... palooka
Hey there, Palooka!
Thanks for the kind words. When I get through with this, I'll check out your blog.
All the best,
Tom Degan
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