STOP THE PRESSES!
"This ain't rock 'n' roll. THIS IS GENOCIDE!"
David Bowie, 1974
After months of exhaustive research, the respected British polling firm, ORB, has just announced the results of their latest inquiry. With the chance of error at plus or minus two percentage points, they have come to the conclusion that the cost of the obscenity that the Bush administration has been waging in Iraq these last four and a half years in terms of human lives is 1.2 million. You read that right, campers! Please, give yourselves a minute or two for this nasty little piece of information to sink in:
1.2 million men, women and little children slaughtered for no fucking reason whatsoever.
David Bowie, 1974
After months of exhaustive research, the respected British polling firm, ORB, has just announced the results of their latest inquiry. With the chance of error at plus or minus two percentage points, they have come to the conclusion that the cost of the obscenity that the Bush administration has been waging in Iraq these last four and a half years in terms of human lives is 1.2 million. You read that right, campers! Please, give yourselves a minute or two for this nasty little piece of information to sink in:
1.2 million men, women and little children slaughtered for no fucking reason whatsoever.
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This is what the current administration has done to the people of Iraq. We all have to take a deep breath, come to our senses and admit it: Our civilian leaders are war criminals - and that by re-electing them, we are culpable! The sooner we face these unpleasant, undeniable facts, the healthier we'll all be. A Twelve-Step Program for the American soul is in order. A movement must be initiated that will see to it that George W. Bush, Richard B. Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Paul Wolfowitz, Colin Powell, Paul Bremer, Condoleeza Rice, Steven Hadley - and everyone else who had a hand in the creation of the atrocity that is now being committed against that country - be prosecuted and sent to prison for the rest of their lives.
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The motivations of these people - keeping an illegal war going that they know damned good and well is doomed for failure - are as transparent as they are deeply disturbing. Their plan obviously is to continue the carnage into the next (read: Democratic) administration. When the next president does the only sensible thing that can possibly be done and ends the American presence there, the GOP will then label the Democratic party as the party that lost the war in Iraq. ("Whiny liberal cut 'n' runners! That's what they are!") George W. Bush has the power to end this madness right now, thereby saving the lives of untold thousands of people. But for no other reason than cheap political expediency, he won't. And remember, this is the same crooked politician who in 2000 labeled Jesus Christ as his "favorite political philosopher."
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How does one even respond to this craziness? Are you speechless yet? I'm gettin' there, folks, I'm gettin' there! Did you ever, in your wildest, stupidest dreams, think that the day would come when we would sink to this level of madness and absurdity? This is dark comedy, no doubt about it. It is days such as these where I miss people like Kurt Vonnegut and Lenny Bruce the most.
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That nearly one third of the American people still think that the First Fool is doing a good job as commander-in-chief defies common sense. Are there really that many people walking our streets who are that dangerously ill-informed? Yeah, sadly there are. But sooner or later it will dawn on most of them just what sort of fruit Bush's disastrous reign of error has produced. Sooner or later, even the faithful, clueless viewers of FOX News are bound to catch on to the permanent damage that has been done to the United States of America by this rogue's gallery of kooks, criminals and fools. The American way of life is, for all intents and purposes, finished. True, we will one day, no doubt, regain at least a semblance of normality to our lives - even the people of Germany were eventually able to recover from twelve years of Hitler and the Nazis. But what was once known as "the American standard of living" has been destroyed for at least the next two or three generations - and that's a conservative estimate! If what I have to say is not apparent to you now, it will be - very soon. Count on it.
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Here's a word of advice for the next president, whomever he or she may be: After you take the oath of office, the moment you begin your inaugural address, the first words out of your mouth should be, "I have just signed an executive order directed to the commanding officers in every branch of the service, instructing them to begin the Immediate withdrawal of all American service men and women from the country of Iraq." Do that and it won't become "your war". It will forever be linked to George W. Bush and his twisted, perverted world view. It will forever be linked to the mindless greed and corruption of his nightmare of an administration. Don't try to convince yourself that if America pulls out, the place will dissolve into chaos. Iraq is beyond chaotic; we're talkin' full-blown holocaust here, pardner! If you decide to wait even one day, it will become your war and you will be blamed for losing it. And don't forget the the fact that the war in Iraq was lost from the day our government committed the dumbest military blunder in American history by invading. It never had a chance in hell of succeeding. The blame might as well go where it belongs.
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In her column in today's Times Herald-Record of Middletown, NY, Beth Quinn (whom I cannot believe is not a nationally syndicated columnist - she's that good) optimistically reminded her readers that there are only 491 days left until the Bush White House is history. Beth usually gets it right but I think she got it wrong here. I have got to believe that We, The People are very soon going to demand that this insanity be ended and that this disgusting president and vice-president be held accountable for their crimes against humanity in general and the people of Iraq in particular. We cannot allow these habitual and arrogant violators of the Geneva Convention and the US Constitution to be able to escape the justice they are due. To do so would only be a subtle endorsement of their atrocities - and the world would never trust us again. Come to think of it, it shouldn't.
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Someday, our children and grandchildren are going to ask us, "How did this happen to America?" What are we going to tell them? What in God's name are we going to tell them?
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Tom Degan
Goshen, NY
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AFTERTHOUGHT:
Beth Quinn can be read every Monday at: http://www.recordonline.com/
Check her out folks! She's great!
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO TOM FINKLE - my oldest friend on the planet Earth! Love ya, pal!
posted by Tom Degan @ 8:48 AM
11 comments
11 Comments:
Yes, this is awful news and it's impossible not to feel the heavy weight of depression that comes with it. It's a hazard of dealing with the truth. Sometimes it's necessary to look away from evil to keep from being totally swallowed up with the heaviness of it.
I just want to remind you, you've been a tremendous force for goodness in this world, don't ever forget that! You've helped turn my life around and because of that, other lives are also turning. The dominoes are falling faster and faster now because of you and people like you who never gave up speaking the truth.
Thank God there are people around like you who understand what's been going on, who haven't forgotten history's lessons.
Some good has to come of all this evil. It's important to keep the perspective that where there is life and breath there is hope.
I think a big change is coming soon here in America, starting from the grassroots and working on up. We have to hang in there and be ready for it.
I wish you peace and love; you are someone who deserves it for working so long to spread these things to others in this world.
Ditto for the rest of your readers here!
Dude - I love that you're able to articulate what too many are afraid to say - "War criminal." yes, it's true, I get into arguments now and then with folks who say it isn't politically "feasible" to impeach Bush/Cheney right now as they just don't have the votes and I'm like, "in Mississippi they just convicted an elderly klan member for the murder of two black kids back in the '60s - some folks argued that he's too old to put on trial but I say, this is not an issue of what's practical, this is an issue of JUSTICE."
And to think, just last night at a coffee shop, a friend was saying "Edwards is more electable." (i.e. a woman, a black man, and a short guy are not) Americans, what a bunch of tepid cerebral souls we've become.
yeah, if America's short lived (200 years is not very long in the scheme of human 'civilizations') status as a "republic" still holds any water, then Bush and Cheney need to be taken away in handcuffs - plain and simple.
Then again, I still can't believe people like Henry Kissinger and Robert MacNamara are allowed to walk around the country free. Can someone explain that one to me?
I don't believe Bush has the capacity to pause in reflection and question his own views. His opinions obviously are concretized and his belligerant stance is that of a zealot willing to sacrifice all to further his view of reality. He and his hobgoblins who have and are currently running this country into the ground all deserve to "swing in the wind". I often think of the cheering throngs that encouraged the formation of the Third Reich. I think of the neigbors with the W stickers still on their bumpers, talk radio with its festering hate messages and those that support it, the right-wing fearmongering by local newspaper editors,etc. How eager most people are not for clarity but for comfort and how willingly they'll accept the lies put forth by this government of criminals! If the English estimation of Iraqi deaths is true or even close this legacy of mass murder is one Bush should be remembered( and prosecuted) for! Those that cheered, supported, and wet themselves over his rhetoric can also take responsibility for the carnage and suffering of innocents. The damage Bush has done to America's democratic ideals will take decades to mend!
The killing is horrible all around and one million is only an estimate but I wonder if they mean undocumented deaths since they considered it an estimate. Surely, Iraq has become the valley of death where evil and fear abound. And we have a good figurehead to blame it on; our unelected president, but he is only the puppet. Yet… although I support the soldier on the ground I cannot always overlook the fact that this same soldier may be directly or indirectly involved in the killing of women and children. They must do what they are told when many know it’s wrong. Too bad society has to be configured like this.
One thing is certain. Things are going to change. But how; that is uncertain.
Impeachment of both our president and vice-president is hardly enough, it is too mild. They must be arrested and nothing less. Impeachment will just slap them on the wrist.
Perhaps the saddest thing is that our country is being run by a president and vice president who are simply mentally incompetent. All comparisons between the US and Nazi Germany are right on target.
For a short while, I had hope that our other elected leaders would do something about removing these criminals from office, but it is simply not going to happen.
Can you imagine anything more ludicrous and ironic that Bill Clinton was censured and subjected to public humiliation because of a damned blow job, and these half witted criminals are leading our country on a path to destruction and are being given a free ride?
We the people have got to get off our collective asses and demand that our elected representatives take action and send these thugs to prison.
Over a million Iraqi people dead? That's a low-ball estimate! I figure the amount is closer to 2.5 million!
Not only that, but President Pork Pie's little lark in the desert has cost this country (at a low ball estimate by Jeseph Stiglitz puts it at 1 trillion dollars and 2 trillion as a moderate estimate!
Dig this! If you had a trillion dollars bills and decided to count your cash, it would take you over 31,709 years to do it, if you counted one dollar a second! THAT'S THIRTY ONE THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED AND NINE YEARS!!!!! THAT'S TEN TIMES LONGER THAN THE AGE OF HUMAN CIVILIZATION!!!
At least the Iraqi Government had the good sense to boot Blackwater out after they decided to waste nine Iraqi civilians, and wound fifteen more after a "firefight". Maybe the Iraqi Government will have the good sense to boot President Pork Pie out next!
As far as trying the whole sad bunch for war crimes, sign me up! I don't know if we have the voices in Congress to do it, yet. I'll let you know when the vote comes down for ditching the no habeas corpus bill for Gitmo detainees.
If that turd still stays on the books, then I don't see it happening. How the fuck does the weasel stand in judgement of the fox for killing chickens?
Tom,
I don't think Bush (& his partners) is keeping the war going for political reasons, its more financial. These guys are making a ton of money. Regardless of who the next president is, many of the people and companies who are profiting from this war will want to keep it going as long as possible. You can be sure they will bankroll anyone who will keep the cash rolling in. If that is Hillary Clinton, they will be quite happy with the Democratic candidate.
Much of this nation's rhetoric is about honoring human life. In this society, we also regard someone who would kill another person for a few bucks as among the lowest of criminals. It is so sadly ironic that we have a president who constantly parrots that rhetoric of 'American Values' while at the same time perpetrating the disgusting crime of murder for money - a million times - and that so many people, who would claim to honor life, willfully turn a blind eye to this genocide that our nation is committing.
Uh Tom ,I hate to reimind you, but have you forgotten the main reason this War is being fought is to line the pockets of the gizillionaire Oil Companys. I don't think 1.2 million people of Iraq have given up their lives because of a stupid decision by a known Moron and his evil handlers.
I think this was a well planned and carreid out scheme to take over Oil rich Iraq and to hell with the carnage that took place. The whole kit and kaboodle from the Oil companys to Haliburton,to the Senate and the House and the thieves that now occupy the Presidential Palace should be tried as War Criminals but how likley is that to happen. Keep up the fight Tom you are performing a great service to the people
I agree with you and everyone who has commented so far, that the whole Bush/Cheney administration should all be hand-cuffed and sent to prison for the rest of their lives, plus a few years! Thanks for saying what so many others are afraid to!
Tom, another excellent piece of writing - you should be nationally syndicated!
I don't know if Bush/Cheney will spend the rest of their natural (can that word even be applied to these two?) lives in a federal prison, even though they deserve it.
But I hear more people talking about their dissatisfaction with them - at work, at the supermarket, etc., and am reading more letters critical of Bush in the local paper, than before.
Fingers crossed that things are going to change, and sooner rather than later.
Mary Eman
There is a dedicated group in Iraq documenting CONFIRMED civilian deaths and working to confirm the fate of the missing.
Their conclusions are on-the-money. Many more are thought to be dead but there is no iron-clad proof. My uneducated guess is that there are at least half again as many dead, not to mention all the maimed barely alive and millions of refugees who have fled to neighboring countries to get away from the "freedom" Bush has awarded them
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