The ghoul in me

I'm angry--at whom I don't know, precisely. Look, the more dead US soldiers in Iraq, the worse it is for Bush. And the sooner we'll pull out of there. So, when there's a persistent under-reporting of deaths in the media, I'm angered, but at least I'm alive to blog on the subject.

If I were a dead soldier, say the result of a humvee crash or a drowning in the Tigris, I'd be pissed off that my death didn't at least become a statistic that might help to effect a change the course of history. But no, if a soldier dies in Iraq by other than an enemy bullet or bomb, his death counts for nothing, not even in the tabulation of casualties that one day may cause the US citizenry to get rid of Bush and elect a sane president. (This form of refined, limited casualty-counting, BTW, is unique to this war.)
Even in death, I would be really pissed off.

Victims of Arson

I have this to say about Erik's last post:

The Bush administration was right about one thing. We are in danger of being victims of terrorism, right here in the USA.

A bit scary

In spite of neighbors' protests, this Virginia couple installed on their porch a sign stating the number of U.S. military casualties in Iraq. "Egging" of their house, hoots and insults, were followed, one night, by arson of the sign--and as a result, the house.

I march on Saturday mornings, along with a few others, carrying a sign up and down State Street in SB that displays the latest casualty figures, and often, when I park my Volvo in parking lots, I place the sign atop my car, sticking through the sunroof. On one side it says, "Hey, Hey, USA! How many soldiers died today?" and on the other, "'Bring 'em On'-2388 U.S. Causualties-R U Happy Now, W?" I update the number regularly. (Today's total, BTW, is 2470.)

So far, I've received only these reactions: A few notes, half positive, half negative, pinned under my windshield wiper, and a couple of snide remarks ("Dirty hippie," "Get a life") as I install the sign. No egging or keying of my car, no harm to the sign. So far.

Adolph Bush

I recall a WWII photo of Hitler patting the cheek of a child recruit who he was about to send into battle as the Third Reich came to an end. With our present Fuehrer's announcement of quickie training of Iraqi youths to take over for American soldiers, I'm getting an eerie feeling, not of deja vu, but of historical repetition.

Stupid questions

John, an occasional contributor, submits these questions:

I may be stupid but didn't we start this war to deprive Iraq of their WMD? If so, since we now have determined there are no WMD, doesn't this mean we accomplished our mission by default and should simply pack up and go home?

'Nuff said.

Rice-a-loonie

Something's got to be done about this lying bitch.

This is delicious

Okay, so now that Tribune Bremer has by fiat opened up Iraq to commercial exploitation by Bush's cronies, and they flock to Iraq to rip off the locals as well as the US taxpayers (who, it should be noted, are funding Iraq's reconstruction), this happens: Iraq, through its legally-constituted entity (not the CPA-appointed stooges) later decides to renege on some of the deals, leaving Bushies broke and stranded in the desert. All without legal recourse, because Bremer and friends had no legal power or authority to grant the contracts ab initio.
I can't wait.

How much ya wanna bet?

So, the oilfield contract is going to be doubled in monetary scope and put out to bid on a noncompetitive basis. Who do you think is going to be granted the extra billion-plus?

The future of jobs in America looks dim, thank God

This analysis of a Job-is-worth-less economy is, for this Bush-hater (and non-jobseeker) heaven-sent. Indeed, in the face of all of this "recovery" noise, it makes sense.
The other evening, for example, my laptop crashed and I called the requisite 1-800 number for technical assistance (which BTW was timely and effective). As my tech-support person and I were waiting for some fix on my machine to take effect, I asked him where he was located, that is, what city I'd reached with my toll-free call.
"Delhi," he said.
And so it goes.

Cher, Abe & Bush

If we love America, we have to pray for America. Before the president and the neocons trade our community chest for a handful of hate and we finally truly go the way of Rome.

We used to have leaders who would meet the coffins at Andrews AFB, and meet with the families of the dead. Remember Bill Clinton crying in the hanger at Andrews? And lest you think it's a partisan issue, remember Lincoln ministering to the nation's grief at Gettysburg?

"The father grieves for his son, and will not leave the room
where the coffin stands."
--Bly

Throughout the course of human life, it has been a common duty of substantive leadership to lead the people in mourning, and we as a nation have always wept together. Anyone who has seen the Vietnam Memorial wall knows this is true. We are supposed to be led to take "increased devotion" and "highly resolve that (the) dead shall not have died in vain."

Cher is right, and it illuminates the reality that his nation is not being led as the community of people that we thought we were. George W. Bush will not meet the coffins at the airport. He is cynical and drunk with power, obsessed with a vain and illusory victory. He cares little for the price paid by those who bear the duty, and he will not hug their grieving families. His minions have outlawed photos of the arrivals of our dead. It is beyond his poor power to consecrate or comfort, to add or detract. I doubt it's in his heart to even try.

"Mother whose heart hung humble as a button
On the bright splendid shroud of your son,
Do not weep.
War is kind."
--Crane

Right on, Cher

You've got to read this transcript of a caller to C-Span. (Scroll down to "Cher on Cspan") Now I see what Sonny saw in her.

October surprise & tuna salad sucks, says Salam

Erik's theory that Caesar will attempt to fuel re-appointment by an October Surprise is shared by a man in Baghdad, not quite verbatim.

See the entry beginning, "My cousin, after his third beer ...." dated 10/19/03, on Where is Raed ?

I could'na said it better redux

This fun-written piece, reciting What We Can Do About It All, is uplifting. I wish I could change America by a wink and a nod, but no. However, this I can do.

I could'na said it better

The new Jacobins. The end of America. A synthesis of Nascar Dads, hyperChristians, odd-bent historians, power-hungry sickos and corporations. Yeah--that's who's gonna be voting for Bush in 2004.

I'm baaack!

After a fine sojourn into the Sierras, I've returned to SB and my computer, only to learn that nothing has changed out here in the world. Of the several revelations I experienced on my trip, this is relevant to this blog:
The network and TV news programs are amazingly insufficient to convey what is really going on in the world, certainly with respect to our foreign policy. I don't own a TV, and so on nights that I stayed in motels on my trip, I would watch CNN or Fox or one of the other broadcasts and see nothing other than bites from Bush's trip to the far east, mixed in with stories of missing children, criminal cases in progress and so forth. Nothing of substance about the war, the economy, anything.
In fact, I'm surprised as many people (40%-plus, according to the polls) are opposed to Bush's handling of Iraq, given that so little news of the setbacks is filtered through to the public. If there's a filter at work, I might add, it's such a filter, not the one Bush complains about.

No Media Coverage of Returning Coffins

The Bush Administration, in another quick end-run around the First Amendment and that pesky Fourth Estate, has ordered there will be no media coverage of coffins coming back from Iraq. Shows what the Bushies think of the American people, that when it comes to our war dead, out of sight is out of mind.

Curtains Ordered for Media Coverage of Returning Coffins (washingtonpost.com)

Blood Donations Halted From Our Forces in Iraq

Another great reason to bring our troops home. A nasty parasitic disease.
DefenseLINK News: Blood Donations Halted From Personnel Deployed To Iraq

Perfidious Propaganda and Bush’s Offensive

When you think about it, it’s not such a bad idea. Nefarious and foul, but logical. If you’re military brass and you want to influence the perception of the war back home, you just have the boys in uniform dash off a few letters to their hometown papers, saying all is just ducky in the trenches.

Problem: the boys are busy trying to stay alive. No problem, you just write their letters for them. One letter will do. Just write it, Xerox it, and order some of the guys to sign it. Or not; just mail it to their hometown paper, unsigned. Nobody’s the wiser back in the world, unless somebody catches on.

Now does that stink, or what?

Speaking of stinking, President Bush has a PR offensive going too:

Bush rejected criticism that progress is too slow in Iraq, saying Americans are not hearing the real story. "It's a lot better than you probably think," the president said, adding that people who have been in Iraq are stunned by the stories at home.

He said schools and hospitals are reopening, children are getting immunizations and water and electricity are coming back. "Life is getting better," he said. [Link]

Well sure we’re not hearing the real story. The Bush Administration and its Flying Monkeys of Perpetual War are throwing up a smoke screen, and in some cases using our troops to do it. Let’s hear the "Support the Troops" Republicans comment on that one, while they try to make peace-loving Americans feel un-American for our dissent against it.

The real story is that life still sucks in Iraq, and 70% of the work force is unemployed. And the job market is infested with corruption. If the kids are going back to school, great. They went to school before “coalition forces” attacked Iraq. I’d love to see what would result if you passed out paper and crayons in a Baghdad school, and asked the kids to draw pictures of what life has been like since last spring. Actually, I probably wouldn’t want to see that.

Ministry of Truth

Orwellian Strategy Used to Sell the War

This column from today's SF Chronicle describes the uncanny similarities between the Bush administration's doublethink and that of Orwell's 1984. I truly believe that this could not be more serious. The powers that be are going to nefarious lengths to manipulate the way Americans think. This isn't rhetoric to posit a position, to persuade free thinking people to rally to a cause. It's lies and disinformation, to obfuscate and coerce through fear. It's brainwashing on an epic scale. And I don't buy it. Do you?

Euro, I row, we all row for Euro

So--a switch to the Euro is imminent, is it? Time to buy gold--or anything.