Monday, April 7, 2008

General Petraeus Comes to Washington: Lessons in Spin

He's coming again to 'testify' that the Bush/Cheney War on Iraq is 'still working.' Coincidentally, both senators Clinton and McCain will question him in the same room tomorrow. Neither has apologized to the American people for their poor judgment in giving Bush/Cheney carte blanch to launch their dirty little war. McCain, no doubt, will help Petraeus spin, bob, and weave that the 'surge is working;' if he didn't his entire campaign for the White house would implode in on itself.

Author and Nobel economic laureate Joseph Stiglitz has written a new book, The Three Trillion Dollar War, that brings to light 'expense items that have been hidden from the U.S. taxpayer, including not only big-ticket items like replacing military equipment (being used up at six times the peacetime rate) but also the cost of caring for thousands of wounded veterans—for the rest of their lives.' On MSNBC Stiglitz noted what the citizens' taxpayer's money would have produced if instead it had been invested in the further growth of the U.S. economy rather on continuing this war.

Blinded by Patriotism might be the subtitle- a topic I have introduced many times on this blog. Millions of Americans waving the flag, cheering on the Bush/Cheney war like a Final Four basketball game. The game's over, but the damage goes on and on.

By the way, where are the next 100,000 soldiers coming from to replace the ones who have served 2, 3, and 4 tours in Iraq? Who is stepping up to volunteer to go to Baghdad, Basra, and the neighborhoods of Sadr City?

And where is the outrage amongst the citizens? Where are thee IMPEACH BUSH and CHENEY signs? Where are the throngs of people on the streets demanding their heads? Where is the civil disobedience to point out the injustice done by these two men?

Where? No where.

"It's too late now," is the wimpy reply when pressed for an answer.

Too late? Too late to punish two men who have nearly ruined our nation? Too late to assure that two more scoundrels like these will not find it just as easy to do it all over again?

Shockingly, both Bush and Cheney will complete their terms unscratched by their terrible misuse of power and skate off into the sunset with American flags waving and the citizens clapping for them.

Perhaps we deserve what has fallen upon this nation. Careless citizens deserve care-less leaders.

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