~from the George Bush delusions collection
At least once a week I like to stop and think about things I'm thankful for. Sunday seems like as good a day for that as any. In reflecting upon recent events, a couple immediately jumped out at me. Here then are things I am grateful for.
- the Chairman of the Arned Services Committee, senator John Warner. If you recall, Warner is one of the original group of three musketeers of McCain, Graham and Warner who boldly stood, well symbolically at least, against president Bush and his recent torture bill, before further ceding the nation's rights to that despot.
Now senator Warner is back with the courageous suggestion the Iraqis have only a limited time to show improvement, as in sixty to ninety days, or else. Of course, this being an election year, it's difficult to tell if his latest heroic stance on Iraq is posturing similar to his three musketeer jousting with Bush or, if there really is no improvement there in the next 2-3 months, he really will be gosh-darn pretty upset with president Bush. Maybe give him the cold shoulder for a day or two?
- I'm also thankful for our Chevron oil tanker, Condoleezza Rice, and her brave visit to Baghdad. Although Rice had to sneak into Iraq for insecurity reasons for her official visit this past Thursday. Of course, this being an election year, it's difficult to tell if her heroic (or foolhearty) drop-in was election year posturing, or she was serious when she met with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki urging him to quit fucking around and achieve reconciliation between warring Iraqi factions.
Rice's landing in Baghdad was delayed until dangerous on-the-ground squirmishes ceased. But this turned out to be fortuitous, allowing officials on the ground to locate the photo-op props of a backdrop wall with no visible bullet holes and three overstuffed diplomat's chairs with no blood stains.
- I'm also thankful for the christening of our latest 20th century Cold War era nuclear powered aircraft carrier, the George H. W. Bush. At a cost of $6 billion dollars, this latest is the tenth and final Nimitz class carriers that will now "project American military power to every corner of the globe" in the fight against terrorists, insurgents, suicide bombers and disaffected subjects of the empire.
- And speaking of Nimitz class aircraft carriers, I'd like to answer the question posed here earlier in the week as to the location of the carrier, the USS Eisenhower. It seems the "Ike" set sail from Norfolk on October 3rd. It's part of a "regularly scheduled deployment" to the Persian Gulf and not, as suggested here in a bad dream I had, to provoke a war with Iran before the November 7th elections. And for that I'm also very thankful.
2 comments:
Dada, I'd heard brief mention that behind the scenes, possibly with the involvement of James Baker, the Bush administration was going to announce some kind of force reduction plan in Iraq shortly after the mid-terms. I heard on one of the Sunday talk shows that, for political reasons, that announcement may come before the Nov. elections. Given the reliable history of Republican "mavericks" like Warner, McCain, Specter etc. seeming to stand up to Bush, only to "kiss the ring" on cue, could it be that Warner's aluding to a "change of course" in Iraq is a choreographed setting of the stage for Bush to announce such troop reductions in a face saving way ? EK
Good point, EK. The way things have been going, this could be a very interesting month. Of course, so used to Bush's hackneyed rhetoric of the past four or five years, I believe his intransigent reality view when he says he will not withdraw.
Of course, a draw down is not the same thing. Also, Baker is just another example of those in reserve who come out of the woodwork at the most needed of times.
So, yes, I'm sure you could be right that Warner is part of the pre-election dance. They've waltzed around for us before.
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