We've lost it
When the American people care more about the feud between Donald Trump and Rosie O’Donnell than in an escalation in the war in Iraq, you know something is terribly wrong.
But, there it is on television each night — The Rosie vs. The Donald.
While our children continue to die in a hostile desert.
We’ve lost it.
We lost it when the president went with about a half-dozen contrived stories for his invasion of Iraq.
We lost it when private companies with direct ties to the White House were awarded contracts in Iraq without a bid.
We lost it when the United States sent troops into Iraq that were not adequately equipped with protective armor.
We lost it when the Patriot Act was passed.
We lost it when the president allowed New Orleans to become less than a poor village in a Third World country.
We lost it when we allowed the de facto Iraqi government to try Saddam Hussein instead of an international war crimes tribunal.
We lost it when the Democrats pledged that impeachment will not be a part of their strategy.
We lost it when the Democrats promised to reach across the aisle in an act of bipartisan cowardice.
And, Wednesday, the president will tell the world that he wants to send another 20,000 troops to Iraq — primarily Baghdad — and about $1 billion to use for creating jobs.
We lost it, period.
The United States can no longer hold onto its once honorable place as the leader of the free world, the beacon of democracy, the defender of liberty, the ally of human rights while this Nowhere Man makes all his Nowhere Plans for Nobody.
Those plans include not only sending more forces into Iraq, but apparently more unbridled attacks, as the air strikes against Somalia indicate.
Those plans include solidifying a wall between the U.S. and Iran instead of looking for a diplomatic resolution to that country’s nuclear plans.
Those plans include ignoring all conventional nuclear treaties by pushing to develop a new nuclear weapon, even though it would mean a new round of nuclear testing that would poison a whole new generation of innocent Americans as the radioactive fallout rains down on them.
And nobody does anything about it, even though the current polls show an abysmal approval rate for the president and his Iraq atrocities.
What will it take to mobilize the forces of good within the United States? Where is its conscience? Where is its soul? Where is its humanity?
Those who sit idle share the guilt for doing nothing while men and women of good will are cast aside by a power that is growing more and more out of their hands with each passing moment.
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Comments
How right you are on all comments of your excellent article...it is so right that even the majority of people in Utah are starting to get it. When that happens you know it has to be crystal clear!
Posted by: utgopher | January 11, 2007 02:16 PM
Ed. Ed, Ed, Ed, Ed, Ed.
You simply cannot blame the president for everything. He is not that powerful. He announced plans, but that doesn't mean they'll bear fruit.
Who is "we"? What would you do? And do you think that if you were president and you thought you wanted to do something, you would be allowed to do it? I would say you've lost it.
I blame the media for the attention to the Rosie/the Donald fued. I don't see that I had much choice what they put on TV news shows. I doubt many Americans put that at the top of their list of priorities, certainly not over Iraq.
As far as New Orleans, no way could the president have done everything to help those people, when they've lived all their lives on welfare and did little to help themselves.
Do you think that kind of debacle that occurred in New Orleans would happen here, where people are hard working and prepared? Even if the president and FEMA fell down on the job?
There are still people sitting around on their butts in New Orleans waiting for a handout. Some of them are probably living better than they did before.
I don't like the war. I want it to be over. I'm ready for a new president, but I have no patience with the school of thought that George Bush created the world and he's messed up ever since. He's just not that powerful.
Posted by: arlene ball | January 11, 2007 03:46 PM