Viva Pelosi!!
Political courage. I know, it's hard to recognize it. It's not something we've seen much of this foul decade. But ultimately, Ms. Pelosi is doing nothing less than what her constituency demands. Somehow, this lunacy in Iraq has become a battle between the American people and the powerful elite for the very soul of the nation. The people can see that for all the costs of occupying Iraq, there are no benefits. Oh, don't get me wrong - Americans can be cynical and venal, like anyone else. If the Iraq occupation had reduced the cost of gasoline, or caused bin Laden to surrender to authorities and renounce violence, or caused the Palestinians to try to find another way to surrender to Israel, there would be far less complaint. But it has become clear for all to see: Iraq has been, in every way, by every measure, an unmitigated failure, a disaster of monumental proportions for our nation and her people.
I know. The congress just does not ultimately have the power to force the president to even begin a withdrawl from Iraq. And there will continue to be cheerleaders and water carriers, blood dripping from their hands, who will spin this action as somehow anti-american, or even more irrationally, anti "troops", whatever that means. But that's one of the main reasons why it's so important. America, we learn in grade school, is a nation governed by it's people. It is not a monarchy, not an autocracy, but a shining example of what democracy means when actually executed. The people have spoken. This war is wasting lives and resources, and giving nothing back in return. It is an unacceptable situation, and while this administration has it within their capability to ignore the people and continue the idiocy, ultimately they do so at their own peril.
Another Loss
"The old man was right. Only the farmers won. We lost. We always lose."
requiescat in pace
Not really much else to say about this. I know, conventional wisdom is that Tom Scholz had the magic that gave Boston it's distinctive and groundbreaking sound. And I suppose there is truth to that. But without that powerful voice, I'm not sure the band would have attracted the following they did.
While Brad's voice has been silenced, we'll always have three decades of his music to keep the memories alive...
Portrait of an American Traitor
Suppose there was an American politician. A senator for nearly twenty years. A man who consistantly supports a center left domestic policy, with a strong tendency to vote for social programs and free trade. Imagine that this senator did all those things, and even stood for Vice President in a recent election.
But then, suppose this senator repeatedly and consistantly voted against the interests of his own nation on foreign policy and international affairs. Worse yet, suppose he not only always ignored or neglected his own nation's best interests, he consistently voted in the interests of another nation, no matter the cost or risk to his own. What would you call such a man?
Joe Lieberman supports the American invasion and occupation of Iraq. He supports military action against Iran. He supported the Israeli onslaught against Lebanon in the summer of 2006. He supports the Sharon/Olmert/Netenyahu permanant war wing of Israeli politics. He supports the oppression and marginalization of the Palestinian people, and he supports settlements on and annexation of their land in the West Bank and Gaza. Support for these extreme positions of the Likudniks hurts America in many ways. It costs America in lives and treasure every day in Iraq. It costs America in prestige around the world as more and more America is perceived as a dishonest, one-sided, ham fisted broker in Palestine and the Middle East. And every generation sees the institutionalization of Palestinian, Arab, Persian and South Asian Islamic hatred for Israel and America, radicalizing the populations and creating more fighters, terrorists and supporters.
Why does Lieberman take such an extreme position with regard to American military intervention in the Middle East? Why would he risk his own nation's success and well being? Simply put, his personal commitment is to Israel, not to America, regardless of the oath he took (and routinely violates). He has become convinced of the correctness of the Likud political positions. Israel's answer to America's Neo-Cons, the
Likudniks have come to the conclusion that they will never be able to live in peace with their neighbors, and the only way to ensure their survival and a modicum of regional stability is with overwhelming military dominance. Plus, they know that the best way to retain power over long periods is to keep the population living in fear of being overrun by the vast, evil enemy forces that are always gathering right outside Israel's borders.
Joe Lieberman is a traitor. In his radical support for the most extremest Israeli geopolitical positions, he puts his own nation and his own people at deadly risk. He helps harden the lines, so a solution of peaceful coexistence becomes less likely, and much harder to arrive at. It is somewhat ironic that his attempts to safeguard Israel at the expense of America may very well backfire, on both him and Israel. Just as with the neocons in America, a population can quickly tire of an uncompromising, militarized response to every geopolitical event. The old saw says "when all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail". But make no mistake, everything is NOT a nail. And there are many problems you cannot address with airstrikes, armored brigades and artillery.
It is not his pro-war stance that makes Joe Lieberman a traitor. It is his Israel first at-any-cost-to-America stance that raises him to the level of Benedict Arnonld, Julius Rosenberg and Aldrich Ames. Joe Lieberman is not just politically wrong. He is the worst kind of criminal, betraying the very people who trusted him enough to give him the very power he is abusing...
