Beauty Is Skin Deep...Emotion Is Not

photo obtained from xinhuanet: "An Iraqi man cries outside a hospital following a suicide attack."

September 4, 2005

They say that a photo can speak a thousand words. How many does this one say to you? On Saturday a truck bombing in the Iraqi town of Tal Afar killed around 152 people. About 500 people were killed in Iraq this week. On Tuesday's attack around 347 people were injured and 100 homes destroyed in the blast of another attack. Also on Saturday, car bombs killed 9 people. And then 70 people were killed earlier this week by revenge killings led by off-duty police officers. Meanwhile, U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker said, "We've seen encouraging signals of progress but we have to keep moving forward." I don't know what Ryan Crocker has been looking at but progress is something rarely mentioned in the Iraqi marketplaces by fearful citizens and the move forward is without foresight nor is it with concern for the lives of the Iraqi people.

There is a neurological condition known as synesthesia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synesthesia) in which some people are tuned for cross-sensory relationships between everyday things involuntarily. From seeing colored letters to hearing a work of art to words with certain tastes, people with synesthesia perceive their world differently than most other people. Now, I understand that most of the people (if any) reading this article do not have synesthesia but I want you to look at that picture posted at the top of this article and "feel" that photograph. I don't want you to "look" at it..."feel" it. This is what many people throughout Iraq feel everyday and it is a good exercise to feel that with them. By stepping out of your comfort zone and diving beneath social and cultural layers we can be on the same level--the human level. This person in the photo may or may not be from Iraq. This person may or may not be black or white or Hispanic or Asian. This person may or may not be a man or woman. This person may or may not be republican or democrat. But what this person is feeling is real and that is what this is all about. That is what ending this war...this conflict...is all about.

P.R.

Driving Ms. Lazy To Walter Reed

Ah, the president took a break from the White House rose gardens and decided to stroll through the Walter Reed Army Medical Center today. Although he bypassed areas where there was mold in the walls, rat infestations and the scene of long lines of soldiers waiting to be processed (sounds like the DMV), the president still had a heart-warming visit to those soldiers he sent to be injured in Iraq. Although, not everyone felt that he was as sincere as he was hoping to come off.
Retired Major General Paul Eaton said of the president, "I'm convinced he would honor them more if he would refrain from using soldiers as props in political theater." Ooh, that was the taste of words thrown right back at the president after he accused democrats of political theater when they made up a bill to bring our troops home.
Despite the president's visit being cut an hour shorter than scheduled, White House spokeswoman Dana Perino had some noble things to say about the president in an article by the associated press. "She said it took some time to clear enough room on the president's schedule to spend an afternoon with patients and staff at Walter Reed." Gosh, I can imagine it would be tough penciling that in seeing as they're only our brave troops he so often publicly "supports". It's a real shame that after giving all they had to the president's war, it is still difficult for him to bear the grim realities his administration is responsible for.
But for all those democrats out there claiming that Bush doesn't support our troops in Iraq, don't sell yourself short...he doesn't care about them here too.

Problem...What Problem?

Yesterday at least 125 people were killed in Baghdad by suicide bombers and about 181 people were killed throughout Iraq by similar suicide bombers. An Iraqi man named Salam Hussein was nearby when two of the suicide bombers detonated themselves in a crowded marketplace killing two of his relatives and injuring others.

“I saw headless children and body parts everywhere. I brought four wounded to the hospital. But resources there are very limited. The refrigerators at the morgue are full. It’s a disaster,” he said.

Meanwhile, on his first day on the job, new ambassador Ryan Crocker said that "President Bush's policy is the right one." Great...another loyal minion of Bush in Iraq. In addition, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki told his citizens that he was determined to bring the bombers to justice. Hello! They're suicide bombers! They're already dead! And according to their faith, they are already having intimate relations with seventy-something virgins.

I am sick to death of high officials in this government and Iraq's being incredibly stupid. This is a serious problem and these people keep on thinking that the path they're taking is the right one. Iraq has plunged into a bottomless pit and while it falls, republicans and other morons continue to say, "Hey, support the troops...stay the course...security forces are succeeding." Wake the hell up and pull us out of this mess. That's you're job isn't it? Nearly 200 people were killed yesterday and it seems like no one in this administration or the one it forged in Iraq thinks that we need to make any changes other than add more wood to the fire...I mean more troops to Iraq.

When are things going to improve in Iraq? My best guess is when politicians start addressing the real problem with real solutions. But what the hell do I know? I voted democrat and all I got was this stinking war.

When Asses Grow Lips And Use Them...

I am all for allowing freedom of speech. Hell, if it wasn't for my freedom of speech I probably would be in the Bastille by now. But I do have a problem with people talking out of their asses. After all, that is what mouths are for. I prefer people educate themselves on what they are talking about before they spew their infectious stupidity to the rest of us. In a recent editorial in my local paper a person whom shall remain nameless published his views for the world to see and the introduction was as follows: "The recent FLORIDA TODAY editorial headlined 'Abuses of power,' which advocates the removal of Attorney General Roberto Gonzales, is ridiculous and would only help the terrorists."
First of all, his name is Alberto Gonzales not Roberto. I find it ridiculous that this person can't even get the name right. Second of all, how do you connect the resignation of a party loyal attorney general to the helping the terrorists? One has absolutely nothing to do with the other and the idea that this person believes that the terrorists even know who ALBERTO Gonzales is is astounding. This person has to work for the Bush Administration to come up with that kind of crap.
Our concerned and equally opinionated citizen here probably doesn't even know the difference between potassium and uranium let alone anything about politics and terrorism. But I'll give our budding writer some advice: that's not a turban on Lady Chiquita's head.

Houston...Come In...This Is Baghdad

By now with all of the killings and explosions in Baghdad, the Iraqi capitol must look like the dark side of the moon. After the damage was assessed more accurately, authorities have determined that the death toll from last night's revenge killings led by off-duty Shiite police officers left 70 people executed in the streets and 40 kidnapped. All the meanwhile, the president has been praising the success in Iraq's lull in violence and the police's ability to stem the bloodshed. We are talking about the same country aren't we?

Also, the president has continued to vow that if a bill comes to his desk with a timetable for removing U.S. troops in Iraq he will not sign it into law. He told reporters, "If Congress fails to pass a bill to fund our troops on the front lines, the American people will know who to hold responsible."

Congress has already approved of a bill to fund about $90 billion to our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is the president who is now refusing to send that money to our troops because he doesn't like that Congress isn't simply giving away billions of dollars to fund his unpopular war. God forbid the American people want our troops home and Congress actually listen to us. There is a reason why the president's approval ratings are as low as his IQ: he doesn't give a crap about the American people. It is a shame that he cannot put aside his pride and acknowledge that despite being the most powerful man in the world he is still a servant of the American people.

And while the president tries to salvage his legacy, all the American people can think about is salvaging what is left of Iraq after a bitter and violent conflict that has turned into a civil war. I will admit that Iraq is all the American people can think about after Brittany Spears' breakdown, the latest cell phone and the weather...but it is on our mind (right?). Either way, whether Baghdad really looks like the dark side of the moon or not it seems like the bureaucratic pigs in the White House have seen as much of Baghdad as they have seen of the dark side of the moon.

I Want You To Vote!

So we're fighting for democracy in Iraq are we? We have sacrificed over 3,200 of our brave soldiers' lives so that Iraqis can finally have the chance to vote for their political future and have an actual stake in how their country is run. It sounds like a great idea. Why don't we use it here?
In the presidential election years between 1960 to 2004, the average voter turnout in the U.S. for those eligible to vote was about 55.1%. That may seem like an optimistic figure being a slight majority but consider the fact that we are the founders of democracy and its most vocal advocate. And in the non-presidential election years in between when Americans are voting for their representatives and senators, the average voter turnout for those eligible to vote between the years 1962 to 2002 was about 40.2%. Now, I understand that we're not voting for that good looking, sharp talking maverick who will become the leader of the free world but these elections are just as important if not more than the presidential one. And this couldn't be emphasized more than the examples we're facing right now in Congress.
With the president facing increasing opposition by the American people as well as Congress in terms of the Iraq war, we are now witnessing the power Congress has on government policy. Part of Congress's powers are to confirm presidential nominations, ratify treaties, make up bills for government funding and budgets as well as oversee impeachment proceedings (hmm...I'd like to see that one play out). Congress is vital in its role within the checks and balance system that keeps this government democratic and not authoritarian. So the point here is that Americans should take more notice to every election and not just the popular ones with the multi-million dollar campaigns. Because when backed by the voters who empower them, our politicians can become more powerful than the president. And isn't that the way it should be; a government where representatives of the people are more powerful than any one elected official?
If we are really fighting for democracy in Iraq (and not oil) then shouldn't we lead by example? Voting is the most basic and fundamental part of a democracy and without it the people have no power. If our politicians saw that their actions were truly being judged by the American people and their jobs heavily depended on their representation of us then they would certainly pay more attention to us. In a democracy the people have the power but only if we use it. And if you don't use it, you'll lose it. And then who cares what you have to say because the Constitution that backed you up before will have been "amended" by the very people you didn't vote for to protect your rights. So vote; if not for yourself, do it for those who gave their lives for you to have that right if you so choose to use it. Any time soon would be nice.
P.R.

The Dice Have Landed: No Winners...Leave The Table

Never before has the situation in Iraq become so in need of real help. I'm not talking about more troops. I'm talking about more "help". The Marine Corps is asking the government for emergency funding to supply them with new armored military vehicles that General James Conway says "can reduce casualties by 80 percent." I am not going to even ask why they didn't have this armor already because throughout this entire war the military has been undermined by the government with appropriate supplies. In addition, while the military fights diplomacy is ignored. Those soldiers will be on the ground until Judgement Day unless diplomacy is given an honest try.
On Tuesday, two truck bombs killed at least 63 people and this morning revenge killings led by off-duty Shiite police officers killed nearly 50 people; some as young as 15. And this administration wants to convince me that we are having military success? I don't think so. Only when the issues behind the triggers are addressed and solved will the bloodshed cease. We need to focus less on military strength and more on solving these political and religious differences and if even that fails, perhaps it will be time to leave Iraq to its own devices. Some may see it as cutting and running but let's be real about this: this administration has dragged us into a situation WE cannot solve. Unfortunately, only the hands of Iraqis hold the fate of their country. I wish we never invaded in the first place so that profiteers in the White House could get even more wealthy but here we are. For better or worse, natural selection is the only course that can resolve Iraq's power struggle.
This is not a matter of winning or losing, staying the course or cutting and running; everyone has already lost. This is a matter of salvaging what is left of a country plagued by sectarian violence and supporting them diplomatically in their time of need. They have enough guns over there as it is, they don't need ours to solve their problems.

America: Those The No Child Left Behind Act Left Behind

In the global conflict sparked by the war on terror and continued through what is now the civil war in Iraq, some victims may become lost amidst the death toll: us. And by "us" I refer to all of those who lead normal innocent lives yet forced to live with the consequences we allow to pass before our very eyes. While America and Iran flex their muscles at each other in a show of a complete lack of diplomacy and international relations, the youth of today continue to be mentally victimized by the authoritarian propaganda and fear of this administration as well as physically victimized by the wars it has created. After all, it is the young who go off to fight wars, isn't it?

And also, this generation is being led down the toilet by Bush and his loyal legions through his No Child Left Behind Act. I am not sure if it was purposely designed to fail the American populace in dumbing us down to the IQ of some of its leaders but it is quickly on its way to doing just that.(The reason I'm not worried about offending anyone with these puns is because the people they're directed toward wouldn't get them anyway.)

In the NCLB funds have not been accumulated to the amount required and its budget seems to be another sparkling promise made by the Bush Administration that they aren't planning on keeping. I suppose the issue of directing government funds came down to either education or the war in Iraq and Bush figured he got to be president so what's wrong with the education system? Not to mention all of the corruption taking places in schools across the country where test results and the number of minority students are manipulated so that by the legislation of the NCLB those schools get more $.

And a neat piece of trivia that not many people know about is Section 9528 in the NCLB which states basically that public secondary schools are required to provide military recruiters access to students. In addition, if the recruiters want any contact information on students the school is required to give it to them. And if that wasn't shady enough, the schools are not required to tell the students or their parents that this information was given to the U.S. military.

So give the government your tired, your poor, your huddled masses of children so that they can be taught the mere necessities a good soldier should know and then shipped off to the wars that profit the government. This cycle of producing a complacent, docile and obedient America is what is crippling us. While the rest of the world passes us by in education, we have become dependent--yes, dependent--on foreign imports and technical as well as medical advancements. And unless we break this cycle we or even our children will be the ones not smart enough to make it in this competitive world but just smart enough to fire a gun. Because you know we can't all afford the same education.

So protests the No Child Left Behind Act and force our legislators whom we elected to either abolish it or make radical changes to it. This document after all can be torn apart--only if they'd take a break from tearing up the Constitution. Bam! And that's how I see it.

--P.R.

The War Factory

Once again I find the Bush Administration calling part of the democrats' plan to bring our troops home an "artificial timetable". The only reason the timetable is artificial is because the Bush Administration refuses to follow it despite the sentiment of the American people. And all the meanwhile, five U.S. troops were killed on Sunday from bombs. So much for victory. If the president wants to accuse the democrats of staging a political theater perhaps he should recall the time when he was flown onto the flight deck of an aircraft carrier with a huge banner reading "mission accomplished" spread out for all of the news cameras. If by mission accomplished he means more money and lives lost in an unfavorable war then George passed with flying colors.
In an article from the associated press, the departing U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalizad said, "American and Iraqi officials are seeking to persuade so-called 'reconcilable insurgents' to join forces against al-Qaida as the terror network steps up attacks on both Islamic sects in Iraq..."
I'm confused. In the beginning of the war on terror al-Qaida was our enemy. Then, for some unknown reason, insurgents in Iraq became our enemy. And now, we are calling the insurgents "reconcilable" and seeking them as allies against the first enemy? So now are we going to train and arm these insurgents to battle al-Qaida? Correct me if I'm mistaken but isn't that how al-Qaida was started? I could have sworn we trained and armed a small group of people led by Osama bin Laden to fight the Soviets in Afghanistan. And now some people feel that we should do the same with the insurgents in Iraq. We certainly are doomed to repeat the past. I never realized until now what a profitable business war really is? And when it comes to creating a demand to the supply that is our military, no one makes enemies quite like the bureaucratic pigs in Washington.

Priorities In A Tangle?

I found this clipping from an article by the associated press published Thursday, September 30, 2004 and I think it speaks for itself: What the hell? Add this one to the long list of crap this war has produced.

--P.R.

I'll take Waziristan for 3,234, Alex

On Saturday, 47 people were killed when a suicide bomber got through Baghdad security checkpoints and exploded. The current U.S. military death toll is at 3,234. And all the meanwhile, al-Qaeda continues to operate and thrive in a little-known country called Afghanistan. You might be asking yourself, "why does that name ring a bell?" and the answer is because that was the first country we invaded in the war on terror. That was the country with proven ties to al-Qaeda and Osama bin Laden but now we find ourselves entrenched in a country with absolutely nothing to do with terrorism except that it wasn't there before we invaded. The Taliban are still around and spreading their tactics of fear in a region that we should all be familiar with--Waziristan. Yes, Waziristan is an actual place. Sandwiched in the mountains of northwest Pakistan and bordering Afghanistan, Waziristan is where we should be focusing diplomacy and military forces. The Taliban continues to exist because we have diverted our troops and funding to Iraq and so this world is no safer now than before because where the terrorists of al-Qaeda go we do not follow. President Bush claims that all those who oppose the war in Iraq are undermining the troops. Well, how about the president undermining national security when he purposely used Afghanistan as a mere stepping stone to get to Iraq--a country with no ties to terrorism. War on terror? Meanwhile, Afghanistan continues to produce the vast majority of the world's supply of opium. War on drugs? How about a war on stupid decisions, George? Unfortunately in that one, our president would be the first prisoner.

What A Mess

When the democrats proposed about $100 billion for our troops in Iraq in a bill, the president said it was undermining the troops because it was on the condition that those same troops would have to be back home with their friends and families by Christmas of next year. Also, the president said in a speech recently that "we need to put partisan politics aside to come together to enact important legislation for the American people." And also he said, "Members of Congress now face a choice: whether they will waste time and provoke an unnecessary confrontation, or whether they will join us in working to do the people's business."
These accusations of partisanship are complete bullshit. It seems like the president doesn't enjoy the American democratic political system when his party isn't controlling the entire country. God forbid there be checks and balances within our government where the people checking on the other branches aren't party loyal. Why should the democrats "join" the cause for war? What makes this political system great is that there are differences of opinion and no one party controls everything. It looks like George doesn't like his first taste of democracy when it isn't spoon-fed to him by the Republican Dynasty. But then again, it is good that he has become well-acquainted with democracy seeing as that is what we are fighting for in Iraq isn't it? Or was it oil? Oh well, I can't remember. And as for that last part of his quote; since when was the Bush Administration concerned with "the people's business"? Enough said about that.
Now I feel that it is important to note the capture of 15 Britons from the HMS Cornwall in disputed Iranian waters. Because the waters these members of the British Royal Navy were captured in by Iranian boarder patrols is still disputed as to whether it is Iraqi territory or Iranian, I can't say that their capture was justified or not. Though, even an Iraqi military commander has said that the location of the 15 Britons was in Iranian waters when taken prisoner. Since then, Iran has made their usual threats against all those who would threaten them. Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said that if the U.S. and/or our allies "treat us with threats and enforcement of coercion and violence, undoubtedly they must know that the Iranian nation and authorities will use all their capacities to strike enemies that attack."
Okay, okay...enough of the big bad tough guy crap. I can only hope that the leaders of Iran and Western nations will not act too rash and keep the safety of those 15 Britons in mind at all times. Conflict is something that can easily be avoided if both parties behave to the standards expected of those elected to positions of their political stature. In closing, conflict is something that has plagued that region of the world for far too long and if peace is ever going to take root in the sands of the middle east, it must begin now.

That's Not Toilet Paper, George!

Today, the House passed a bill forcing the president to bring troops home by 2008. Of course, our president has vowed to veto that bill. And in a shameless act of "theater"(which he claimed the democrats had been conducting in the passing of this bill), the president made his speech flanked by war veterans and their families. He continued to use the term "war on terror" when in fact this is a war in Iraq that has become over the months a civil war. The real war on terror is being waged by this administration against its own people to frighten us into supporting its radical ideals. And again, he claimed throughout the speech that this bill bringing troops home is undermining them and not supporting their cause. We do support the troops and that is why we don't want to waste their valor and lives in a war that is strictly for profit and was mismanaged by this administration. The undermining of our troops is when our president sends them to fight simply to try to save face in a war that was based on lies and deceit to the American people.
I will say that the show the president put on today was very entertaining. He himself was guilty of putting on a spectacle for the people with his veteran guests and his twists of words to make it seem like he is trying to supply our troops with vital resources and the democrats are slowly suffocating them. These resources are in the form of soldiers--not weapons, food, equipment all up to the standards they should be. I hope people do not believe the bullshit that spews out of his mouth and actually research what this bill is and what it is the president is doing. This whole, "If you're not with me then you're not a patriot" crap is getting old and people are starting to open their eyes to what is really happening in Iraq and what this administration has done to corrupt American politics.
Bush even said that, "if congress does not approve the emergency funding for our troops by April 15, our men and women in uniform will face significant disruptions and so will their families." Now if this isn't seen as an indirect threat on our troops then you aren't opening your eyes. These disruptions they will face are the fault of this administration in their lack of care toward our troops in the early phases of the war including the very basis for going to war that was a deceit to the people from the very beginning. He is placing the blame of this war on the democrats and that is plane bullshit. I do, however, wish the democrats would grow a pair of balls and fight back these accusations and slanderous remarks that undermine their just cause. Stop playing dead when the Bush Administration is constantly bashing you!
I suspect that Bush will wipe his ass with this bill just as he has done with our Bill of Rights. Our politicians need to cut their party alliances and look out for the interests of the American people and not their own. This war needs diplomacy, not a military. Guns don't solve problems, people solve problems!

Thinking Outside The Traditional Democratic Model

Iraq is facing an interesting problem that the world has never come across: a need for a new breed of democracy. Now this is just my opinion but hear me out (after all, this whole blog is my opinion). The Kurds in the northern region of Iraq make up about 20% of the total population. The Sunnis make up another 20% in the west. And the Shiites make up about 60% of the population toward the southeast. With oil only in the Kurdish region and the Shiite region, if the country were to break up into their religious factions, the Sunnis would have no access to waterways nor oil--only sand. And with the Sunni countries bordering on the west and the Shiite nation of Iran bordering on the east, no one religious group will be allowed total domination of the government. So this is not simply religion but geography playing a role in Iraq. And here we are stuck in the middle of this mess with our finger in the dike so to speak.
What might need to happen is that a new form of democracy emerges from the ashes of this highly theocratic civil war. This new form of democracy must take into account the importance of faith intertwined with power; something we did not have a problem with when this country was founded. The Iraqis don't even see political parties; they see religious sects and differences of faith. If any one faith dominated the political power scene in Iraq, the other group would use their violent tactics they are displaying now to win back that power. I believe that what needs to happen in the democratic government of Iraq is that each group of people--the Kurds, the Sunnis and the Shiites--have an equal number of seats within their government. The people can vote on which representatives they wish to have a seat but no one group will outnumber the other. With this system, or one similar, no group can dominate over another, all voices will be weighed the same and decisions will have to be made for the better of Iraq and not any one group.
A government like this one would ensure a checks-and-balances system stays intact. We have seen to our dismay what can happen when one group controls all branches of government and polarizes politics to where party loyalty is valued over the interests of the majority. A democratic system along these principles is what is needed in Iraq if Iraq is ever going to leave this civil war behind and progress. This war was not conventional and neither will be the rebuilding of it. Precedents have been made thus far and will continue to be made in Iraq's future. And only when taking into account the uniquely different situation Iraq poses to the democratic process will a democracy flourish in that country. The military has served its purpose, for better or worse, and now diplomacy must be given a chance. It is time to end the war and begin the rebuilding.

The Lead Lemmings

Who Wants To Play Follow The Leader?

You Can't Spell Toil Without Oil

With absolute corruption plaguing the Bush Administration, new tactics are being used by the Democrats to battle the White House. Many Democrats are calling for more prosecutions in the cases of Iraq contractors misusing government funds. Contractors have taken around $10 billion in suspect charges and some contractors are being found to have been given contracts in exchange for either cash or luxury items from corrupt U.S. officials. Dick Cheney's Halliburton comes to mind when I think of corrupt contractors and alternative motives within politics for personal profit. This entire war has been mismanaged to a point where war profiteering has seeped into the cracks that this administration has left wide open.
As if more corruption within the Bush Administration was unfathomable, the latest subpoenas planned on being issued to key White House officials for their testimony under oath have been threatened by the president as a "partisan fishing expedition". Bush said that allowing this testimony "would harm the presidency as an institution." Sorry, George, you took care of that long ago. The presidency now is nothing more than the CEO position of the world's most powerful corporation filled with corruption and shame. It will take a lot to get the American people to place their trust in the government again thanks to this presidency which has led this country down the same hole Bush led all of his pre-political endeavors.
Bush was also very regrettable against the decision of Democrats to issue subpoenas even though he had allowed for key officials to speak off the record. Let's face it...nearly everyone in the Bush Administration has been found to have lied at one point or another. If there is really nothing to hide, then why fight putting it on the record under oath? Or are they afraid of another obstruction of justice trial in the wake of the Scooter Libby case?
Meanwhile, back in that little corner of the world we call Iraq, it is being reported that children are being used as a means of getting suicide bombers through checkpoints and then killed. If this is true and not just pro-war propaganda, then these atrocities show plainly how desperately and to what ends these people want us out of their country. If we really wish to end these horrific crimes, perhaps we should listen to their pleas for independence and leave. I am not condoning using children in these attacks at all. I am simply saying, what would drive people to do such things? We don't belong in this civil war and our presence is only giving the Iraqis a common enemy to fight and that is us.
End the corruption and we can end this war. The real war on terrorism in Afghanistan has been forged, fought and forgotten while we fight for profit in Iraq under the false pretenses that the terrorists were there first. We are the terrorists in Iraq when you consider how we invaded and attempted to reform their country in our image for no other reason in the end than to be an economic ally for oil consumption. I for one have trouble filling up my gas tank with the blood of our soldiers. We pay at the pump with our patriotism. Please insert card, swipe and remove.

The Cliff Is Nearing

In the latest poll taken in Iraq, the number of people who say that their lives are going well are 39%, 18% feel no confidence in U.S. and coalition troops and 51% (a majority) feel that the violence against U.S. troops is acceptable. Does this sound like a country that wants our military presence within its boarders? There is little I can say about this poll because it pretty much speaks for itself. And anyone who looks at these statistics and can twist them into a rally for more troops is insane and probably somewhere in the White House right now.
In a recent quote from George W. Bush, he addressed the growing concern about Iraq and our presence there, "The terrorists could emerge from the chaos with a safe haven in Iraq to replace the one they had in Afghanistan which they used to plan the attacks of September 11, 2001."
The terrorists wouldn't be emerging from the chaos in Iraq, George, if we had stayed in Afghanistan! Even now, the president cannot see the disastrous error he made in taking this country to war with Iraq. He lead the terrorists to a new stronghold with new recruits and new reasons to hate America. This country is not a safer place now. In fact, we are more at risk of an attack because of this war. If we spent half of the money going into the war in Iraq on security at home, then we would be safer.
Even when asked if "Mr. Bush was still 'optimistic'," reported NBC's David Gregory. "he suggested that 'determined' might be a better term to use." Is this the man who this country should be following? Someone who isn't even optimistic about the war in Iraq but admitting to being rather determined? Are we to be lemmings over a fucking cliff? This is ridiculous! How can people confidently stand behind the president when he has finally even admitted to the fact that this war is being run into the ground through sheer determination. I could push on a brick wall for the rest of my life through sheer determination and that doesn't make it any more noble nor any more possible that the outcome will be anything other than going nowhere!
The time has long since passed when we must break off from the course before it leads us into an even harder hole to climb out of. If you are still in support of the president and the war in Iraq at this point, just jump off the cliff on your own and leave America out of your suicidal agenda.

The Bush Administration Has Gone Green!

Benjamin Franklin may be the only person on the face of our U.S. currency who has never been a U.S. president, but he is more powerful in his wallet-sized form than any of our presidents were in the flesh.

Walk The Talk Of Our Forefathers! (A Must Read)

Our government has become the laughing stock of democracy and yet the reason few people are laughing is because few people realize what democracy really is. The Bush Administration has proven through its hard-right politics and unjustified war in Iraq that the government has gone too far! When our very own Bill of Rights is stepped on we do nothing. How can this be? Our basic rights as free Americans are defended in the first ten amendments of the Constitution and now even they are being either limited or taken away by the government under the false pretense of "national security". I feel that no body of government--not the President, Congress, Senate nor the Supreme Court has the authority to take away our rights as Americans. The U.S. Bill of Rights is our rock as a nation that is unwavering despite the changing policies in American government. The ideals that this country was founded on are infallible; unfortunately, people are not. And so our rights as free Americans should be made intangible to change by politicians with hidden alternative loyalties. From the Patriot Act all the way to the direct and unpunished lies of the Bush Administration that led to this war, we are slowly enslaving ourselves. The current administration had and used the rights appointed to it to install the Attorney General, Supreme Court judges and others but to allow them to interpret, nay, neglect our basic rights they were sworn to protect all in the name of party loyalty, that is treason against the American ideal.
Our patriotism is being put to the test, America! Are we going to let a minority control a majority? Are we going to allow our rights to be taken away in the name of national security? It is that very national security that should be protecting our rights, not taking them away! Are we going to let this administration spread more war and violence in an already increasing rift between us and the rest of the world? If there is anything this war has taught us it is that our government has gotten too comfortable in their Washington beds with pillow cases stuffed with shreds of our Bill of Rights. As Americans we must fight for America at home as well as abroad. We must take back America from the corruption and hold high our Bill of Rights...our Constitution...and in the face of those who would tear them apart and defend them. For nearly 230 years ago, our forefathers gave their lives so that they could give these rights to the people and within two centuries later, our very own government is seeking to become that tyranny in which we fought so passionately against in the Revolution.
Will we stand up for our rights as Americans and fight to reclaim them, protect them and fight all those who oppose them? As an American I say by God we will! The first step, though, in heading in any direction is to open your eyes. The second step is to commit to that direction you have chosen. And the third step is to walk it.

The Democratic Mutation!

While most of the country was drinking green beer and passing out drunk at other people's homes, Iraq was plagued with a different kind of substance abuse. Chlorine, a chemical typically used for water purification, was used in three truck bombings that resulted in two deaths and 350 made ill including six U.S. soldiers. Also, a roadside bomb killed one U.S. soldier and injured three others. All the meanwhile Australian Prime Minister John Howard, a strong supporter of the Bush Administration said, "Great progress has been achieved, but there is still work to be done," and "As you know, I don't set speculative dates. There is nothing achieved by that."
Perhaps the problem here is that people aren't facing up to the reality that great progress is an unfamiliar term to those living in Baghdad and politicians need to stop seeing dates as speculative and more as declarative. This war is real and yet politicians continue to skew the facts and pull incoherent babble out of their asses to avoid answering or even acknowledging the serious questions. I have heard many war-hawks declare that if the Iraqi government wanted us out, we would leave. Every poll and survey of the Iraqi people I have ever read asking them this question has resulted in the majority of people wanting the U.S. presence out of Iraq. And it is a shame that the government there is as responsive to the people as our government is here.
Democracy has become an ideal not a reality across the board. The people, it seems, had the power but once elected, those officials put into effect their own agendas and this applies everywhere. Corruption has seeped its way into the very foundation of American democracy and is spreading throughout the world like a virus. Wherever we infest our corrupt version of democracy, problems arise. This current administration is a mutation of democracy and it must be stopped before the damage becomes fatal to the ideals that once made this country so great.

Democracy Is A Participation Kind Of Thing

Today I was part of an anti-war protest. The very same protest that inspired me to create this blog. It was certainly an interesting experience. There was a lot of positive vibes and the turnout was great but as we stood on the side of the road, I couldn't help hear some derogatory comments being shouted. None of them were creative and I was not impressed by the maturity nor intelligence of those shouting the pro-war slander. The term "fucking hippies" caught my attention a few times. I suppose it's better than being a brain-washed neo-nazi. And then at the end when I was walking toward my car, a girl shouted something vague about someone killing me for protesting. Well, if that is a pro-war extremist I don't know why we don't have more of them? Kind words from kind people.
I would venture to guess that 85% of the cars honked and supported us, 10% just drove by and 5% shouted things that didn't do their pro-war cause any justice. I would say those are pretty good odds in our favor. It inspired me, though, that some people took so much energy to try and put us down because it showed that ideas are more powerful than guns. Anyone can fire one. It's usually the aiming that is controversial. Honestly, I had a great time at the protest and wish that more people take part in their country's affairs. Though I may have been standing on the side of the road, at least I can say that I stood for something! Whether you support the war or denounce it, get involved peacefully and be a voice of the people to the people. That is what this country is all about and that is what true patriotism is. Class dismissed.

Make The Choice!

With tensions growing in Sadr City, the U.S. may be in for quite a setback in the security crackdown they have been taking credit for in the past weeks. The crackdown that has been hailed by the Bush Administration as a major step in a victorious direction is mostly the responsibility of al-Sadr. After all, it was he who told his militia to not fight the U.S. troops when they entered the city and he has kept the violence at bay. Meanwhile, Bush claims that the crackdown is the work of our troops on the ground when in reality they are getting comfortable in what could be a trap if the U.S. does not pull out soon.
Patience is thinning out in Sadr City streets as al-Sadr issued a statement yesterday to a large crowd of supporters, "Raise your voices in love and brotherhood and unity against your enemy and shout 'No, no America." This is the sound of a group of people who have tried everything to expel us from their country and are now finding that a peaceful resistance is not working. This news comes after two truck bombs with chlorine tanks killed eight people and injured 85. I am not saying that al-Sadr is good or bad. I am just saying that as a firm leader in the Shiite community, he has a pivotal role to play in the rebuilding of Iraq and it is up to Iraqis if they wish to follow him. All of the violence he has brought has been in an effort to expel U.S. troops from Iraq so how do we know he is truly a bad man. He could simply be patriotic. But what would the Bush Administration know about patriotism when they abuse their rights as a government in more ways than I can fit in this post to send our soldiers to fight in a war that had nothing to do with freedom in the first place.
There are plenty of countries around the world with dictators as their leaders and millions of people are oppressed elsewhere. But did we help them? No! We went after the country with no ties to al-Qaeda, no weapons of mass destruction and made no threats to the United States. Why don't people realize this? It is because people don't care. Well, you better start caring because the decisions we make today will have repercussions that will be remembered for generations.
War is already an ugly thing but this war is a vile disregard for the responsibilities given to a powerful nation. When will Americans stand up to this tyranny? When will Americans say, 'This is enough!'? When will we take back our rights that this administration has tried so desperately to deprive us of? NOW! Now is the time to stand up for what is truly right. Break away from what the politicians tell you. They will always have their hidden agendas. Research and think for yourself and when you see the truth behind what is happening to this country you will see that the problems we face are not just overseas in Iraq but within our own boarders as well! While the government distracts us with a war on the other side of the globe, we ignore the carpet being pulled from right below our feet. Making the choice to be a patriot means preserving the Constitution and all that America stands for and not allowing someone behind a veil of stars and stripes to kill everything that makes this country great!

Irony seems to be the new ingredient added to today's newspapers. In one headline it reads, "Bomb kills 4 soldiers" and directly beneath it is another headline reading "U.S.: Crackdown working". I don't know if the U.S. government is reading the same paper the rest of the world is? Yesterday, four U.S. soldiers were killed by a roadside bomb and at least fourteen people were killed in a car bombing elsewhere in Baghdad. Meanwhile, Major General Joseph Fil Jr. told reporters, "There's a sense of suspicion in the air. A sense of anticipation and expectation (of decreased violence) with the Iraqi people,". I don't know about you but the first sentence doesn't really match the second one. If there is suspicion in the air, I doubt it is because Iraqis are anticipating a "decrease" in violence. Fil Jr. must have also been in charge of the placement of the two headlines above.
Also, in a predominantly Sunni region of the world, Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr has proven himself to be a valuable ally in stablizing peace in Iraq. Previously, the Bush Administration felt that he would be irrelevant and even detrimental to peace in Iraq. Oops, I guess they were wrong (again). It seems now that not only does Sadr have firm control over many of the Shiites in Baghdad including his Mahdi Army, but he has the ability to wage peace as well as war. When U.S. troops went into Sadr City they met no resistence and Sadr has become a vital player in installing peace in Iraq. Let's just see if Bush will "stay the course" or reevaluate his diplomatic relations with those willing to work for peace.
Regardless of Sadr's willingness to wage peace, many of his loyal Shiites still dissaprove of the U.S. presence in Iraq. "They are an occupation force. We refuse their presence totally." said Mohammad Abu Haider--a Mahdi Army commander. (This was a quote from msn.com.)
It would be nice if we could only send peacefull diplomatic advisors to Iraq to help rebuild peace in the region but we all know even they would have their own hidden agendas slipped into their pockets by the Bush Administration.
It is really sad that Bush took all of the patriotism and national pride built up post-9/11 and used it to his twisted advantage. Young Americans signed up for the armed services all over the country to fight for America in its time of need and how does Bush use them? He sends them to Iraq to be killed fighting for oil and profit. Bush has clearly shown utter disregard for the U.S. Constitution, American patriotism, foreign relations and human life. The next time he or Cheney want to make a speech to the American people perhaps they would be more careful about what they said if they spoke in a Baghdad marketplace at noon.

Just When You Thought It Was Safe To Listen To Your Leaders...

Iran, in a ridiculous new twist on hypocrisy, has banned Zack Snyder's film "300". How this relates to the war in Iraq is that this pathetic display of internal control is just another way President Ahmadinejad has promoted his own version of reality and discarded the authentic one. While we work on ending an already unpopular war in Iraq, Ahmadinejad continues trying to rally support against America to fuel his ideologies involving Iraq and how it should be run. But more importantly, he is very similar to the Middle Eastern version of George W. Bush.
Both are finding increasing opposition within their own government and both have rallied support for their radical views blurring the line between religion and politics creating controlling autonomous administrations. Also, both presidents are immersed in the outcome of the Iraqi struggle. Bush is interested in preserving a shred of dignity in a war that proved to be a costly lie to the American people and Ahmadinejad is interested in influencing a weakened neighboring country to ally itself with Iran. Either way, Iran has inspired me to make one hell of a post on my blog.
Iran has accused this film of humiliating its ancestors who were the Persians. The film has been deemed a "fabrication of history" as reported on msn.com. A fabrication of history? This is coming from a government that initiated a two-day Holocaust denial conference on Dec. 11, 2006. And then, they even say that it is a form of "psychological warfare". Not that the strategies implemented by the terrorists in Iraq that are finding many of their weaponry on the Iranian boarder. I am not saying that Tehran is responsible for funding the insurgents in Iraq but I find it damning that they aren't controlling their boarders as well as they insist (hmmm). "Psychological warfare" is a term I would expect being used about a government publicizing in its country's newspapers, "Hollywood Declares War On Iran". Oh wait, that would be Ahmadinejad's government.
If we are ever going to end this war and focus on peace, we need to stop listening to the skewed bullshit that comes out of our politicians' mouths and start thinking for ourselves. Or who knows...maybe Grauman's Chinese Theater may be the next terrorist target.

War Has Become A Load Of Holy Crap

War is such an ugly thing. Who really holds the authority to declare it on another people? Even when the majority of a nation declare that a war is wrong, those few elected have the power to combine devastating action with their beliefs. To deem it right to killing others whom you may have never met and pose no danger to is insane. War itself should be considered illegal but when written on fancy paper by people with over-inflated views of themselves declare it, laws and morals take a backseat to politics. This war in Iraq has been illegal since the first mention of it by George W. Bush. And little did he know (or still) that this war would not be like the ones he saw on TV with John Wayne. This would become a holy war to some.
The belief by the insurgents and terrorists that this is a holy war is the one factor that changes everything. The Bush Administration thought that they could oust Saddam, replace the government and everything would be great. But despite the advice of others, George invaded and created this "holy" war. He himself has even brought his religious beliefs into politics further outraging Muslim extremists. Now, even after a new government has been installed, the Iraqis are fighting over who claims power. And in the background are those insurgents who still believe that they will be rewarded in Heaven for killing the infidels. That's us by the way, George. They won't sign a treaty. They can't all be arrested or killed. They have taken this fight to a different level--a spiritual one. And despite my view that a holy war is ridiculous, my opinion doesn't matter because they believe it and that propels them to fight and kill.
Not only has Bush thrown the world into a war that should have never been started but he has given the most violent killers seventy-something virgins to look forward to when they die. George's religion needs to get out of international politics and our troops need to get out of Iraq! In my opinion, when we all die (with the exception of Dick Cheney who is Satan incarnate) we all get seventy-something worms. If the extremists want to kill infidels, don't make it so easy for them by sending our troops to Iraq in a waste-of-time war.

What Works For Them

My blood ran cold this morning as I read through the newspaper to find that there were absolutely no articles on Iraq. Could this really be the end? Did the violence truly stop? Well...no. Actually this morning a suicide bomber killed at least ten people in a crowded marketplace. And while the violence in Baghdad is slowing down, it only seems to grow elsewhere. American troops, it's sad to say, appear to be only relocating the insurgents. And continually I hear debate over the issue of Iraq being caught in the midst of a civil war.
Let's be honest, this war is anything but civil, but yes--the sectarian violence has reached a point where the country is divided and fighting over power. I turned to msn.com for some news because apparently none happened in my local newspaper. And I read an article about Sadr City--the stronghold of the Mahdi Army of Muqtada al-Sadr--I found out that the people there have been living in filth since the war broke out. Sewage backup pours into the streets. People throw their waste and excrement in piles in front of their homes. Torn power lines may give the people there enough electricity for only four hours.Hundreds of thousands out of the 2.5 million people who live there are without jobs as an effect of Saddam Hussein's reign. And as much as I support our troops over there, I cringed when I read this quote from Marine Captain Seth Crawford, "This is their lifestyle. This is how they've been doing it for hundreds of years. And they're not going to change overnight...That's what works for them right now." I really hope that this quote was taken out of context before I read it.
I shudder at the thought that our troops who are in Sadr City and are supposed to be working to build a better Iraq can simply say, "That's what works for them right now." How the hell can that "work" for anyone? Do you really think that they have chosen to live like that and are content with the current state of things? I for one think that we are doing a lousy job over there when you consider that the Mahdi Army not only protected these people but also provided some health care as well as other amenities.
If anything, I think the lessons we have learned from Sadr City are that the country is ready to heal itself if we would only stop wounding it. If we left, at least we know that one faction seeking power is willing to help its people. Before we kicked down doors and pointed guns in the faces of ordinary people, things were better. A civil war is fought by the people, not a foreign army. The only thing we are doing over there is slowing progress.
Our alternative motives, personal agendas and corporate interests have taken a noble concept and tainted it with corruption. Our ambassadors of freedom and democracy have only led to mistrust and violence. In a place where we don't belong we should leave. The American government can and should monitor the Iraqi's progress and assist them but we cannot involve ourselves simply to install a government of our choosing. That will never work! We should diplomatically (not militarily) endorse a government that can work internally in Iraq as well as internationally but that is as far as we should go. Give them a chance, George. I know you'll feel that empty nest syndrome but you have to let this war go!

Pasquino Rockefeller--In The Stone

Pasquino Rockefeller

Party Like It's 1984

In today's paper, Dick Cheney (arguably the most scary person in the world), once again focused his attention on undermining all those who do not support his administration's views. He said, "When members speak not of victory but of time limits, deadlines and other arbitrary measures, they are telling the enemy simply to watch the clock and wait us out." First of all, how the hell can we talk about victory when we are losing? As I recall, the President already declared, "mission accomplished" so let's get the hell out of Iraq. If we stay any longer, the Army might as well start opening time-shares. Also, to use the word "arbitrary" was a smooth move, Dick. I understand that in your crooked world, death tolls can be seen as arbitrary but give me a break! The Iraqis want us out. Americans want us out. What more do you need? The vice-president probably wouldn't know what was best for Iraq if it hit him in the face like an accidental shotgun blast on a hunting trip.
The other quote that really set me off was, "When members of Congress pursue an anti-war strategy that's been called 'slow bleed,' they are not supporting the troops, they are undermining them." That is unbelievable! I especially like the "slow bleed" touch--very moving, Dick. How is it that bringing our troops home to safety and out of harm's way in a country that doesn't want us there nor can truly benefit from our "occupation" be considered "not supporting the troops"? I wish the Democrats would stop twiddling their thumbs and jump on these accusations already and stand up for themselves. So far, the Republicans have been running all over them with their "cut-and-run" and "slow bleed" crap. Why is supporting our troops limited to putting them in danger? Why don't we support this administration and send them to Iraq seeing as we are doing so well over there?
Another thing I have heard from people is that if the Democrats "cut the funding" for the war, our troops will be stranded in Iraq without a plane ticket home much less a gun. That is the largest heap of crap I have heard in a long time. Cutting funding for the war includes bringing our soldiers home! It isn't like a father cutting his son's allowance but still making him mow the lawn. Wars are waged with money and without the funding, the war will end--thus bringing our troops home. Are we clear?
In another Dick interview, he claimed that terrorists chose Iraq and that is why we are there. The truth is that no link to al-Qaida was ever made to Iraq until we invaded. We chose Iraq and of course the terrorists followed. The promise of easy oil must have been just too much for George W. to ignore. Now, he has run Iraq into the ground just like all of his pre-presidential oil endeavors. Could anyone have seen this coming?
Either way, the Bush Administration has, is and always will be spinning intelligence to meet their agendas. Also, they continue to use fear and patriotic guilt trips to pressure Americans into following them off the cliff. Americans need to do their own research, look at the facts, think for themselves and then get the politicians in Washington who work for us to do what is best for us! Dick Cheney and his "1984"-style terror is not as scary, though, as our willingness to allow him to treat us this way. I for one am not a political sadist and refuse to be coerced into believing that this war is right! Fear is an ugly four-letter word that I won't let run my life...will you?

Hope Mine Doesn't Smell Bad So Far...

Wow! In today’s paper, March 12, 2007, I read that Bush wants to send an additional 4,700 troops on top of the ones already proposed to Iraq. He claims that these additional troops will be support roles only and not combat. But let’s be real about this for a minute. A soldier is a soldier and one is just as mortal as the next. An additional 4,700 troops are just more body bags that will be sent back home for medals and tears. Bush also wants Congress to authorize this funding “without any strings attached.” No strings attached on Congress’ end at least. When it comes to the Bush Administration’s previous proposals and legislations (Patriot Act comes to mind), they have always been devised with alternative motives and strings attached. These strings are usually held by the government on one end and attached to the limbs of the American people on the other. Perhaps we should start calling President Bush the Godfather from now on?
My grandfather always said, “Opinions are like assholes…everyone’s got one.” I know if you’re reading this up to here you probably know how it smells by now. I read today in the same newspaper an opinion that I thought was ridiculous and without merit. I have no problem with people who tell others their opinions, but please for the sake of everyone, be able to back it up. I hate it when opinions literally come from people’s asses. This will probably be one of very few opinions that I comment on because otherwise I would be here all day responding to assholes.
The opinion’s title was, “Nation should unite behind president”. I know from having my own opinion published in the same paper that the writer does not choose the title but you can get the main idea of the article. The writer, who shall remain nameless, claims that democrats who propose to withdraw troops do “not consider the threats such a move would place on this country.” I don’t know of any Iraqis who were on those planes that flew into the World Trade Center and I certainly know that this country has never been attacked by Iraq unless WE went to war with THEM. I won’t go into the Gulf War but the point I’m making is that our country has never been, is not and very well may never be threatened by the nation of Iraq.
Then this prick…I’m sorry—asshole…quotes the Gettysburg Address to rally Americans to “come together and fight the common enemy.” I can tell you that the common enemy we have are the suits and ties in the White House who are wiping themselves with the Constitution. But as for the Gettysburg Address…please. Regardless that this came from a president who declared martial law and dissembled the free press, the Gettysburg Address can hardly be used in this context. In the Civil War, the nation was really divided and tens of thousands of Americans were killing each other with every passing battle. To compare the Civil War to the war in Iraq is a joke and this person should pull his head out of his opinion.

The Reveal

By now I am sure you are wondering who is Pasquino Rockefeller. Pasquino is the name of a roman statue unearthed in 1501 that was the focus of a ceremony held on St. Mark’s Day, created by Cardinal Oliviero Carafa. The ceremony took on a more democratic than religious tone when those wishing to criticize the Catholic Church or the pope would attach satirical letters to the statue. Thus the term pasquinade came about to define a satirical attack written in roman dialect. As for Rockefeller, well that is derived from none other than John D. who founded Standard Oil in 1870 which made him the world’s first billionaire and tycoon of a substance that would later throw the United States into a war with Iraq. So you can see by now that the name Pasquino Rockefeller is a pseudo name designed in its satirical nature to embody the attitudes of the authentic author of this journal. Why do I choose to go by a pseudo name? I suppose it is the adult politically disgruntled version of dress-up. Regardless, I want all who read this to know that the crime I have committed in lying to you is no different than and should go as unpunished as those told by the Bush Administration that got us into this war.
—P.R.

Hungry Hungry Hipocrisy

It has been only a few hours since my last entry and I felt compelled to add this small section. I read in an article for NBC that as of March 5, 2007, “Brian Williams learned from Army officers that Iraqis want U.S. forces to remain in their country…” It is safe to say that my personal opinion is that this is just another example of pro-war propaganda from a source with its own selfish bias toward staying in Iraq. To the army, war is a business. So why would they advocate otherwise? Now another survey from June 16, 2004, also from NBC, stated in a poll surveying Iraqis on their opinions that “most say they would feel safer if Coalition forces left immediately, without even waiting for elections scheduled for next year. An overwhelming majority, about 80 percent, also say they have ‘no confidence’ in either the U.S. civilian authorities or Coalition forces.” Granted, this poll was taken earlier and after the Abu Ghraib prison scandal, the source is more credible.
But regardless of polls and surveys which can be strewed to meet a certain ideal conclusion, the quotes of everyday people in Iraq speak for themselves. Daily, innocent people are being killed by suicide bombers and attacks and the trust in American troops as well as the Iraqi government have all but faded. “I blame the government. They didn’t provide a safe route for us even though they knew we were targets for attack.” said Mustafa Moussawi—a pilgrim traveling in Iraq who was a victim of a terrorist attack killing 31 people on March 11, 2007.
I understand that some people in Iraq want U.S. troops to stay and I realize that many want us to leave. It all depends on who you ask. Surveys can be rigged and personal reports can be biased. But look at it this way: Suppose America was invaded by a foreign entity and the dictatorial government was ousted. This foreign entity installed a new government without a true consent of the people. Naturally, we would want to install the government ourselves much like we did in the American Revolution where the people made the people’s government. I am sure otherwise, we would feel like the product of this foreign entity and the national pride and independence that is at the heart of any country would be lacking. So, perhaps from this example you can see that if we were in their shoes, we would want the foreign entity out and allow us to form our own country. Foreign relations should only go so far. It is one thing to support another country; it is another to go around making mini-USAs. This is where the international criticism of the U.S. being imperialistic comes into play.
We forget how we achieved our own independence. Did the French who played a vital role in us winning the war stay afterward and model our government after their own? No! I believe I mentioned it before so I’ll say it again for symmetry: Hypocrisy!

George W. III

A look at the death toll for coalition soldiers today on Sunday March 11, 2007 is at least 134 British soldiers, 33-Italy, 18-Ukraine, 19-Poland, 13-Bulgaria, 11-Spain, 6-Denmark, 5-El Salvador, 4-Slovakia, 3-Latvia, 2-Estonia, 2-Netherlands, 2-Thailand,1-Australia, 1-Hungary, 1-Kazakhstan, 1-Romania, 3,190-United States, over 35,000 Iraqi civilians—and counting.
Now, I am trying to keep this journal more or less focused on the war in Iraq and I know that I could go on forever on how Bush has ruined this country and worsened the condition of international relationships everywhere…but I will try not to. I do, however, feel it necessary to include here a small blurb of information I read in today’s paper on the issue because after all you can’t talk about this war without at least mentioning President George W. Bush. The article was a survey of 1,001 adults on what people look for in a presidential candidate. It was left open-ended to prevent any misguided answers. The results were that 55% “consider honesty, integrity and other values of character the most important qualities…One-third look first to candidates’ stances on issues…” So far I agree with this. Stances on issues can change but character needs to be the rock of a president. But how did our beloved President Bush get elected? Ah, here we go: “…fewer focus foremost on leadership traits, experience or intelligence.” I suppose those latter qualities were overlooked in the past two elections.
Either way, more people died yesterday as a result of another suicide car bomber killing twenty people, six of which were soldiers. Meanwhile, as the ashes of Donald Rumsfeld’s early retirement begin to cool down, “Scooter” Libby was found guilty on four out of five of the charges in the case against him for leaking the identity of a CIA operative who just so happened to be the wife of a former U.S. ambassador who spoke ill of the Bush Administration. Plus, in the latest of the administration’s scandals, the Department of Justice found that the FBI was illegally using the Patriot Act to spy on American citizens! Oh, my God! Who saw that coming? I am surprised that that anyone is surprised. Even further, I am astonished that anyone thinks that the Patriot Act isn’t illegal in the eyes of the Constitution to begin with. But hey, what do I know—right? I’m just part of the know-nothing do-nothing generation. Yeah, and we’re supposed to be bad for the American image. Nothing like holding up a mirror to yourself, eh?
A recent quote from the president making the rounds on TV is, “This war started on my watch, but it’s going to end on your watch.” If that isn’t the biggest load of crap being dumped on a generation, then I don’t know what is. Bush intentionally lied to the American people and began his democratic crusade before I could even drive a car by myself let alone vote. And now, we’re responsible for cleaning up his mess? But then again, every generation suffers as well as benefits from the previous generation. I still think, though, we got the short end of the stick.
One other gripe: I have a problem with Bush traveling around the world as an ambassador of the American people when the majority of Americans find him to be a man with poor leadership traits, no experience managing a successful oil company let alone a country and…well, the intelligence thing goes without saying. But hey, who’s looking at these qualities when voting for a president anyway?
This should hopefully be the last bitching I do in this journal about Bush and I hope to focus again on the war in Iraq. Perhaps in the next entry I will have something good to say. But I doubt it. “Patriotism comes not without a sense of pessimism.”
—me

Spinning Wheels

I read today on msn.com’s news page an article about how the democrats are planning to pass legislation on ending the war in Iraq. Now, for someone like me this would normally sound great…except I read on. Apparently, our elected politicians aren’t exactly doing what we elected them to do and once again I find myself screwed over by those bureaucratic pigs in Washington. The democrats, who won the House majority this past election based on promises to end an overwhelmingly unpopular war, have begun to spin their political wheels—going nowhere. Though the democrats hold 233 seats to the republicans’ 201 seats with one vacancy, there are only fifteen defections allowed. In other words, if sixteen democrats vote against the plan proposed by House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi, then the legislation will not pass. Her plan is to allow funding for the war continue but have all troops pulled out by March 2008. Some democrats feel that this is not enough and some feel that it is even too much saying that March 2008 should be a goal, not a deadline.
This entire fucking war has been a series of failed deadlines! Deadlines are just what they sound like—lines that seem to be going somewhere, then die along the way before they reach their goal. This is just another political scheme so that the pigs in Washington feel like they’re really doing something when in fact, they’re all useless. Between all of the moderate republicans, far-right republicans, moderate democrats and far-left democrats it is nearly impossible for anything to get accomplished. And even if by some miracle, the legislation is passed, the White House has already said that it will veto it. The White House, ha—the dirtiest pig pen in Washington! It would take a two-thirds majority to override the veto and that ain’t happening. Until we can get someone into the White House who gives a damn about ending this war, legislation will be as valuable (with the same uses, too) as toilet paper.
But of course, people have to wake up and see that their politicians are helpless and stand by them. This is a democracy after all. We need to rally together and make a stand that this is what the American people want and we need to remind the President that even he is subject to the will of the people. There is no reason why we should represent democracy in such a poor way. Why would other countries want to consider democracy when they see that American politicians at the highest level ignore the people and do as they wish? I don’t know what is worse; that our President has gone rogue and is acting in his party’s own interests or that we the people have failed to put an end to it as stated in our rights? We have the power—but only if we use it. If we don’t use it—it will be taken away from us. And then America will no longer be a democracy. How can we fight for democracy overseas and misuse it so effortlessly here within our own country? We, as Americans, have fallen into a pit of hypocrisy and as a result of our laziness within our very own political system we have become an international joke. The sad clown comes to mind.

March On!

This morning on the television I realized what this protest was truly all about and I have to say, I am a bit saddened. On MTV News, as I was flipping through some music to dress to, I saw an interview with anti-war protesters in Washington D.C. and one of them was asked that despite the similar disapproval ratings of the war why haven’t more people protested like during the Vietnam War? The man simply shrugged his shoulders and said in an “as a matter of fact” attitude, “There is no draft.”
I would hate to think that the only reason we wanted to end the war was to end the killing of Americans but I had to accept the possibility that even war protesters can have selfish agendas. It dawned on me at this morning we were protesting the war ONLY to bring our troops home. That was a noble cause, of course. But what about the dozens of people being killed everyday? I read in the newspaper yesterday that suicide bombes throughout Iraq had killed over 130 people and that children were using long-handled squeegees to clear the roads of pools of blood. If that isn’t what we are fighting to stop, then what does it matter? The ideals remain and soon enough it will be another place, another time with the same bullshit. I thought (naively) that we were protesting the end of the war as a means of ending the suffering of ALL the people in Iraq. Let’s face it—no people are going to allow a foreign force come into their country, oust their government and replace it overnight; we wouldn’t. This mess is going to take a lot of time to fix and unfortunately a lot of lives. But I suppose there is no reason to throw American lives in the inevitable crossfire. We need to understand that only Iraqis can ultimately fix their problem and we—like the punished bullies that we are—will have to sit in the corner and watch whether we like it or not. What kind of fucked up philosophy has the Bush Administration developed that says it is good to use the same actions and beliefs to start a war to end a war? We need to shift our thinking—now!
It makes me sick to see the effects this war is having on people physically and psychologically. The violence and complete lack of competency has thrown me into a spin. I won’t sit here and preach that I have a plan for ending the war and the hate. No one does. I have a good idea on what it would take but the probability that anyone would choose total peace over self-interest is too much to ask. I suppose the first step is justice and from there we work out the rest of the problems. But I’m not talking about America’s version of justice—hell no! I mean true, unbiased, incorruptible (this is beginning to seem unrealistic already) justice! I remember only one question on the Meyers-Briggs Test I took earlier this year and it was, “Would you rather be unjust or merciless?” My reply was, “merciless.” Because at least then, I was being just. That is the attitude that needs to be reversed in today’s world. No more suicide bombs and cowardice inhumane slaughter from either side—we need justice. In a world where all it takes is one person to screw up a good thing, we can’t hope for total peace—it just isn’t realistic given human nature. But justice is tangible!
And it you need a little motivation, listen to this quote taken from MSN News and Reuters Limited on March 8, 2007. It is a girl reflecting on what used to be one of her favorite TV cartoons, “I see kids playing in beautiful gardens and parks and I wish I could play and have fun like them, but I know I can’t because we have bombs and bad guys hurt children,”
I am still going to protest and do it with the same message I had in mind. Pro-war is not pro-freedom. If we want to spread democracy, freedom and peace then we need to solve our international issues democratically, show the world what freedom can accomplish and wage peace. If we can’t get out of our sectarian mindset and begin thinking globally, then there will always be war. I read in, I think it was Slaughterhouse 5 by Kurt Vonnegut, that stopping war was like stopping a glacier. Everything—EVERYTHING—ultimately deduces to how we think! As long as boarders exist and people of one country see themselves as different from people of another country, we will never escape that sectarian view and always value some lives over others. So I say to you, patriots of partisanship—throw down your flags and pick up your long-handled squeegees! Patriots of peace—march on!

St. Patrick's Day Decision

Before I tell you what I finally chose to say on my poster for the protest coming up, let me clarify something. I emailed the person “in charge” of the rally and found out that the flyer I had picked up at school was a year old. This rally was going to take place on St. Patrick’s Day—Guinness…protest, Guinness…protest…hmm. Anyway, I am going to write on the sign, “Is Pro-War Pro-Freedom?” Perhaps you are having the same reaction to this as my mother did but let me explain why I don’t care. She told me that it was too “deep” and “confusing” and people would not take the time to think about what it meant and consequently, my point would be lost. Well I guess it’s time to start thinking, America. I am not really worried about getting into trouble over this because let’s face it; if deep thinking is the problem, I am not concerned that anyone from the Bush Administration is going to be upset. And as for the rest of the commuters on the road reading it as they pass; wake up! Why the hell should I make it easy on them when the real problem behind this war is that nobody thought to begin with? I understand that our education system is sub-par but that’s no excuse for a short attention span. People are being killed right now overseas because we did not think deeply so would it kill anyone now if they started? I want people to think about the issue and if they don’t, then nothing would have been accomplished anyways.

Thinking Outside The Blog

I want to make an impromptu update to my sporadic journal, here. I’ve been busy writing in my opinion to the local newspaper recently. I had written an article for their editorial page once before but I don’t really remember what it was about and truthfully I don’t care. But I did have one published on Sunday February 25, 2007 that I particularly enjoyed. I even received a call from a woman congratulating me on the article. The article was as follows but the italicized part was edited out of the publication:
“Sometimes in war, we can be as guilty through our inaction as those who act too rashly. On a daily basis the newspapers report on car bombings, suicide bombings and gunfights killing people in Iraq, yet what impact do they have anymore on the early morning commuters on their way to work? The story remains nearly the same but the death toll changes. Human lives have become mere numbers in a war becoming increasingly violent and unpopular. In the beginning of the war, these numbers shocked us as we read intently but now we graze to more fertile articles with more “relevance” such as Brittany Spears shaving her head. This war has grown mainly in part to our reluctancy to open our eyes to the horrors it produces. There’s something wrong when these stories of suffering have become so common that they get buried on page 4 dwarfed by the 4-legged duckling article. If we saw what was happening with open minds, I could only hope that the war and its victims would become more than segues between who won the Daytona 500 and the weather. If you really want to help our troops, bring them home where they belong.”
Now, to clarify a few things: 1) Brittany Spears—ex-pop star—did shave her head in a mental breakdown and it was plastered all over the news for weeks (who cares?). 2) The Daytona 500—a car race in which a few dozen engines on steroids are driven around in an oval for hours and hours—was the cover of the front page (you can tell by now that I am losing my patience). 3) And yes—there was an article about a four-legged duckling that was of equal size and adjacent to the article on a bombing in Iraq that ruined the lives of innocent people forever (perhaps I am sounding a little cynical…but what the F@#K?!).
Also, I wrote another editorial to the same newspaper on another issue I feel is important but as of yet has not been published and may never be so here it is:
“This nation was founded on principles commonly taken for granted by today’s generations. If you are reading this article then you are already stepping in the right direction. Our founding fathers forged ideals from challenging the state of politics and standing up for radical views of democracy that were widely unpopular around the world for that time. Today, we rarely question why our standing of superiority in the global spotlight is dimming from international favor and we accept our political faults without realizing that they could have only occurred because we let them. In a democracy, we have the power—the power to think for ourselves, question our leaders’ judgment and involve ourselves in the political process. It is a heavy responsibility placed on the people of a democracy but I feel that we as Americans are up to the challenge. It takes more than a vote on a slip of paper to change the world. We have to educate ourselves and stand up for our rights or they will be taken away from us. And only when things reach a dire and despondent state will we realize that our voices have been silenced.”
In case you haven’t noticed, all editorials must be no more than two-hundred words which is difficult to do considering I could write a novel from all of my political beliefs and satire—which is what I am trying to do. Keep in mind that I am only twenty years old and I am sure I will regret most of what I say now because as my parents tell me, “I will get wiser as I get older.” So, in case I do join the hive in my later years, this is a chronicle of my opinions when I was still sane.

Welcome...Beware of Opinion

This is the journal of Pasquino Rockefeller. It is a critical look at the war in Iraq with a dash of satire. None of the entries will be formally dated because...well...who cares? The first entry is basically going to introduce you to me and the reason I am writing this. Everything else will be a therapeutic release of satirical pessimism that will hopefully entertain as well as inform. And if you don't like what I have to say then it's probably because you're part of the problem--not trying to be rude but hey, it is what it is. In addition, I would like to make this an open forum where anyone can post a response or question to any of my entries. I will, however, insist that the comments be on-topic and be held to a high standard of maturity. I will try to respond to as many comments as possible. Feel free to speak your minds. After all, this is a democracy and before you can stand up for a belief you have to have one. Enjoy.

February 13, 2007—the day before Valentine’s Day—I discovered a flyer at my college describing a protest against the war in Iraq that will be taking place in a month. I have to say this is my first protest and I am quite excited about it. And it is this sudden surge of patriotism that has inspired me to create this journal reflecting my feelings on this war. I realize it has been going on for a few years even without my support so this journal is more or less a therapeutic way of getting my frustrations out. Anyway, to better explain my enthusiasm I would have to delve into my own beliefs about the war in Iraq. Now I understand that everyone has their own opinion and so I will keep this short and to the point. I never supported the invasion of Iraq. Though its President, Saddam Hussein, was no doubt out of his mind, I strongly felt that the lack of evidence supporting the gut feeling of George W. Bush that Iraq was supporting Al-Qaeda was insufficient for going to war. There were probably many hidden agendas within the Bush Administration we may never know about but it was clear that the pretences for war on the belief that Saddam had weapons of mass destruction were false. It was a combination of the reason for war along with Bush’s continuous lack of interest in solving problems intelligently that ended up pushing me to the far left.
Now returning back to the actual anti-war rally, I am convinced that it is time for me to put words into action and take a stand for what I believed in. It is time to bring our troops home and end the chaos we are in the middle of in a country that doesn’t want us there anymore. Unfortunately, we have abused our privilege of being one of the most powerful nations in the world and are now occupying a country that wishes to be left to sort out its own issues. After all, we gave them freedom and now it’s time to let them use it. Immediately after reading about the protest I began formulating possible picket sign mottoes in between note taking during the lesson. None of the ideas that came to mind were any good, I’ll admit.
Later, I thought of the Vietnam War and the social impact it had on the America. It was a time when the people really cared and became so passionately unified in a single cause that it ended an entire war. And today we’re fighting a war so that a nation previously held under an iron fist could cast free elections and in our own country we can barely get people to vote. I hope that one day soon we could once again stand together for a common goal but it seems like 1970 is so far away and people are more interested in their ipods than war. The war has truly begun to taste foul on my lips and so the time has come for action and I choose to protest.
I had been told that the FBI would probably be taking photos and making up files on me. I am well aware of the Bush Administration’s “1984” totalitarianism ideals and the Patriot Act. Surveillance is no longer a word used lightly. I’m sure if I checked out Mien Kampf, the FBI would have my favorite food recorded by the time my library card was swiped. But none of that bothers me. I am not prepared to do anything illegal so I am content with the FBI showing a little attention my way. Hey, you haven’t really lived until your on the FBI’s watch list…remember that.