Pasquino RockefellerTuesday, March 13, 2007
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?
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?
Monday, March 12, 2007
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.
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.
—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!
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
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.
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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)