September 27, 2004
The BuzzFlash Mailbag
The opinions expressed in the Mailbag are not necessarily those of BuzzFlash. Read the BuzzFlash FAQ for info on submitting to the Mailbag.
Subject: Right Wing "Values" --Those Who Fess Up Get Clobbered; Those Who Cover Up Get Rewarded
Dear Buzz,
Right wing pundits have launched wave after wave of scathing attack on Dan Rather and CBS for failing to thoroughly investigate documents used in a news report.
Meanwhile the same right wing pundits give their wholehearted support to the Republican Party's Presidential/Vice Presidential nomination of Bush and Cheney.
Cheney was told repeatedly by CIA director that facts he used in his speeches were flat-out wrong. Unfazed, Cheney kept right on spouting the same lies.
Bush and his staff were flat-out told, repeatedly, that the yellow-cake letter was unreliable. Nevertheless Bush used the discredited forgery in his State of the Union speech as a basis for plunging the United States into war. When it appeared that the truth about the yellow cake letter might come to light, the White House went on a denial and cover-up offensive highlighted by Condoleezza Rice's untrue claims that the facts about the yellow cake letter had been hidden “deep within the bowels” of the CIA, and by personal, illegal, and underhanded attacks on Ambassador Wilson and his wife.
Right wing values are abundantly clear. Denial and cover up get you to the pinnacle of success and leadership. Fess up and you get clobbered.
Steve Bodenheimer
Charlotte, NC
Subject: Allawi is BS!
Dear Buzz,
This is what I sent to the NY Daily News today (not that it will do any good!).
To The Editors of the New York Daily News & to all the Voicers:
In case you've forgotten, Dr. Iyad Allawi is the unelected Prime Minister of Iraq and a former CIA agent who was installed to his position by the United States. The Iraqi people had no choice whatsoever in his rise to power. Of course he's going to say whatever the Bush Cartel wants him to say to the American people and press, especially if it can help Bush win the upcoming election. I'm disappointed that the Daily News editors believed what he said
without raising one question about his motives.Check the records to see who paid for his trip to the United Nations and Washington this week, and who is paying his salary in Iraq. It'll be the same payee that has been paying him for at least 10 years: THE CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA a/k/a: YOU & ME!
The only reason Allawi is the P.M. in the first place is because he's on board and in bed with the Bush Cartel to get that oil out of Iraq and into the pockets of BIG BUSINESS, INC. I'm sure he's got a very nice commission coming to him when the deal is done.
Sincerely,
A.P. Ferrara
Brooklyn, NY
Subject: RE: What credibility does Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi deserve?
"This brave man came to talk about how he's risking his life for a free Iraq -- which helps America -- and Senator Kerry held a press conference and questioned Prime Minister Allawi's credibility," he added. -- Bush Accuses Kerry of Undercutting Allawi (Reuters)
What credibility does George Bush think that anyone in the world gives to interim Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi? Does George Bush think that invading a country and then picking its leader makes that leader have any credibility at all?
But the administration doesn't have much trouble questioning the credibility of an elected Iraqi leader (which if it happens in the next 2 years will be a surprise to me).
...U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld predicts continuing violence and said some areas may be too dangerous to permit voting. -- Rumsfeld Hints Iraqi Voting Could Be Limited (NPR)
Hmmm, if the election happens to elect some anti-American leaders, what do you think the odds are that we will decide the election wasn't really representative and we'd better just stick with our hand-picked leader?
I hope I'm wrong, but I think I'll be right on this.
Signed,
A BuzzFlash Reader and Big Time Patriot
Subject: Re "Congress Slouches Toward Home"
The Republican controlled Congress over the past twelve years has done more damage to this country than Democrats did in the previous sixty years. An illegal war in Iraq costing untold numbers of lives and hundreds of billions of dollars; a ruined economy with record deficits; huge tax cuts for the wealthy in wartime; unlimited numbers of jobs going overseas permanently; skyrocketing health care costs with millions more without health insurance and sinking into poverty; failure to protect the environment; broken borders where illegal aliens and terrorists can cross at will. Add the fact that if this administration remains in office the USSC will become totally Republican. Along with everything else, we have a total incompetent administration which along with the majority in Congress have proven they do not hesitate to abuse power and will likely take this country backward and downward. This country is in the grip of those who display all the traits of corruption, fraud and dictatorship. Is this the United States of America we want in the future?
Congress Slouches Toward Home (NY Times Editorial)
RB
Subject: As everyone is remembering what others said: Kenneth Adelman, Cakewalk In Iraq
"I believe that demolishing Hussein's military power and liberating Iraq would be a cakewalk. This President Bush does not need to amass rinky-dink nations as 'coalition partners' to convince the Washington establishment that we're right." (The New Yorker, 4/14/03)
See his bio at: http://rightweb.irc-online.org/ind/adelman_k/adelman_k.php
See his article at: Cakewalk in Iraq (Kenneth Ademan in The Washington Post, 2/13/02)
*** today, Sept. 24, 2004: 21:49 President Bush orders Iraq removed from State Department list of states that sponsor terrorism (DPA)
http://www.turkishpress.com/turkishpress/news.asp?ID=28409
A BuzzFlash Reader
Subject: Re: "Uncovered: The Whole Truth About the Iraq War"
The following documentary by Robert Greenwald was shown on the Sundance channel this afternoon. It was the first time I had seen it. An excellent film. It covered the Bush administration's lies and propaganda regarding WMD in Iraq, including the disclosure of forged documents used in an attempt to prove Iraq's attempt to obtain nuclear weapons, exposed by Joe Wilson, whose wife was exposed as a CIA agent in retaliation. The many CIA weapons inspectors and other persons' input made this an excellent documentary. It's too bad this isn't shown all over the country. Like the documentary on Iran-Contra, it reveals how brazenly Repubs abuse power.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0388495/
RB
[BuzzFlash Note: Uncovered is offered as a BuzzFlash premium.]
Subject: Bush flip flop
Hi Buzz,
Kerry's plan for Iraq includes having our troops out by the end of his first term. Bush immediately attacked Kerry. He said we are asking for trouble by setting a timetable. That the terrorists would think they could run us out earlier by increasing violence.
I sense a Bush flip flop. Just one year ago in October, Bush was under attack for not having an exit strategy. At that time we had about 130,000 troops in Iraq.
The Pentagon came up with a troop withdrawal timetable. They said by the summer of 2004 we would be down to a 100,000 man deployment and by 2005 we would only have 50,000 men in Iraq. Right now we have close to 140,000 US soldiers in Iraq.
Reduction in U.S. Troops Eyed for '04 (The Washington Post, 10/19/03)
Would what Bush did be considered sending mixed messages? It couldn't be. After all he said he couldn't think of one mistake that he had made.
Paul French
Subject: Quote
The press has let the country down. It's taken a very amoral stand, in that essential issues are often portrayed as simply one side says this and the other side says that. I think that Fox News and the Republican right have intimidated the press into an incredible self-consciousness about appearing objective and backed them into a corner of sorts where they have ceded some of their responsibility and righteous power. -- Bruce Springsteen in Rolling Stone)
A BuzzFlash Reader
Subject: Talking Tripe
BuzzFlash,
This quote is taken from "Crossfire" and made by Republican Congressman Dana Rohrbacher of California: "We are going to tough it out and we're going to win the situation, because you've got terrorists who are over there. And we'd rather fight them in Iraq than fight them in the United States." This is the second time I have heard this tripe.
So, we started a war with Iraq to use Iraq as some sort of terrorist magnet. Once all the terrorists gather in Iraq, we can slowly decimate them along with several innocent Iraqis.
Great talking point, congressman. Do you think all the world's Islamic fundamentalist terrorists got the invitation to battle it out in Iraq? Did any, maybe, RSVP?
A BuzzFlash Reader
i know a commercial like this would not be shown on tv, but it could be all over the internet.
start with showing bush saying bring em on! then go to split screen, on one side showing jenna bush in the limo sticking her tongue out, on the other side show pictures of our young men and women getting killed in iraq. other people kids.
katie j.
tampa
Subject: Cat Stevens...alias Yusef Islam
Whew!!! Was I relieved to hear that the country had caught and deported Cat Stevens
We certainly do not want anyone in this country singing "Peace Train." Sheryl Crow's last big hit was written by Cat Stevens.... I would imagine that there are a few things he could say about us now. I can remember when he converted, he was said to be sitting on a Mountain top...praying...and meditating. Well, you know even if we do not agree with their religion...at least he seemed to be peaceful!!!
What a bunch of "Screw Ups!" Well, prepare for more if this dimwit gets back in the White House...all his cabinet members are just like him...!!
Shirley......St. Louis
Subject: Do you see the irony here?
Sheikh Omar Bakri Mohammed, leader of the radical British Muslim group al-Muhajiroun, said Britain should release Muslims it holds as terrorism suspects in exchange for Bigley's life.
The Briton, he said, should never have been in Iraq.
"All foreigners should leave Iraq and leave Arabia," said Bakri Mohammed, infamous in Britain for his radical views. "The forces in Iraq have the right to fight foreigners. ...I believe he should not be there in the first place regardless of his mission."
British Hostage's Family Seeks Iraqi Help (Associated Press/Yahoo)
This Sheikh is comfortably ensconced in London spewing hatred through his edicts. I am wondering why he -- in London with all the "foreigners" -- is OK -- but "foreigners" -- in the Muslim countries -- is not. Hmmm???
Nate Roth
San Mateo, CA
Subject: NEWS FROM COLORADO SPRINGS - THE MOST REPUBLICAN CITY IN THE WEST
I wanted to tell people not to give up. I work in the County Democratic headquarters and we keep running out of Kerry yard signs. I was told today that all over Colorado people keep wanting Kerry signs but the local Democratic party can't keep them in stock.
And then there are some people (I guess republicans) who come in the office wanting anti-bush signs, buttons and bumper stickers. They still aren't brave enough to put a Kerry sign in the yard but they sure don't like Bush.
One other thing, those of you that complain about how Kerry is running his campaign: STOP WHINNYING and volunteer to help. We need poll watchers, we need people to answer phones, we need people to go door to door, we need people to make sure that people get registered, especially in the poor neighborhoods.
We are not only up against Bush, but the media, as well, so we need to be talking to people one to one.
Keep the faith.
Jane
Subject: Half-Full...Half-Empty...or Half-Assed?
Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage says Iraq must have complete, nation-wide elections in January. The whole country, including those in the grips of violence.
However...
Donny Dumbsfeld says that even if violence keeps Iraqis from voting, then a partial election would be better than none at all? His exact quote: "So be it. Nothing's perfect in life."
Let me toss out a scenario here: I's November 2nd and vast swaths of Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Alabama aren't able to vote due to hurricane damage. Election officials say, "So be it. Nothing's perfect in life."
Raise your hand if you honestly think the American people would stand for that, irregardless of the outcome?
U.S. Officials Differ on Iraqi Elections (Associated Press/Yahoo)
Jerry Peurala
Westfield, IN
Subject: To Shorty and Jackster re Kitty Kelley/Bush sealing records
I saw Kitty Kelley on Lou Dobb's show the other day, and she was stunned that Lou not only treated her well, but found her credible, after all she's been through with other show hosts. Anyway, Dobbs apparently hadn't heard about Bush sealing all those records until he read it in Kitty's book (that surprised me). Now, for some reason, there is NO transcript of this segment on the CNN/Lou Dobbs web page. So I'm remembering that he said to her, something to the effect of: "This is absolutely amazing. THIS is the real story here. THIS is what everyone should be looking at." Hmmm. Maybe this explains why there's no transcript of this conversation on the web page. So, now, why isn't anyone looking at this and giving it some focus? I agree that this stunt goes beyond words, and I think the media should give it some serious attention. Right now.
Sue
Subject: What does Rumsfeld's democracy look like?
Before a Senate committee Thursday, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld outlined his version of democracy for Iraq:
"Let's say you tried to have an election and you could have it in three-quarters or four-fifths of the country. But in some places you couldn't because the violence was too great," he said. "Well, so be it. Nothing's perfect in life, so you have an election that's not quite perfect. Is it better than not having an election? You bet."
Four Iraqis killed in Baghdad rocket attack: Rumsfeld again says some areas might be too violent for voting (CNN, 9/24/04)
What part about democracy is it that Rumsfeld, and by extension, his cronies in the Bush junta, don't understand? You can't call something a democracy in which a quarter or even a fifth of the people are given no representation.
As I see it, Rumsfeld's statement gets to the core of the Bush junta's fundamental flaw: They simply don't understand what democracy is. For them, elections are a public relations job that has little to do with how governments and institutions are structured. Rumsfeld's statement shows that an election is one of those necessary evils, something the Bush junta has to go through the motions of doing, in order to placate the world community.
All the while, of course, he fails to see that unless a democratic election is truly participatory, it is little more than a sham, a rubberstamp for a puppet regime that seems to be the object of so much of the Iraqi people's scorn.
Kevin Leigh Smith
Lafayette, Indiana
Subject: Progress in Iraq
Mr. Bush keeps talking about the "progress" we are making in Iraq. Today, Prime Minister Allawi repeated the same message - even using the same phrasing as Bush. Everyone in the administration involved in the "war on terror" has the same speech. And everyone telling the story of the "war on Iraq" is telling just that - a story. Last March we were attacked 700 times, this August we were attacked 2700 times. An increase of 400%. Yet we are told "we are making progress." We lost 42 military in June. In the first 22 days of September, we have lost 63. But "we are making progress in Iraq." The Iraqi police force is 5,000 not 200,000 or 95,000 strong. Why? Because "we are making progress in Iraq." So much "progress" in fact, that the Iraqis are too frightened to police themselves. On Sunday (9/19) a report in "The Observer" said the British Army has started withdrawing its troops and will have pulled out one-third of its combat troops by the end of October. Costa Rica has withdrawn its support; others will follow. But "we are making progress." You've got to wonder what the opposite would look like.
Leslie
Evanston
Subject: RE: Your Afternoon Buzz (9/23)
Dear BuzzFlash:
I read through all the mail and I'm astounded that nobody has commented on what the horse's ass in the white house said at a reception either before or after his speech at the United Nations. I caught this on the local evening news in San Francisco (I couldn't watch and listen to his speech after the first few minutes because he is just too disgusting), but he was in some kind of reception area gladhanding, and Mr. Kofi Annan walked in across the room from him and our clueless and classless horse's ass shouted out to him - "Hey, Kofi, howyadoin'? What's happening?" Nobody, but NOBODY, has commented on this. Why not? I know I'm not the only person who saw this debacle.
Gail Henigman
San Francisco, California
Subject: CBS BENDS OVER
CBS BENDS OVER [Washington Monthly]....When CBS rushed the infamous Killian memo story to air two weeks ago, they bumped a story about the forged Niger documents to make room for it. Via Corrente ["Cowardly Broadcasting System"], I just learned that CBS has released a statement saying it has now spiked the story entirely because it would be "inappropriate to air the report so close to the presidential election" ['60 Minutes' Delays Report Questioning Reasons for Iraq War -- NY Times].
J.S.
Subject: We're Being Misled
Here are three words that should be plastered everywhere from now until the election:
WE'RE BEING MISLED
This "heads-up" needs to be implanted into the psyche of this country.This is our common ground.
A BuzzFlash Reader
Subject: Figure it out
"I don't want to denigrate Kerry," he went on, "but from a Viacom standpoint, the election of a Republican administration is a better deal. Because the Republican administration has stood for many things we believe in, deregulation and so on. The Democrats are not bad people. . . . But from a Viacom standpoint, we believe the election of a Republican administration is better for our company." -- Sumner Redstone, CEO, Viacom [parent company of CBS], at Forbes magazine's annual Global CEO Conference
Note to Mr. Redstone: The reason a Republican administration is a better deal for Viacom and other corporations is primarily greed and adoration of the almighty buck. The deregulations Redstone refers to were acted upon by concerned, intelligent, US Congress people from the past. Just as a republican administration is a better deal for corporations, the better deal for most Americans is a democratic administration. Looking out for one's economic interests should be just as important to mainstream America as it is to Viacom. If Americans ever figure this out, it is bye-bye to the republicans for a couple of decades.
Think about it... we outnumber corporations by millions.
Cathy
Subject: The Debates -- Bush Will Be Declared the Winner by the Media
Dear Friends of BuzzFlash,
While we look forward to the debates, I just want to caution everyone that most probably the biased media is going to make Bush look like the winner however badly he performs. We saw this in the 2000 debates, Al Gore might have sighed too many times, but he definitely scored well on points, and because the press did not like Al Gore they ridiculed him, and made Bush the moron out to be the winner. They now admit to that, and that should make us realize that since the press is, even more than ever, under the control of the white house, they will not have the backbone to say anything against Bush. John Kerry is already having a hard time getting his message through because the media is ignoring his speeches, and making few positive comments about them. I blame the media for acting like the white house echo chamber, and not challenging Bush on any of his lies. For instance, when Bush or Cheney distorts whatever John Kerry says, all the media has to do is play back that portion of JK's speech and set that right. I guess they just don't want to!
Keep hope alive!
Roseanne
Subject: Pls Help Us Overseas Voters!!!
Dear BuzzFlash,
Please check out the last paragraph below - can you help with this? Any idea how to get MoveOn to help? I am guessing at an address for them but don't know if it will work.
It is (as you saw from my letter to you the other day - where I begged for anonymity but explained the urgency of getting help on this) CRUCIAL that we do all we can to get out the vote from the overseas citizens, a HUGE group of Americans - between 6-7 million - who are NOT inclined to help Bush!
Under pressure, Pentagon opens up voter site (Salon.com)
After suffering a day of relentless criticism from voting-rights activists, bloggers and lawmakers, the Pentagon decided on Wednesday afternoon to lift the access block it had earlier placed on the Web site for the Federal Voting Assistance Program, the government agency charged with helping Americans living abroad register to vote.
"The department has taken prompt action to address the concerns of some U.S. citizens overseas regarding the protective measures on DoD networks that were limiting some Internet access," Charles S. Abell, principal deputy undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, said in a statement. Abell gave no reason for why the block had been instituted in the first place, but unnamed officials told the International Herald Tribune that the policy was due to "an Internet security block imposed several years ago had been left in place inadvertently" and was not a partisan plan meant to disenfranchise liberal expatriates, as some critics had charged.
Brett Rierson, the owner of the nonpartisan voting-assistance site overseasvote.com, discounted that explanation. In an interview from his home in Hong Kong, Rierson told Salon that American expatriates only recently began complaining in high numbers about being locked out of the government's voting registration site. The problem could not have been caused by a block accidentally imposed several years ago, Rierson said, because for much of this year voters from around the world experienced no problem logging into the site. Then, for some unexplained reason, "something changed at the Pentagon" at the end of August, Rierson said, and Americans in about 27 different countries could no longer get in to the Pentagon's voting site.
Perhaps we'll never know what prompted the Defense Department to shut down access to its voting site. But now that it has lifted its block, Rierson hopes that Americans living abroad will immediately go online and register to vote. Already this year, he says, at least 47,000 people have downloaded registration forms from overseasvote.com. And tens of thousands more have acquired forms from the many other assitance sites online, including TellAnAmericanToVote.com and OverseasVote2004.com, which is funded by the Democratic party and is not affiliated with Rierson's site.
"I really believe that these are the silent swing voters," Rierson said of the Americans living abroad. "And, let me say something: If there's one thing you could do for us -- we're really hoping for MoveOn, ACT, Emily's List, all these third-party groups to get the message out to their base, to tell people to get in touch with their overseas friends and get them to vote." Voting registration deadlines for expatriates are fast approaching, he explained. "This idea has another two weeks of shelf life -- then it's dead."
Thanks,
Jeannie
Subject: Priorities Anyone - Do You Feel Safer Under GeeDubya?
Hello Again to BuzzFlash and to all BuzzFlash readers,
Senator John Kerry, while campaigning in Wisconsin, mis-spoke when he called Lambeau Field, home of the Green Bay Packers, 'Lambert' Field. Dick Cheney, in particular, had quite a chuckle about that as he mocked Senator Kerry about his mis-speak.
Meanwhile, we learn from an AP report entitled "Bush Again Confuses ID's of Two Terrorists" (Miami Herald), ... that GeeDubya mis-identified Abu Nidal and Abul Abbas: "Do you remember Abu Nidal? He's the guy that killed Leon Klinghoffer," said GeeDubya. Oh really?!?
"Actually, it was Abul Abbas . . . who killed Klinghoffer. Abbas, who was captured in Baghdad last year, was the mastermind of the Achille Lauro hijacking," reads the AP report. It is evidently not the first time GeeDubya has been confused about who the two terrorists are . . . he has done this at least 10 times prior.
Is this why GeeDubya went after Saddam Hussein instead of Osama bin Laden, because he can't keep his terrorists straight?!? And this is a self-proclaimed 'War Preznit' who gets high marks on fighting against terror? Sounds as though he still confuses himself, George Walker Bush, with Johnny Walker Red.
GeeDubya has made it a disturbing habit to confuse terrorists, yet Cheney has the audacity to mock Kerry for confusing "Lambeau" and "Lambert."
Feel any safer now? I know I do.
Warmest Regards,
G.K., a Fervently Loyal, Devoted and Proud Liberal BuzzFlash Reader
BuzzFlash,
Tell me. If Jesus had only two choices, would he be a liberal or a conservative?
liberal: ADJECTIVE: a. Not limited to or by established, traditional, orthodox, or authoritarian attitudes, views, or dogmas; free from bigotry. b. Favoring proposals for reform, open to new ideas for progress, and tolerant of the ideas and behavior of others; broad-minded.
conservative: ADJECTIVE: 1. Favoring traditional views and values; tending to oppose change.
I would have to choose liberal for several reasons:
1.If Jesus opposed change then he would have remained a Jew and there would be no Christianity.
2. Jesus became man and came to earth to teach us new ideas for progress.
3. Jesus said "treat the least of my people as you would treat me."...a very liberal idea!
How could Jesus choose conservative?
1. He would have to condone the bigotry of the conservative talking heads on radio and television.
2. He would have to support the tax cuts for the wealthy and force our country into this massive debt while cutting services to the poor like after school programs.
3. He would have to accept 45 million of our citizens without health benefits.
4. He would have to encourage a war that is killing thousands of innocent people while companies like Halliburton profit from the spoils.
I could add many more reasons why Jesus could never be a conservative. Please enlighten me as to exactly where in the conservative agenda are there significant advantages sought for the poor and the down trodden....the true flock of Jesus Christ our Savior?
Does this ultra conservative philosophy even acknowledge "treat the least of my people as you would treat me?"
Buzz, isn't stating that you are a Christian and a conservative a paradox?
Ruthann
Subject: Except for One Little Detail . . .
BuzzFlash,
As always, while I was enjoying your latest Hypocrite of the Week, in your article of Bush's ability to keep on being a hypocrite of the week -- (do you have a hypocrite-for-life award?) -- you mentioned a reader's view of Bush as piloting a plane:
. . .if he's steering a plane across the country and finds that he's out of fuel around Albuquerque, will insist on flying to Los Angeles anyway, without stopping for more gas. "That's my plan, and I am sticking to it,"' he tells his co-pilot. His co-pilot warns him that he is crazy and the plane and passengers will crash in the next 100 miles as the fuel runs out. Bush, a self-described "decisive" man dismisses the reality of the situation: "I am a swaggering man, and we said that this was a non-stop flight to Los Angeles, and I am a man of my word. Besides, God chose me to pilot this plane, and we are in the Lord's hands."
I agree with the above example of Bush's cavalier leadership, except if Bush was piloting a plane, it would have been from afar. Bush will never put himself in harm's way. Never. He would insist that the plane go on, but Bush would not be on that plane. (In that same way that Reagan, when he fired all of the air traffic controllers, he was not thinking of the danger to Americans . . . as for himself, Reagan would never have to be on any of those planes.)
911 is a clear example of how Bush feels about dead Americans. Maybe if the airlines and people had been warned . . . business would have been down, but maybe lives would not have been lost. I still remember that Ashcroft quit flying public transportation a month ahead of 911. I still remember Bush flying around the country all that day, wondering where to land. People on those hijacked planes didn't have that choice. I also remember that President Clinton, who was out of the country at the time, made it back to New York before Bush did.
Afghanistan and the invasion of Iraq are great examples of how Bush feels about dead families in other countries after orchestrating "shock and awe." Not only would the US government not count the deaths of Iraqi citizens, they stopped the Iraqis from counting their own dead. Bush also didn't care about the news of the death and destruction coming from journalists . . . because to keep from getting killed, a person had to be an "embedded newsperson." A very high number of journalists were threatened and have been killed in Iraq.
Flag-draped coffins, funerals and families who are in anguished pain are also ignored by Bush and [represent] another clear example that Bush doesn't give a good goddamn about the deaths of our soldiers in Iraq or Afghanistan. Bush, as Commander-in-Chief, only flew over Iraq, he never landed in Iraq himself.
The number of people guarding Bush wherever he goes -- more than any other president, in my opinion -- and the outrageous demands that he makes of people wherever he is going to be present . . . all done for his "safety," Bush only cares about Bush. Bush will never put himself in harm's way. And, people who profess such strong beliefs in their religion -- as Bush does -- clearly is still afraid for his own well being, yet, through his boasts to Iraq and Afghanistan, he has no fear of the danger he has put our own military in around the world. I wonder how many bodyguards will be on Bush's payroll when he quits politics?
Just a thought . . . :)
Thanks BuzzFlash,
Shirley Smith
[BuzzFlash Note: There was that Thanksgiving visit to the troops, under the cloak of darkness... See: http://slate.msn.com/id/2105914/]