After almost 3 years, a "plan" for Iraq

This just in from the White House PR department - People want to see "a plan." So in about 20 minutes, Bush will make a speech at the Naval Academy to announce the "National Strategy for Victory in Iraq" If Bush ever wanted to impress Americans, he's speak on a college campus ... one that doesn't have to salute him. Go back to Yale or Harvard, George. Get them to applaud. To save yourself some time, I recommend printing off Bush's stump speeches that he's delivered to crowds he can imprision for talking back (military), throw them into your blender, hit "liquify" and this stuff will spit out the other end.
The short version -- after next month's elections, Rumsfeld will declare that all of America's hard work and sacrifice have paid off and General Casey's plan for drawing down troops will begin in earnest in January. Half the troops will be home by the August congressional recess next summer -- fall election time.
Rummy is a flake, okay? He said yesterday that he "thought about it over the weekend" and decided that the term "insurgent" gave those who were blowing themselves up too much legitimacy, so he's going to stop using it. Have you noticed that Bush has already switched to calling them terrorists instead? He must have been sitting in Rummy's lap (where he's been for 5 years) when the revelation came to him.

We have met the enemy ... in the mirror

The evil do-ers who use chemical weapons in the Middle East are ... who? Take a look at Shake and Bake - New York Times and decide for yourself. How many ways does this administration plan to use to humiliate Americans by abusing others in our name?

"U.S. Officials say ..."

Which way it it? This morning CNN reports that U.S. Officials said they "just missed" al-Zarqawi, but on their web site they say that reports the bad, bad guy was killed last weekend are "highly unlikely according to U.S. Officials." Now CNN debunks itself simultaneously?

Elephant Droppings

OhmyGod, it's shocking -- shocking! The Bush Administration forced its Medicare actuary to keep his yap shut about the actual expected cost ($500-$600 Billion, not the $400 billion as advertised) of the new drug benefit. From the New York Times story today: "Perhaps the most striking example of the administration's bypassing the bureaucracy to accomplish a political goal occurred in late 2003 when the Medicare actuary, Richard S. Foster, was told by his politically appointed boss that he would be fired if he gave Congress his best estimate of the cost of the administration's prescription-drug plan. If he had told the truth - that his projections showed the bill would cost $500 billion to $600 billion over 10 years, not $400 billion, as the administration was saying publicly - the bill surely would not have passed in the House, Republicans and Democrats agree."

Too bad Foster did what he was told.

Show, tell and get fired

In the 10 commandments there's something about not bearing false witness. This is not just about not lying, it's about not falsely accusing someone. So check this out -- one kid (elementary age) accuses another of stealing $5.00. The principal takes the accused kid from room to room and holds her up to the classes as "a liar and a thief."

But then, oops, sorry, the accuser recants her story. After a three-day paid suspension (isn't that "vacation"?) the principal is forced to resign. I'm guessing she goes straight to Dick Cheney's office to apply for a job.

Go Chuck, Go

Senator Chuck Hagel, (R-Nebraska) has poked back at the Bush administration for its BS tactics of accusing any critic of giving comfort to the terrorists in Iraq and elsewhere. What a breath of fresh air this is from one of the last real moderate Republicans on the planet. Between this and the John McCain piece in this week's Newsweek, it's no wonder Bush left the continent. Does he have to come back?

Offensive Iraq

"I demand on behalf of the America people that we understand why these investigations aren't being conducted," Democratic leader Harry Reid said.

With this, Reid invoked Rule 21 and closed the Senate session to discuss this matter of national security (how the administration ginned up the intelligence to support the war). Crybaby (Majority Leader) Bill Frist ran out the door into the arms of CNN to complain. About the outrageous accusation? No. That democrats have lost their minds? No.

That he was insulted -that tradition and procedure were not followed in notifying him.

You know what? Tough shit. War is hell, Frist. Answer the f*cking question -- why isn't the Senate investigating the manipulation of intelligence that "justified" this war? Why aren't they investigating a breach of national security represented by the deliberate leak of a CIA officer's name?

The answer thus far appears to be that Republicans' loyalty, which is supposed to be to the Constitution and the greater good of the country, is instead to the person sitting in the Oval Office and behind the curtain at the Naval Observatory.