In which the middle-aged Peacenik mouths off about War Drones--and all the other things that make him cranky.
Mr Mahatma--who is a Mr in real life--lives in the valleys of Southern California with his wife, a herd of Dears, and an impressive collection of books. Pnorny!
He is reachable at: littlemrmahatma@yahoo.com
All writings are copyrighted 2003-2008 and trademarked: Little Mr. Mahatma
Tuesday, August 09, 2005 Reminder Periodically I rehash all the lies and manipulations foisted upon us by the Bush Administration because, frankly, they want us to foget. They want us to listen to their words and see their actions as if history didn't exist, as if we had no way to judge or validate them and so must rely on them and believe them to be truthful.
The Bush Administration acts as if communication is still shy of the pony express, slow to spread. They think that we won't remember that the Iraq Invasion was, according to them, due to Hussein about to use WMDs against us and they gave us PROOF. Except the proof was wrong but this was after the invasion. Fait accompli and all that. THey said that Hussein had WMDs but that changed to "tried to get" and that changed to "wanted".
They said that Hussein was in cahoots with al Qaeda but that changed to "supported" al Qaeda and that changed to "approved of" al Qaeda when connections weren't found.
They said our troops would be welcome with open arms. They were and even today our troops are killed with bombs and arms.
They said Iraq's oil would pay for the country's reconstruction but little of the money has gone to that cause. Instead, corruption and theft are rampant. The oil money and billions of our dollars are unaccounted for.
Bush preached that Hussein had to go because Hussein was such an evil guy, killing many of his people. But, with Abu Ghraib and an unknown number of civilian deaths, we've shown that our standards aren't so high either. With Rumsfeld, Rove, and ultimately Bush, we find accountability and responsibility are only words.
Yes, the Bush Administration would dearly love for us to forget, to be God-fearing, loyal, unquestioning Americans but he's finding our memories are a bit longer than his. He's finding that we do remember and that his attempts to distort what has happended and is happening in Iraq are being regularly questioned.
We're seeing the Bush Administration in panic, that if one strategy to fool us doesn't work then try another - clearly an active demonstration of Evolution. For when you mention the Bush Administration, there is obviously no support for Intelligent Design.
Monday, August 08, 2005 Win-Win Last week I blogged in part about how whether we pull out of Iraq now or later, either way we lose. It's a PR coup for the insurgents if we leave now vs. a mounting American death toll and finance hit if we leave later.
But, I thought, is there any way Iraq is a win for us whether we leave now or later? Am I so jaded against Bush that I can't see anything positive about his actions?
A few more moments of reflection and I concluded that a win-win picture could be painted though it's a stretch, and, yes, I am jaded against Bush because he deserves no less for what he and his cronies have done and are doing to our great country.
We win in Iraq by pulling out now because we save American lives, and cut our costs and losses. We went in to remove Hussein and install a new government. Both are done and done. If the new government has a few rough edges, that's their problem not ours. Get out now!
We win if we pull out later because we'll help stabilize the country, saving more lives overall, plus we can help fine-tune their government. Sure, it's an investment on our part but that's what it is - an investment. Get out later!
No matter which path we choose, Bush and his Boyz will paint the cheeriest picture possible. With the trial of Hussein coming up, rest assured the propaganda machines will be running in full force. But keep an eye out for major events sneaking by and being conveniently covered over by "pressing news" from the trial.
Which brings me to my final thought of this entry. Bush had us invade Iraq because supposedly Hussein was an immediate threat to the security of the U.S. so...why is Hussein being brought up on charges completely unrelated to the invasion? If Hussein posed such a threat that we invaded and toppled him, if Hussein is going to be brought to trial, it should be on charges that he (Hussein) posed a threat with WMDs to U.S. security - plain and simple. But, we know, that won't happen because - smoke and mirrors - we'd lose and then what? - put Hussein back in power with a back slap and a "My bad!" Not in the Bush League. Bush wants a trial to make it look like Justice is being served but he can't put Hussein on trial for the reasons put above. Can' t and won't.
It used to be "lies, damn lies, and statistics", now it's "lies, damn lies, and Bush lies".
Friday, August 05, 2005 Scattered Thoughts It's kind of weird, being laid-off, with a lot of free time. A part of me inside screams "Do it! Do all those projects you've wanted to do - write, program, build. This is the time." But that voice is countered by the Inner Sloth that quietly mutters "Manana!" and forces me to roll over in bed and continue daydreaming.
Crap, it's been a full month since the last update. Damn Sloth!
In the news, more idiocy from our beloved Government. Roberts doesn't remember an important meeting that he attended and so left mentioning it off an application. Same goes for Bolton. Folks in D.C. sure have poor memories.
Bush appoints Bolton by bypassing the Senate. So much for Checks and Balances. Why bother then with the Senate at all if the President can just wait things out and appoint at will?
More violence as expected. Imagine what a better world we'd have right now if only Bush had followed through in pursuing bin Laden with the same kind of gusto that he's shown for invading Iraq. One would almost suspect that the ties between the Bushes and bin Ladens might have something to with the George W.'s lack of effort in going after Terrorist #1.
About a month ago in the news, an American General mentioned that they have a darn good idea of where bin Laden is hiding but they can't go after him because of political reasons. I took that to mean that Pakistan is hiding bin Laden but that we're trying to make nice-nice with Pakistan so we're letting them "handle" it. Yet, wasn't it Bush who declared, before invading Afghanistan, that any country harboring terrorists had a choice of helping the U.S. get them or risk the consequences. So much for Bush bravdao.
Iraq is still a mess. Sure, they have the making of a constitution but one that doesn't quite play equal with all the humans in the country. So when do we leave? After they ratify the document? After the Iraqi Government asks us to leave? When the oil runs out? In case you haven't noticed, Iraq is still one mother of a corrupt crazy country. All we did was change the people getting the kickbacks with *YOUR* tax dollars.
If that's annoying enough, Iraq is simply a lose-lose situation for us. If we pull out now it will be seen by all involved as a demonstration of a weak America. If we pull out later we continue to feed the terrorist agenda, continue to drop billions of dollars into nothingness, and continue to watch our soldiers die for a cause that is arguably less than noble.
Bush refuses to admit any mistakes. Cheney refuses to see any problems. Rumsfeld and Rove won't accept any responsibilties. This is not a Government of responsible Americans. It is a collection of addle-pated misfits who live in their own world and are attempting to shape our country to support their perverse vision. Their vision, though, is not one of equality, justice, and freedom but instead of control and power.
Sadly, I don't see the Democrats offering a solution. They're running around making issues out of stupid little things like sex being hidden in the ultra-violent "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas" and not tackling real issues like "was Iraq necessary?" Democrats need to go on the offensive aggressively and ruthlessly against Bush and his ilk.
But they won't because they are licked. They're whipped. They' see the power wielded by the other side and they are in awe, afraid to go up against it.
And so we suffer under what is a one-party system that sees no ethical or moral dilemmas in their illegal actions to maintain their power.
AMERICA WAKE UP!!!
Wow, I didn't even gripe about the further crumbling of the separation between Church and State thanks to Bush's implied support for "Intelligent Design". As I posted many moons ago, let's just get rid of all Science. All of it. After all, if God is behind everything, what more explanation do we need? Johnny doesn't need to know how to read or add or think. Johnny just needs to go to work, pay his taxes, and vote Bush, like a good mindless American.
