Truth, Justice And The American Way
I wanted to write about 9/11 yesterday, on the fifth anniversary of that awful day, but I just couldn’t do it. What should be a day of unity, of remembrance, free from politics, can never be such because our President has sullied the memory of those who died five years and one day ago by turning 9/11 into an event used solely for political gain. What Americans learned on that day, and what the President learned are two different things. As Keith Olbermann pointed out beautifully yesterday on his show Countdown, “We have not forgotten Mr. President. You have. May this country forgive you.” I encourage you to watch the whole segment at Crooks & Liars if you haven’t already. This kind of truth rarely makes it onto television these days.
The opportunity that this President was handed (whether accidentally by Osama bin Laden or purposefully by shadier elements of our own secret government) five years ago was simply squandered. What should have been the opportunity of a lifetime for this President has turned out to prove our worst fears that this man is not up for the job he has been handed. No President has worked harder than this one at dividing the American people, and never has fear been peddled so relentlessly. Power gained in such a way cannot be sustained and Bush’s power is steadily eroding as he has nothing but fear to bolster him up.
Jonathan Alter wrote “An Alternate 9/11 History” in which he explores the fictional America where George Bush did everything right once the country was united behind him. It’s not so much funny as it is sad. As much as I believe it was never possible for George Bush, with his limited knowledge and damaged character, to behave in any other way, it is sad that at this critical time in our history, we have been cursed with a leader that can only inflict harm, incite violence and through his incompetence and willful neglect, leave chaos and destruction in his wake. History will judge him harshly, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t also. Keith Olbermann last night used the term “impeachable offence” and that is where we are. The only way that 9/11 can become a truly unifying day, is to rid the country of the biggest wedge separating us from one another, George Bush.
posted by The (liberal)Girl Next Door @ 10:39 AM
4 Comments:
What I find upsetting about the "Yellow Ribbon" rhetoric is the very attempt to suppress political discussion during wartime. It is treasonous.
The Prussian military philosopher, Carl von Clausewitz (1780-18310, said "War is a continuation of politics by other means." And he was so right. To pretend the circumstances of the deaths of 1000s is not to be discussed in a liberal democracy is just absurd.
Bush admitted last night that Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11. At last, a confession. But why does he think if America withdraws the terrorists will keep coming? Did the North Vietnamese invade Australia and then move on to Hawaii? No. This Domino Theory has to be retired, it is so played out.
The only part of Olbermann's piece that I could not understand is why he would even bring up the idea of forgiveness for Bush. W. hasn't been diagnosed as mentally ill, so he is supposed to be a fully functioning adult. He has performed the way he has for decades, long before he was POTUS. He has been responsible for many wrongs. How could anyone even consider forgiving him? I suppose someone who considers him/herself very religious might take that on as a project, but destroying a pretty good country like the USA - that's an enormous crime. Nuremberg scale.
No. No forgiveness. He needs to face consequences.
Clinton never had Osama bin Laden on a silver platter! He did peg bin Laden as America's #1 Enemy and he did try to stop him. That, sadly, is something Bush decided was too "Clinton-esque" for him and so turned his focus to Iraq. (That's fact!)
Now, ask yourself: who was it who didn't want to call an inquiry into the lead up to 9/11? Who resisted the idea of the federal government taking over airpost security? Who wanted to bomb Iraq and forget about bin Laden? Who told us lies about WMD? Who lied about torturing prisoners and illegal wiretaps? Not Clinton, it was Bush 100%.
As for the "Stay the course" and "Cut & Run" nonsense, I've got the Five Year Rule. That is, any war that hasn't been won in Five Years ain't gonna be won. It only took 5 years to defeat Hitler, Mussolini, and Tojo; the Kaiser fell in 4. But Vietnam dragged on for over ten years. Hitler "stayed the course" and told his army in Stalingrad he wouldn't "cut & run". That was the end of the Eastern Front for the Germans.
Keith Olbermann is my hero. Impeachable offense, yes, and "convictable" too. Throwing Bush's sorry arse out of office is the only rational response to his monumental incompetence.
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