Another Deja Vu

I am very disturbed at the direction our country's President is taking our nation:

"We may face no greater challenge from a single country than from Iran"

"If necessary, however, under long-standing principles of self-defense, we do not rule out the use of force before attacks occur, even if uncertainty remains as to the time and place of the enemy's attack"

This is how President Bush defends his ‘Preemptive Strategy” in the latest White House’s National Security Report to Congress. It’s a spookily eerie case of ‘deja vu all over again’.

Where has Bush’s “Preemptive Strategy” taken our country so far? Let’s count just a few of the places:

1. Bush’s “Preemptive Strategy” was used as an excuse to abandon the hunt for the real terrorist enemy to attack the wrong one in 2003;

2. Bush’s “Preemptive Strategy” was used as an excuse to invade a non-threatening sovereign nation not involved in the 9/11 attacks or terrorist activities;

3. Bush’s “Preemptive Strategy” relied upon false and manufactured “intelligence” to justify that invasion;

4. Bush’s “Preemptive Strategy” resulted in the destruction and desolation of large areas of that nation, and in the deaths of over 2300 Americans and thousands of other human beings. There is no exit strategy and no end in sight;

5 Bush’s “Preemptive Strategy” resulted in the most effective recruitment tool for terrorist fanatics against the western world since the Crusades;

6. Bush’s “Preemptive Strategy” resulted in the largest mobilization of Islamic terrorists since the Crusades, with attacks around the world;

7. Bush’s “Preemptive Strategy” has left our country far more at risk than before;

8. Bush’s “Preemptive Strategy” is costing our nation, or children and our grandchildren hundreds of billions of dollars, dollars which could be put to far better uses;

9. Bush’s “Preemptive Strategy” has taken the international reputation of our country to it’s lowest point in history;

10. Last but not least, Bush’s “Preemptive Strategy” has polarized our country as not seen since the Civil War.

Bush’s defense of his “Preemptive Strategy” reminds me of the story about the guy selling watermelons for $1 apiece from the back of a pickup truck. When his partner complained about losing money his solution was ‘let’s get a bigger truck!’. Not only are this seriously failed president’s actions illogical and illegal, it becomes clearer each day they are arrogantly stupid! Trouble is, all the rest of us are paying heavily for his obtuse ways.

A Shameful Fog of Obtuse Hypocrisy & Lies

"There's nothing new or insightful on these tapes,"
- Homeland Security spokesman Russ Knocke concerning a video obtained by the Associated Press yesterday.

The video recorded an Aug. 28, 2005 meeting on Hurricane Katrina then threatening New Orleans. The meeting was held at President Bush’s Crawford, Texas ranch and attended by the President. Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans the next day, August 29, 2005. There were over 1300 deaths as a result of the storm, and the common consensus is that New Orleans may never fully recover. There are still many thousands left homeless and in limbo over six months later with a new hurricane season fast approaching.

National Hurricane Center official Max Mayfield spoke during that meeting:

“The storm is gonna pile some of that water in Lake Pontchartrain on the south side of the lake. I don’t think anyone can tell you with any confidence right now whether the levees will be topped or not, uh, but there’s obviously a very very grave concern.”

That’s as in “A VERY, VERY GRAVE CONCERN”. And, in fact that grave concern came to pass.

Now discredited FEMA Head Michael Brown also spoke during the same meeting:

“My gut tells me . . that this one is a bad one and a big one. . . . we're going to need everything that we can possibly muster, not only in this state and in the region, but the nation, to respond to this event,"

That’s as in “A BAD ONE AND A BIG ONE”, and “WE’RE GOING TO NEED EVERYTHING WE CAN POSSIBLY MUSTER”. And, in fact that also came to pass.

President Bush asked no questions at all during the meeting, but did make this statement:

“I want to assure the folks at the state level, that, uh, we are fully prepared to not only help you during the storm, but we will move in whatever resources and assets we have at our disposal, after the storm to help deal with, tha, uh, with the loss of property . . . and we pray there’s no loss of life of course.”

That’s as in “WE ARE FULLY PREPARED”. Unfortunately this was simply lip service and a great big, fat, wishful lie.

And, when later questioned about the abysmal federal response after the storm Mr. Bush had this to say:

“There is frustration. but, uh, I want people to know there’s a lot of help coming. I don’t think anybody anticipated a breech of the levees.”

Shamefully, just another great big, fat "black is white" lie.

Responding to heavy criticism, the White House has recently said the ‘fog of war made decision making difficult” during and after the hurricane. Former FEMA director Michael Brown told AP this week that he did not "buy the 'fog of war' defense".

"It was a fog of bureaucracy," he said.

Personally, I consider this simply another demonstration of the never-ending obtuse arrogance of this administration and their shamefully perpetual insistence that administration fantasy is reality.

Watch the video for yourself here:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4765058.stm