Wayne Besen - Author, Activist, Columnist, Public Speaker

Tuesday, June 28, 2005

This evening, President Bush is going to address the nation on Iraq. What can he say to make the situation better? Bush's lies, combined with awful post-war planning, have left the U.S. with no good options. Here are our three choices:

1) We can quit, pack up and go home. Of course, this will leave the mideast in the hands of terrorists and significantly increase the odds of more terrorist attacks in the U.S.

2) Bush and Cheney can continue to pretend all is well and that we are simply mopping up and looking for the last two or three terrorists remaining in Iraq. But we all know by now - even Fox News Republicans - that this will only lead to indefinite bloodshed and take us down the Vietnam path. Let's be honest, there is no exit to the current quagmire. The status quo is broken and beyond repair.

3) Bush can tell the truth and say that in order to win, America must follow the Powell Doctrine and re-enter Iraq with overwhelming force. This means adding at least another 500,000 troops. The problem is, because Bush lied from the beginning, our military is having trouble recruiting and retaining troops. The only way to solve this problem is through a draft. And no politician -Democrat or Republican - has the guts to state this tragic truth.

So, Bush can say or spin, or spit for that matter, and nothing will change the daunting facts on the ground. It has been said about this war that we "have the toys, but not the boys". Only a draft changes this equation. Don't expect the truth tonight. But, you can expect the long, drawn out truth to come home in flag-draped body bags, as Iraq continues to slide into chaos. Bush is really just wasting air-time tonight that would be better spent showing sitcoms to help us forget the painful mess in which our nation is trapped.

11 Comments:

Bravo - well, said. I was for the war, but Bush's lies have been exposed. And the post-war planning is a joke. Rumsfeld should resign for the awful, incompetent job he has done.

btw - Love the website. It is my new political Bible!!!

Betsy, Alaska
posted by Anonymous, at 6/28/2005 4:52 PM

I can't beleive you liberals. Can't you just suspend your hatred of conservatives for one minute and trust the President? The Bush falmily are good folks. The daddy fought in a war and was a hero. These guys know what is best for America. How about a little respect and trust for authority?

Manny
San Diego
posted by Anonymous, at 6/28/2005 4:54 PM

Um, Manny is nuts. And an asshole too. I bet his wimpy ass is at home and not on the sands of Iraq. Another couch warrior on the rampage. Give me a break!

Jose in Phoenix
posted by Anonymous, at 6/28/2005 4:56 PM

Manny obviously forgot to take his anti-psychotic medication this morning. Only an "out of touch with reality" type person would say such a thing.
posted by Christopher's Partner, at 6/28/2005 5:16 PM

I spent my time watching the Canadian House vote on Gay Marriage. Happy Happy Joy Joy!

Trixie Trash
Columbia, SC
posted by Anonymous, at 6/28/2005 10:57 PM

Check out the new book called Losing Iraq, it clearly shows what a bunch of incompetent bungling lying assholes are running this country. There is a part in the book where a freedom fighter from Iraq who supported regime change was invited to a super bowl party at the White House TWO weeks before the war began and had to explain to BUSH the differences between the Sunnis, Shia and Kurds. HE WAS CLUELESS!!
This administration is like a Woody Allen movie!
Gary (NJ)
posted by Anonymous, at 6/29/2005 12:20 AM

Manny,

This administration is not a republican administration. It is something that this Country has never seen before and it is awful. It is secretive. It lies. It has ran up the biggest deficeit we have ever had and that we will have to pay off for generations to come. It has lost the trust of the American people and for good reason. It uses religion to advance policies that Jesus would be deeply saddened by. The Bush presidency is a failed presidency.

He should never have beed President.

G.
posted by Anonymous, at 6/29/2005 1:19 PM

We lost this war because of the strategy.

1. Trying to build up within while fighting it.

2. Allowing Islamo fascist terrorists to hole up in mosques and then leaving the standoff with all their people and weapons too.
3. And most importantly, dismiss skilled and exemplary gay soldiers from the effort. They had the chops, and our President refuses to acknowlege or respect their presence or effort in this war or lift the ban.

4. Women soldiers in combat. There are women who can perform. A 23 year old women just got the Silver Star.
A President who swaggers from having been a pilot on a fighter plane in a war HE didn't apply his skills in, doesn't give him the right to maintain bigoted policies against soldiers who are gay or females with bigger brass ones who DO.

5. We had several common sense options:
Especially regarding illegal immigration and controls and restrictions on legal immigration.
We're under assualt in the Middle East and by attrition here.
Whether it was 3,000 Americans dying n a single morning or 3,000 dying in a single year from crime is still unacceptable.
In war, you have to know WHO the enemy is, and WHERE they are.
And so far on both fronts we know neither and keep the agencies (connecting the dots) like Border Patrol, local peace officers and INS and DMV from working together to get that done.
We'll lose the war, many more Americans here and over there because our President is too busy trying to convince America that it's real enemies are gay couples who marry and women seeking reproductive medical help.
Our President is stubbornly thinking he's right, when all around him shows he's not.
posted by Regan, at 6/29/2005 2:01 PM

Enough with the "chickenhawk" charges. Read Hitch to see how ridiculous you sound.
posted by Matt, at 6/29/2005 2:32 PM