The Schitzo Chronicles

George W. Bush has been hearing voices.... God has been whispering in his ear, telling George he's the chosen one to carry out a messianic mission.

In 2005 the BBC aired a series called "Elusive Peace: Israel and the Arabs." In this documentary, Abu Mazen, Palestinian Prime Minister, and Nabil Shaath, his Foreign Minister, describe their first meeting with Bush in June of 2003.... four long and bloody years ago.

Shaath: "President Bush said to all of us: 'I'm driven with a mission from God. God would tell me, "George, go and fight those terrorists in Afghanistan." And I did. And then God would tell me, "George, go and end the tyranny in Iraq...." And I did. And now, again, I feel God's words coming to me, "Go get the Palestinians their state and get the Israelis their security, and get peace in the Middle East." And by God I'm gonna do it." (BBC)

We all have heard Bush frame his "global war on terror" in the terms of good and evil... the "axis of evil," the "evil-doers," as he puts himself at the head of the crusade to execute what he scarily believes to be divine will.

In Bob Woodward's book "Plan of Attack," he recounts how Bush told him after giving the order to invade Iraq in March of 2003 that "I was praying for strength to do the Lord's will."

We all remember when Bush was asked by Woodward whether he had asked his former-president father for advice on what to do about Iraq, Bush replied that his earthly father was "the wrong father to appeal to for advice... there is a higher father that I appeal to."

So, Bush unleashed the dogs of war against Iraq... justifying his actions with lies, faulty intelligence and propaganda slogans.... firm in the belief he was on a mission from his God and in a religious fog.... God will take care of all.

Bush and his neocon cheering section were so caught up in the "vision" they didn't plan.... didn't listen to generals telling them to use more troops to secure Iraq, didn't continue pursuing the 9/11 perpetrator, al Qaeda's Osama bin Laden. ... they just kept repeating the same mantra "stay the course" and closed their minds to all other options.

So, here we are, according to the newly released National Intelligence Estimate, "On Shakier Ground,".... in more trouble than ever with an al Qaeda that "has protected or regenerated key elements of its Homeland attack capability by reestablishing a haven in Pakistan and reconstituting its top leadership," able "to recruit and indoctrinate operatives, including for Homeland attacks." (WaPo)

The White House has made no serious attempt to mediate a solution through hefty diplomacy with envoys to the Middle East like Henry Kissinger, Jim Baker, George Mitchell or Richard Holbrooke.... instead Bush sends his stiletto-heeled pretender, Condi Rice, to jet around uttering inane platitudes or issuing unworkable orders from Washington.

In an attempt to focus its members on the need for a change of course, the Democratic-led Senate debated all-night last night, and into this morning, on a bill to try to force limits on Bush's ability to recklessly keep our troops in the middle of the civil war in Iraq.

Entrenched senators were not swayed by the many impassioned pleas. The outcome was predictable.... the timeline measure was blocked.... the GOP stayed firmly in Bush's camp, fingers crossed, compassion and reason firmly in check.

So our country remains in the grip of a religious fanatic, bent on his crusade regardless of the will of the people, or the consequences for all time.