Keeping Bush Honest

President Bush's outlook in his eighth speech to the nation on Iraq last night was hopeful and who knows, even possible in a different Middle East. But, his Pollyanna optimism doesn't square with the Mad-Max abyss that is the Iraq occupation.

Dutifully, like a fifth-grader reading a report his dad wrote, he monotoned on, without seeming to grasp the situation staring him, and all of us, in the face.... "The President Asserted Progress on Security and Political Issues. Recent Reports Weren't Often So Upbeat."

The well-drilled Boy George is still stubbornly insisting that Iraq's leaders are getting some things done.... such as sharing of oil revenues.... when in fact a potential deal on the sharing of oil revenues is failing, just like the grade on Bush's benchmark report card.

Of the 18 benchmarks, the nonpartisan U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) reports this month that three have been completely met, four partially met, and no progress made on the remaining eleven.

What kind of benchmarks were met? Well, establishing a committee in support of Baghdad's security plan. Wow.... a committee! And, ensuring that the rights of minority political parties in the Iraqi legislature are protected. But, while the legislators' rights are protected, the GAO noted the minority citizens' rights were unprotected.

What are some of the benchmarks not met? One example.... "Ensuring that Iraqi security forces are providing even-handed enforcement of the law." The GAO findings, "Iraqi security forces engaged in sectarian-based abuses."

Still, the White House said today that Iraq has made "satisfactory progress" toward nine of the 18 benchmarks and promises "a fresh assessment" in March 2008... the next chapter in the Iraq occupation fairy tale.

Barely touching on the unmet benchmarks in his speech last night, Boy George instead thanked the "36 nations who have troops on the ground in Iraq." 36 nations!?!

Let's check the facts. The GAO in their May 2007 report on Iraq, "Coalition Support and International Donor Commitments," states there are 25 countries supplying 12,600 troops to the multinational forces, compared with 145,000 U.S. forces in May... which has now "surged" to 168,000 U.S. forces in Iraq!

One other little statistic from the report that Boy George didn't tell you; "The United States has spent about $1.5 billion to transport, sustain, and provide other services for military troops from 20 countries other than the U.S. and Iraq." So, 20 of the actual 25 countries left in the "coalition" are receiving funds from the U.S. to facilitate their participation.

A suggestion. Maybe, instead of spending time riding his bike, Boy George could take the time to actually read some of his government's reports. But then, that would mean that he actually cares about knowing the truth....

Thanks to Congress, Bush Is Still Fiddling....

while our nation burns!... it's laws, it's moral compass, its international bridges.

In testimony before a Congressional panel on Tuesday, former Surgeon General Richard Carmona testified that the Bush administration silenced medical and scientific opinions in favor of political agendas and religious dogma.

Carmona, who served as Surgeon General from 2002 to 2006, confirmed the White House's despotic approach to implementing their agenda, they "would not let him speak on or issue reports about stem cell research, emergency contraception, sex education, or prison, mental and global health issues."

James Hansen, director of NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies and several federal climate scientists have "accused the administration of muzzling them," especially on the issue of global warming. The corporate-favoring administration has trashed our forests and rescinded environmental controls.

We have witnessed the strong-arm tactics of Bush's Attorney General Gonzales who has turned the Justice Department into the political enforcement arm of the White House, trampling the Constitution and perverting the rule of law.

Now, thanks to the investigative report of Bob Woodward in WaPo today.... "CIA Said Instability Seemed 'Irreversible' ".... we just now learn that last November, CIA Director Michael Hayden told the Iraq Study Group that the inability of Iraqi prime minister Nouri al-Maliki's government "to govern seems irreversible," and Hayden could not "point to any milestone or checkpoint where we can turn this thing around."

Hayden's conclusion, "The government is unable to govern." His opinion is based on the more than 500 CIA personnel in Iraq providing intelligence and analysis.

In his appearance that very day before the study group, Bush held forth for an hour with a megalomaniac vision of "victory" in Iraq and defended Maliki's regime.... "A constitutional order is emerging," he insisted.

The Decider's opinion was based on wishful thinking.

Regardless of Bush's delusional diatribe for his costly ($12 billion a month) messianic crusade that he terms "a great ideological conflict," a sobered study group issued their recommendations.... change course in Iraq.

So, what did The Decider do.... he announced in January that he was staying the course, and sent more troops to Iraq in a "surge" to prop up that very failed Maliki government.... stubbornly and criminally continuing on a course that cost the precious lives of 700 more U.S. troops, with no end in sight.

Today, even while Bush was painting a smiley face on the pitiful report scoring the benchmarks set for Iraq, an early vote in the Senate on legislation designed to tie the president's hands in Iraq fell victim to a Republican filibuster.

Another sickening fiduciary failure by Congress.

The fact that Bush has been able to rule as a dangerous corporatist dictator is the fault of the Congressional leaders of both parties.... most especially the leadership of the Republican party.

Let's get serious about legal maneuvers like impeachment.... there isn't time. It must be accomplished by political pressure.

Our lawmakers must put aside partisanship, personal agendas and special interests and work together to shackle the hands of the corporatist cabal in the White House.

Otherwise, they will have to answer to an outraged electorate in 2008 for their complicity.