Unhappy 10th Anniversary, Iraq War - and the Nixon Tie-In

This is the 10th anniversary of the start of the glorious neo-con Iraq war of choice, a war that cost this nation over 4,000 lives,  over 32,000 wounded,  and over $800 billion, costs we will continue to pay for years to come.  And then there are the staggering costs of the war to the Iraqi people.  The war's architects -- Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, etc. --  and the hallelujah chorus on the right and in the media have never been called to account in the manner they should have =cough = prison= cough= for the lives and treasure lost in this manufactured war;  after all, there were so many with blood on their hands and we are a nation looking forward, right?

So, what does Richard Nixon have to do with this (after all, he died years before, in 1994).  Well, what is now being reported of Nixon's role at a critical stage of the Vietnam War reminds us that these two Rethuglican presidents -- "patriots" Bush and Nixon -- would not let the truth, morality or the best interests of the United States interfere with their ambition:

"By the time of the election in November 1968, LBJ had evidence Nixon had sabotaged the Vietnam war peace talks - or, as he put it, that Nixon was guilty of treason and had "blood on his hands". [snip]


It begins in the summer of 1968. Nixon feared a breakthrough at the Paris Peace talks designed to find a negotiated settlement to the Vietnam war, and he knew this would derail his campaign.  He therefore set up a clandestine back-channel involving Anna Chennault, a senior campaign adviser.

At a July meeting in Nixon's New York apartment, the South Vietnamese ambassador was told Chennault represented Nixon and spoke for the campaign. If any message needed to be passed to the South Vietnamese president, Nguyen Van Thieu, it would come via Chennault.

In late October 1968 there were major concessions from Hanoi which promised to allow meaningful talks to get underway in Paris - concessions that would justify Johnson calling for a complete bombing halt of North Vietnam. This was exactly what Nixon feared.

 

Chennault was despatched to the South Vietnamese embassy with a clear message: the South Vietnamese government should withdraw from the talks, refuse to deal with Johnson, and if Nixon was elected, they would get a much better deal."

Which, of course, the South Vietnamese did.  So, as many as 22,000 Americans died in Vietnam following 1968 (including our cousin) because Nixon -- God damn him -- didn't want the peace talks to end the fighting before the election, because that might have led to Hubert Humphrey being elected.  And the war dragged on for another 5 years.

In summary, we have two "patriotic" Rethuglican presidents (are there any other kind?) who needlessly spilled the blood and treasure of the United States, and the people of Vietnam and Iraq, for ...what?

(h/t Mr. Pierce)

Dumbya Wins!*

A poll of 238 Presidential historians ranks the Presidents from first (Franklin Delano Roosevelt) to superlatively dead last*: who else but George "Dumbya" Bush. Others:

2. Teddy Roosevelt
3. Abraham Lincoln
4. George Washington
5. Thomas Jefferson
13. Bill Clinton
15. Barack Obama (preliminary of course)
18. Saint Ronald Reagan

*CORRECTION: Oops! Thanks to literate reader P.E.C., it has been brought to our attention that Dumbya finished 39th out of 43 in the poll. So, by staying out of last for now, he's still a winner!

(Photo: Bush: "I won something?!?)

"Ten Lessons"

Well, we have less than 48 hours to kick around Dumbya. So here goes another kick or ten.

If you're looking for a powerful wrap-up of the Bush "legacy," check out this Bob Woodward piece from today's WaPo, "What He Can Learn From Him" (the "he" being Obama, the "him" being Dumbya). These are ten lessons that provide a most unflattering portrait (i.e., honest) of Bush and his style of "management." In short, if there was something that could have been handled the wrong way, that was the way Dumbya handled it, much to our Nation's detriment; the overall lesson for Obama being, if Dumbya did it this way, do it the opposite way and you'll be fine!

That this incompetent was President of the United States for eight years is appalling. Now we have a chance, as a Nation, to redeem ourselves, though we can never wipe the blight of the past eight years from the history books.

What A Guy!

It's being reported that Preznit Lameduck has made a big sacrifice in honor of the troops he sent into harm's way: Dumbya's gave up golf in 2003! And they say the Rethuglican elites never make the sacrifices that they call on average Americans to make!

Why couldn't have Dumbya been a fan of skydiving, so we could suggest that he give up his parachute on his next dive?

(photo: Dumbya reacts after beaning Dead-eye Dick Cheney with a golf ball. Later, Dumbya declined Dead-eye's invitation to go hunting for "lame" ducks)

UPDATE: Remember this golfing moment from Bushit after the 9-11 attacks, "now watch this drive" after issuing a call to fight terrorism.

"Mission Accomplished" Fifth Anniversary

Five years ago today, Dumbya donned a flight suit and had himself flown aboard the carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, anchored off the coast of California, to declare the end of major military operations in Iraq. After strutting around the deck like an extra in "Top Gun," Dumbya changed into a business suit and stepped behind a podium, the infamous "Mission Accomplished" banner strung behind him on the orders of Pentagon political types.

We all know how that turned out. Editor and Publisher marks the anniversary with a nice summary of how the fawning media -- from Tweety Matthews to MoDo and Brian Williams -- were shamelessly falling over themselves to shower the Presidunce in false glory. As his approval rating slips into the 20s, maybe Dumbya should make another landing on one of the carriers he's ordered off the coast of Iran, site of his next war of choice. Anything but going after al Qaeda; that's too hard.

The Bushies and Sacrifice

We've seen how the Obstructer in Chief handles former staff who have done some illegal bidding for him with the commutation of Scooter's sentence to ensure his further silence and protection of the Preznit and his boss, Dead Eye Dick, over their bogus case for invading Iraq. And Scooter was able to dash off a check for $240,400 to cover his fine. No big deal. He'll land at one of the wingnut "think" tanks before long and be well taken care of.

One of the hallmarks of this corrupt group is that there's never any accountability required, from Bush to Cheney on down. There's never any personal sacrifice, either, in terms of the matter that they've described as the critical issue of the day: war against terrorism. Few, if any, Republican elites have had loved ones in harms way in that war. They believe "sacrifice is for suckers." The little people are sent to war; Bushies get out of jail free.

The Fecal Phantoms

Almost lost in the day-to-day reporting of legislation, scandal, and other things that enliven the nation's capital was this story about some turds showing up in the Senate side of the Capitol. Other than the elected Rethugs, that is. No one has taken, uh, credit for originating the piles, but it appears that a Bushit follower has staked a claim (photo). S**t happens when you're in the minority.

The Decider's Diary

Well, my numbers are down to 28%, not that I care about polls. I'm the Decider! That's my job and it's hard work! I am having an identity crisis, sorta. See, I'm wondering if I should be the Decider, the Action Officer, or the Commander Guy. My base wants "Strong Man" or "Dictator," but those might be a little harsh. Let me know what you think... and I'll do what I want to do anyway (heh, heh -- just a little jab for any Defeatocrats reading this).

I still have to figure out who'll be my War Czar (hey, that's not bad -- maybe I can be the Czar Czar?!). That guy with the big, empty head... Gingrich... thinks red tape in Washington is the biggest obstacle to winning in Iraq. I quote, "The problem is not broad strategy and policy, it's that the bureaucracy is so inefficient..." End of quotation. That Newtie, he's a card! Heh, heh.

Did you see me and Laura on "American Idol?" That got us a lot of points with the twins. I don't watch it anymore now that Sanjaya fella is gone. I liked him and his funny hairdos! I overheard Mitch McConnell telling Lindsay Graham that he wanted to make Sanjaya his bitch. I don't know what that means, but I'm sure it's wholesome fun even though it sounds kinda weird!

Well, I gotta get ready for the Queen tonight, take a bath, be on my best behavior. I hear she was a little offended that last time I saw her over in England when I tried out a "pull my finger" joke on her. I can't believe she hadn't heard of those jokes before! Anyway, I told her that was my Weapon of Mass Destruction! Heh, heh! Then she pulled a Poppy and vomited! Oh well, at least my base understands me!

Enjoy This Picture While It Lasts

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is working on the final pages of its voluminous report on global warming, which is expected to be issued in a few days. The IPCC is composed of scientists from 120 nations. In February, the IPCC's assessment of the human factor in global warming set off a furor with the carbon industry and their political bag men (Sen. "Ass" Inhofe, R-OK). They mounted a furious attack on the assessment, repeating the discredited mantra "there's no consensus." The 20 chapter, 1572 page report is awaiting completion of a 21-page summary for policymakers.

For the Decider, a comic book version is also in preparation.

Swift Boat Sam Returns

UPDATE - Looks like Swift Boat Sam Fox is going to Brussels after all. The Decider used a recess appointment to name Fox ambassador to Belgium after withdrawing his nomination on March 28, hours before it would have been rejected by the Senate. Fox is a major Rebunglecan fundraiser and was a key financier of the "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth" smear campaign in '04. Clearly, this is part of the Decider's strategery to seek better relations with Democrats, and will have the same results for him as his Iraq strategery. In the meantime, Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) says he will seek an opinion on the legality of the Decider's appointment from the GAO, adding,

"This is underhanded and an abuse of Executive authority. Sadly this behavior has become the hallmark of this administration."

"Foxes in the Henhouse"

Ruth Marcus put her finger on the problem when you have little regard for the government you're ostensibly supposed to be managing (eg., the Bush Assministration). Her article in today's WaPo points to several instances (out of many) of Assministration officials disdaining the laws they're supposed to enforce and taking a "spoils-of-war" approach to governance (several of the names - J. Steven Griles and Lurita Doan - are all-too-familiar to abuse of power afficionados). Marcus notes that "there is something in the 'loyal Bushies' mind-set of this administration and its fundamental scorn for government that contributes to this arrogant misbehavior."

Bush "Stratergery" on Car Pollution Rebuked

Yesterday the Supreme Court, in a 5-4 decision, rebuked the Bush Assministration's jaw-dropping claim that the Clean Air Act did not authorize the Environmental Protection Agency to regulate tailpipe emissions from new cars and trucks. The majority found that the Clean Air Act does, in fact, give the EPA that authority, and also found that states have the right to sue the EPA to challenge its decisions. The dissenters were the "Flat Earth Four," Rebunglecan troglodytes Roberts, Scalia, Thomas and Alito, who believe the government has no power to intrude, unless it's in a recount, in the bedroom, or between a doctor and patient.

As David Doniger of the Natural Resouces Defense Council said, "this administration's legal strategy for doing nothing has been repudiated." As a result, automakers are now clamoring for national standards rather than facing the prospect of state-by-state regulations. The decision also raises the likelihood of comprehensive legislation on global warming that would provide an economy-wide approach to the problem.

Bush Receives Brazilian Waxing

Mr. Popularity's South American tour/duck-and-run didn't start so well in Brazil, where thousands of protesters demonstrated against him. After six years of being virtually ignored by the Bush Assministration, South Americans are getting their chance to show what they think of the 6-year snub by the Shrub.

I'm Thinking of a Word Starting With...

When people are asked to provide one word best describing their impression of George Bush, "incompetent" and "arrogant" rank a commanding #1 and #2, according to the February 2007 Political Survey by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press. Other less-than-flattering adjectives in the top 10: "stupid," "idiot," and "ignorant" (all of which, given their thrust, could have been combined into a new meta-adjective: "stupidiorant," which would have captured the #1 position). Dead-ender wingnuts, folks without access to modern communications, and/or folks with no sense of irony came in with the #3 and #4 descriptors ("honest" and "good").