by Scott Vrooman
by Seth Kelley
<a href="http://www.moveon.org/censure/caughtonvideo">
RUMSFELD CAUGHT RED-HANDED</a>
Donald Rumsfeld was caught on video, on the show "Face the Nation," in an absurdly-simplistic lie. When asked if he ever had claimed that the Hussein regime was an imminent or immediate threat to the security of this country, he said that he had not, and he went further to claim that the president had not. Apparently thinking that the nation's reporters and citizens were so easily duped, he challenged his interviewers to come up with citations where he had indicated any such thing.
They did. Two of them. And he stumbled over himself trying to find a way to justify the statements.
As much as Bush's contemptible and obvious lying and deceit makes me as angry as I have ever felt in my life, I feel some light of redeeming hope in knowing that�although a bit late�the media seems to be more willing to hold the administration responsible for its behavior in this supposed "war on terror."
Ten thousand Iraqi civilians are now dead because of the Bush/Rumsfeld/Cheney lies. Ten thousand. Not to mention (as our military does NOT) another many thousands of Iraqi military dead (according to some reports). How many American soldiers died? What's that you say? About 500? Is that tragic? You bet your life (something which neither you nor I have done) it is. Tragic because they died, and they continue to die, for a lie. But not as tragic, in my view, as those Iraqi families who had no wish to die, who had no wish for war, who simply wanted to go about their business of eating their dinners with their children...
We Americans suffer from an excruciatingly painful disconnect when it comes to understanding events outside ourselves. We seem to lack the ability to concern ourselves with consequences and repercussions to any adequate degree. I live here. I have been brought up here, and I know this to be true because I've seen it manifest in myself, and I've seen it manifest in others. The underlying commonality seems to be an attitude of "I'm right, you're wrong, and whatever I have to do to achieve my ends is then justified."
What a sad, despicable way to live life, especially when we claim that the "terrorists" were "evil" for believing exactly the same way about their means and ends.
My anger increases when people so blindly accept that the lying and deception have been somehow necessary, or worse yet, not worth considering.
The war has not made the world any safer.
Al-Qaeda had no creditable connection to the Iraqi regime.
Unilaterally attacking a sovereign nation (one which we had already destroyed internally through twelve years of incredibly brutal sanctions) for whatever reason is wrong. Especially when the attack was carried out in direct violation of the true sentiments and beliefs of the members of the United Nations.
It has long been said that an enemy of my enemy is my friend. Well now Iraq is falling apart due to that philosophy. Since the beginning of the war the American media and administration warned us of the inevitable civil war that would ensue if the United States did not occupy and help build the New Iraq.
Someone forgot to tell the citizens of Iraq. Instead of two groups at each other�s throats we have two groups united in a revolution. I do not mean to say that the Sunni and Shiites have joined hands and become one, they have instead launched concurring major offensive strikes.
The United States still plays down the facts of this offensive. Rumsfeld stated today that the military was fighting thugs and gangs. We have gangs, tell me one that beat our marines and took over a city.
Some interesting facts about the war include the number of Americans killed in this war, 637. Yet amazingly 498 have been killed since President Bush declared victory on May 1st last year.
In the past weekend an effort by a new militia grouped has not only killed American troops but also taken over whole areas of power. They have moved Coalition troops out of religious cities and have claimed responsibility for military actions in the Sunni triangle.
This new militia called the Mehdi Army is headed by the popular Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. Traditionally the Shiites and the Sunni have been at odds with one another. But as with the revolt against Britain after WWII they seem to be on the same page.
This new military presence is around 10,000 strong. Sadr is not only a military nuisance but he is also the greatest threat to the United States.
If the elections were held tomorrow the elected, democratically elected, popular candidate would be al-Sadr. How is that for ironic?
We should have listened to those that listened to history. When a country goes from a totalitarian government to a democratic system they inevitably choose a leader that is authoritarian because they expect that from their leaders.
This is not the next Vietnam; this will replace Vietnam on the American list of disasters.
Making profit from a situation like this is unconscionable, yet that is precisely what a few, select corporations of ours are doing.
Having links to Osama Bin Laden is apparently "bad," yet no one in the media has yet taken a good, hard look at the documented connections between the Bush financial empire and the Bin Laden Financial Group.
No one seems to remember, or much care, that Tenet told the New York Times, well before the attacks on Iraq, that he could not understand why Bush was making those claims about weapons of mass destruction, since his own CIA had given him no evidence that would warrant those conclusions.
The lies were obvious from the beginning, to anyone who didn't believe in a quick vengeance. The lies were obvious for those who didn't blindly follow a political party. The lies were painfully obvious for those who thought for themselves and refused to accept the so-superficial, dogmatic and authoritarian pronouncements coming from Washington.
"A moment's thought would have saved him, but a moment is such a long time, and thinking is such hard work."
Respectfully submitted,
<img src="firma4.gif">
Scott M. Vrooman Quetarmo
The Vrooman Volumes @ Scottvrooman.com