Support Our Troops ≠ Support the War

Support Our Troops - I see it on bumper stickers, though less often than a few years ago. And I've heard many people assert that if you don't support the Iraq war, you don't support our troops...though, again, less often than a few years ago. I guess we are finally separating the ideas of supporting a policy of war and supporting our troops. We realize we can support our troops and not support a war.

It's like supporting students but not supporting the school.

Sometimes the best way to show your support is to pull the students (or soldiers) out.

Read more


Iraq Reckoning - Peter Oborne - Documentary

Dispatches - Iraq Reckoning - Wow! Iraq Reckoning is an absolutely riveting analysis/critique/documentary of Iraq war from British reporter, Peter Oborne.

In Iraq Reckoning, Oborne reports how Bush/Blair went into Iraq without a plan for post-war Iraq. Interviews with former officials confirm this. The opinion that Saddam was "evil" seemed justification enough to invade the country for both Tony Blair and George Bush.

Oborne then describes how soldiers fought a losing battle with local insurgents and terrorists for control of the country--or more accurately, regions of the country. At first Baathist party members were shunned, thrown out because of their ties to Saddam. Now they are being welcomed back into the governing fold, at least in Baghdad. Why?

Read more


Mary McHugh Mourns Her Slain Fiance

Mary McHugh mourns her slain fiance, Sgt. James Regan, a US Army Ranger killed in Iraq, at Arlington National Cemetery May 27, 2007.

This photograph by John Moore (Getty Images) won 1st place for Feature Photos in the 2007 Atlanta Photojournalism Seminar Contest.

Read more


Jim Webb's State of the Union Reply - In FULL

I found Senator Jim Webb's address enthralling. Why isn't this guy running for President? Perhaps he's too smart to go after the job. Below is a link to the video and a copy of the transcript.

(:youtube 9Ht8sS91wVo:)

Senator Jim Webb's Reply to Bush's State of the Union

Read more


Bush, Iraq and the Emperor's New Clothes

War is a cowardly escape from the problems of peace.
~ Thomas Mann

When it comes to the public perception of Bush's Iraq policy, I think much of the U.S. population has been guilty of playing the crowd in the Emperor's New Clothes. Bush said Iraq was an imminent threat, building a nuclear bomb, connected to al Qaeda and the 911 attacks. And many agreed with Bush's declaration, saying, "Yes, Emperor, attacking Iraq is a great solution to terrorism." But since the election, many realized that their friends and neighbors no longer saw what Bush saw, they no longer believed Bush's statements about the war and Iraq; public opinion shifted...we finally woke up. I only wish that Iraq was a fairy tale and that there could be a happy ending.

Read more


Michael Berg Responds to Zarqawi's Death


Michael Berg

Michael Berg is the father of Nicholas (Nick) Berg, the young businessman who in May of 2004 was captured by terrorists in Iraq and beheaded. The terrorists videotaped the beheading and distributed the tape via their website. News services reported on the contents of the tape, showing the preamble of statements by Berg (and the terrorists?), but stopping short of broadcasting the actual beheading. However, besides the video, a still image of a terrorist holding up Bergs decapitated head has circulated widely on the Net.

Read more


Missed Tributes at the Oscars - by Ben Stein

In his critique of the Oscars, actor/economist Ben Stein points out...

...there was not one word of tribute, not one breath, to our fighting men and women in Iraq and Afghanistan or to their families or their widows or orphans...not one prayer or moment of silence for the dead and maimed.

Whoa. Got my attention.

I think he may be right, though I didn't see the whole awards show (Stein admits he didn't watch it all either). Even so, I had very mixed feelings about his comments. Yes, as he observes...

Read more