Now, it's the fourth anniversary of Bush landing on an aircraft carrier and declaring the end. But with every ending, there is a beginning. Since victory was declared May 1, 2003, more Americans have died, more Americans have been sent overseas and more Americans have returned home to face life and family as just shells of themselves, physically and emotionally.
Senator Joe Lieberman is in another pickle. He supports the Iraq War, President George Bush and the Surge. But as a Jewish American, could Lieberman also support similar strategies and results in Israel? If he does, he'll find himself a loner once more.
Israel didn't waste time in handing out its verdict. Not even a year since rockets blasted Israel and Lebanon, an independent commission, headed by a retired Israeli judge appointed by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, found Olmert and company made "serious failures" in fighting Lebanon, failures similar to those of President Bush in Iraq.
Olmert "made up his mind hastily (Bush too), despite the fact that no detailed military plan was submitted to him (Bush too) and without asking for one...a serious failure in...judgment, responsibility and prudence (Bush too)." And that was for just the first three days of the war. As Paul Harvey says, "the rest of the story" about the rest of the war will be issued by the commission soon.
We know how Bush would react to such a commission, he'd ignore the findings. Still, we call on Bush to name a retired judge to gauge his handing of the War in Iraq. And we don't want a member of the Federalist Society.
As America is led by Mr. 30%, Olmert's approval is between 2-3%, less than even the margin or error! It's clear Israelis don't need a midterm election, Congressional hearings and leaks to the media to make up their minds. Israelis disappoved of Olmert's reaction to the death and capture of a few soldiers. 34 days worth of ping-ponging rockets between northern Israel and southern Lebanon, Hezbollah was still standing. Not even a year later, Olmert may not survive the week.
How does Israel get to deal with failed leadership so quickly while the United States languishes for years? Maybe it's Israel's history living amidst violence and enemies lined up at every border. That country does't mess around with security. America color-codes its warnings and Karl Rove crafts a message of Mission Accomplished. So many, including mainstream media, take the bait.
Now, it's the fourth anniversary of Bush landing on an aircraft carrier and declaring the end. But with every ending, there is a beginning. Since victory was declared May 1, 2003, more Americans have died, more Americans have been sent overseas and more Americans have returned home to face life and family as just shells of themselves, physically and emotionally.
It should be criminal for Bush to veto the war spending bill with a timetable for troop withdrawal to begin October 1st. It's even worse for him to do it with a pen given to him from a father of a soldier. For every pen of support, there are thousands writing disapproval. One day Bush will be graded, if not for war crimes, than for failure in judgement, leadership and responsibilty. It's happening in Israel. It will happen here.