Was great to read about Wesley Clark, Lt. Col. Andrew Horne of Tennessee and friends here in New Hampshire. The core of the Fighting Dems speaking out together with fellow lifelong Republicans like Gen. John Batiste, in opposition to members of Congress who support Bush’s misguided Victorian adventure in Iraq.
"I am outraged, as are the majority of Americans," said Batiste. "Our strategy in Iraq today is more of the same, a slow grind to nowhere which totally ignores the reality of Iraq and the lessons of history," he told the Associated Press.
Batiste was here with Paul Eaton, another retired General featured in ads by VoteVets.org.
"The fact is, the President has never listened to the soldiers on the ground effectively," said Clark.
I was however disappointed with the few reporters in the audience during Andrew Horne's talk in Manchester. Perhaps they are still all a swirl with The Queen's visit to Virginia.
It was once considered that The Queen was not supposed to enter into politics. And nominally, her visit was to celebrate four-hundred years of Virginia history. But consider that she has made four trips to the U.S. since post-war, all to visit Republican Presidents; Eisenhower, Ford, Bush I, Boy George.
The Royals today curry Republican favor as readily as they cultivated German family alliances in the early Victoria days, to hedge against French mischief. Note the Queen's earlier post-war visits were each mysteriously coincided with "end games" of Republican political periods; First, the end of WW II and the Eisenhower realm; next, the end of Nixon's Vietnam period with Ford. Later, at the end of the Reagan period it is with George I. And here we are at the end of Bush II's tribal exercise in Iraq.
Surely this visit is a "Mission Accomplished" event showing Royal support for Bush's invasion. This time, in white tie and in exquisitely good taste. Another victory march for Boy George.
Eisenhower ended England's imperial intentions in the world when he demanded that Anthony Eden get out of the Suez. Bush II opened the gate again. Israel’s supporters have been criticized for sending American policy in support of Israeli lobbyists’ desires or initiatives in the Middle East. But this is far more conspicuous: The Brit Royals see us back now to the old school; Chinese Gordon taking revenge on Khartoum and T.E. Lawrence blowing up trains on behalf of Prince Feisal in all girlish getout.
And with the Her Majesty’s Canadian cavalry in Afghanistan preparing for and building weapons for 12 more years of war and the Aussie’s ready to fight to the death, how far off base are they?
Bush’s reelection has buried once and for all the idea that we are still an Enlightenment country, basing our hopes on the Age of Reason. As these Republicans strive to an official American church party, so too they yearn again for Lord Coocooface.
It is beyond belief that the Democrats Presidential candidates passively hold the coats for this fanfare and make hardly a peep.