Sick men in power

http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=125&article=39122

As predicted, Iraq devolved into civil war, and drug warlords rule Afghanistan. Democracy isn’t taking hold, and Iraq’s middle and professional classes have fled their country.

The approximately 2,600 dead and 19,000 wounded U.S. soldiers, the [thousands of] dead innocent Iraqis, and the $300 billion taxpayers have spent are not enough to create a stable Iraq. The Bush-Cheney administration’s messianic visions alienated our allies, increased Arab sympathy for Hezbollah, and weakened the U.S.

Their incompetence and lying have stupidly ceded Iraq to Iran, increased Israel’s vulnerability and strengthened Hamas. Profits soar amid this chaos for Halliburton, KBR, oil companies and the world’s slimiest arms dealers. Defense contract fraud is rampant. Central banks rebalance portfolios away from dollars, knowing U.S. war debt is unsustainable.

Had Cheney not withheld intelligence that proved weapons of mass destruction in Iraq didn’t exist and an occupation would waste lives and treasure, Congress wouldn’t have approved an invasion. Retired Gen. Colin Powell’s and President Bush’s lies misled the nation.

Manipulated, gullible, right-wing Christians repeat the idiotic scriptural interpretation, “This is all predicted in the Bible” to avoid responsibility for electing Bush and to feign powerlessness. While I try to follow Jesus’ teachings, his dumbed-down fan club scares me.

To these “rapturous end-timers” who unthinkingly support Bush policies, war, killing innocents and creating enormous public debt are fine because, like a suicide-bomber, it’s the afterlife that counts.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair’s obsequious running behind Bush at the St. Petersburg summit, nagging him about U.S. inaction in the Middle East, was typical behavior of the enabling wife of a belligerent dry-drunk. Bush was in no mood to be brought out of his stupor and irritated when reminded of his responsibilities. This embarrassment illustrates what sick, corrupt men are in charge of the only world superpower and our soldiers.

Dan Wooldridge
Berlin