Barking Mad, Vietnam Do Over Edition
These are just some of the developments this week that made me barking mad:
A new Iraq National Intelligence Assessment was conveniently released just before General David Petraeus is conveniently supposed to testify to Congress on September 11th. Despite the report's findings that the Iraqi government teeters on the brink of collapse and will experience continued high levels of sectarian violence, the AP concludes this supports President Bush's surge policy. (Even Republican John Warner called for a U.S. withdrawal.) And while Juan Cole blogged about rumors of a military coup against Bush's "good guy" Maliki, the White House denied rumors it is supporting a right-wing DC lobbying firm's campaign to reinstall Iyad Allawi in his place.
President Bush was against Iraq-Vietnam analogies before he was for them. Like his would-be heir Rudolph Giuliani, Bush gets the lessons completely wrong. But whether it's World War II, the Korean War or Vietnam, the President is only too happy to waterboard history for political purposes.
The White House Office of Administration claimed it was subject to the Freedom of Information Act before the DOJ claimed it was not. And while the Bush White House has no intention of delivering any documents by any Congressional deadline anyway, Dick Cheney continues to insist he's not part of the executive branch.
Karl Rove, by the way, believes that after the current Oval Office occupant departs, the Bush Doctrine will live on. Too bad it's already dead.
Former CIA Director George Tenet rejected the conclusions of a declassified inspector general's report that he was to blame for the deaths of 3,000 Americans on 9/11. Meanwhile, current Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell blamed us all for discussing illegal NSA domestic surveillance and his subsequent prediction that "some Americans are going to die" as a result.
Mitt Romney showed once again why even a close aide described him as a "pro-life Mormon faking it as a pro-choice friendly." The former pro-choice Massachusetts candidate turned pro-life GOP White House hopeful was for a constitutional amendment banning abortion only two weeks ago. Now he wants to leave it up to the states.
Speaking of Mitt, fellow dog abuser Michael Vick's guilty plea ended any hopes of a Romney-Vick '08 ticket. His playing days might be over, but as a convicted felon and animal torturer, Vick can still enjoy a successful career as a conservative pundit.
Meanwhile, the plummeting Consumer Comfort Index and average incomes still below 2000 levels show Americans are still suffering from a Bush league economy.
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That was a great - if infuriating - round up. Thanks!
Posted by Sydney on August 24, 2007 9:50 AM