On the fourth anniversary of George Bush having announced his mission accomplished, is it possible to say anything new or newsy? I mean, as I look back through the earlier pages of The Vigil and Sozadee, I have been blogging a helluva long time about America's greatest self-inflicted debacle in its short history. At this point, if my standards for myself are to say something entirely fresh and novel, I might as well end my VID post at this point. On the other hand...
I could just summarize how far we have come: how far George Bush has brought us since that fateful day when he 'changed everything' for us: March 20, 2003. At great risk of being repetitive, then, I'll make just three points.
- The "war" Bush started has now outlasted World War II by 156 days. War is in quotes, because we have not been in war all that time. Our dear leader announced four years ago today that the mission, which he had set for himself before even before becoming a nominated presidential candidate, had been accomplished:
Major combat operations in Iraq have ended. In the battle of Iraq, the United States and our allies have prevailed. (Applause.) And now our coalition is engaged in securing and reconstructing that country . . . . The transition from dictatorship to democracy will take time, but it is worth every effort. Our coalition will stay until our work is done. Then we will leave, and we will leave behind a free Iraq.
Bush had declared a victorious end to the war he had illegally started and the beginning of a new (and, as it turned out, largely unplanned) mission of occupation. Others have disputed with me whether the war is really over, but it's been my argument that it surely is. It certainly is; it is as long as our current band of misleaders who so declared it remain in power. In so doing, Bush assigned the greatest fighting machine in world history to occupation duty, committing military malpractice. - Thanks to this illegal un-provoked, unnecessary, largely unilateral invasion and unplanned occupation of Iraq (IUULUIUOI), we can say that Bush has inflicted more harm on the United States of America than Osama bin Laden has.
- Finally, having won what Bush called the 'Battle of Iraq', there can be no question of losing in Iraq. Occupations are not won or lost, they are ended.
Actually the war has been a ringing success financially at least in the short term, and the short term is what counts in our society.
ReplyDeleteLots of money has changed hands, and that is the point of modern warfare. In fact that is the biggest point of whats happened. The stock market has gone ape-shit.
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As you say Iraq was never a threat to us, in fact it was one of the few secular governments in the area.
Vigilante, tell us the mission!
ReplyDeleteWhile I certainly appreciate the fine points made here by Vigilante, I am one of those people who disagree with his "occupation not a war" position. We can argue the semantics or the theory. What we cannot argue is the fact that people are dying, American people and Iraqi people, and others. I doubt the families of those who were killed and those who were wounded would say it happened in an occupation. I think they would be pretty clear. I think they would say it is a WAR!
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't matter if our forces leave now or ten years from now, the result will be the same. The Iraqis will continue to slaughter each other. It is very doubtful that they ever wanted democracy in their country. It is more likely that those who voted were voting in the hope that we would leave. And it is less likely that those who voted would ever vote again. What did it accomplish for them?
ReplyDeleteMike, wake up! What are you trolling with? You should check your lure. You are strangling yourself with the neo-con line of the warparty. They want you to think it's a war because if it's a war, one thing Americans don't do is back down, surrender or retreat. Repooblicans don't want to use the word occupation because the USA is not supposed to occupy, do colonies - anymore - or do impires. These Republicans like Frank Lund are duping you and defeating you by beating you over the head with their stupid landguage. Get hip. Jesus!
ReplyDeleteI just read an Iraqi say some where that most of his fellow countrymen think that if Americans had just gotten rid of Saddam and then left, Iraq would be blossuming by now.
The war is over. We won. The occupation is the problem. And you're part of the problem because you just don't get it. Jeezus!
Don't matter what its called. 2 million displaced, multiple Va Tech-like massacres every single day, over 100 US troops death in April, and heading for 1,000 this year. I call it FUBAR within an enigma.
ReplyDeleteIts never was a 'war' or an 'occupation'.
ReplyDeleteIt is a transfer of resources to make money.
It is also lobbyists getting their way with their political/belief scams, from this country, and around the globe.
I wonder what kind of disaster happens next ?
Bush still has ample opportunity to widen the 'war', or now that he has the ball rolling, it could widen itself.
"the war is over we won" Boris, you have to be kidding right ?
Mike those people died in vain, whatever you want to call it.
Loyalty Day, 2007
ReplyDeleteLoyalty Day, 2007
A Proclamation by the President of the United States of America
America was founded by patriots who risked their lives to bring freedom to our Nation. Today, our citizens are grateful for our Founding Fathers and confident in the principles that lead us forward. On Loyalty Day, we celebrate the blessings of freedom and remember our responsibility to continue our legacy of liberty.
Our Nation has never been united simply by blood, birth, or soil, but instead has always been united by the ideals that move us beyond our background and teach us what it means to be Americans. We believe deeply in freedom and self-government, values embodied in our cherished documents and defended by our troops over the course of generations. Our citizens hold the truths of our founding close to their hearts and demonstrate their loyalty in countless ways. We are inspired by the patriotic service of the men and women who wear our Nation's uniform with honor and decency. The military spouses and families who stand by their loved ones represent the best of the American spirit, and we are profoundly grateful for their sacrifice. Our country is strengthened by the millions of volunteers who show deep compassion toward their neighbors in need. All citizens can express their loyalty to the United States by flying the flag, participating in our democracy, and learning more about our country's grand story of courage and simple dream of dignity.
The Congress, by Public Law 85-529, as amended, has designated May 1 of each year as "Loyalty Day." This Loyalty Day, and throughout the year, I ask all Americans to join me in reaffirming our allegiance to our Nation.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim May 1, 2007, as Loyalty Day. I call upon the people of the United States to participate in this national observance and to display the flag of the United States on Loyalty Day as a symbol of pride in our Nation.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirtieth day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand seven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-first.
GEORGE W. BUSH
After reading all the intelligent comments on this post, the lies and chicannery stated above makes me sick. Lies, lies, lies, and lies.
In Bush's place, Clinton would have caught bin Laden, negotiated some form of peace in the Middle East, and still had time for Monica Lewinsky II.
ReplyDeleteInstead, we got the premature ejaculation of "Mission Accomplished" Bush, endless war, and a Middle East that will be aflame for a generation.
Be careful who you elect, America.
Learn a lesson from this!
Premature ejaculation in 2003? Coitus interruptous in 2007, then!
ReplyDeleteThis discussion appears to have run amok. Where is the 'minder' I assigned to it?
ReplyDeleteMad Mike, I have experienced you as a reasonable person. I have disagreed with you at length, especially over this 'framing' issue. We fought it out discussing my Midnight Epiphany, about 6 months ago! I can't believe you are still holding out on me. Now, I understand.
ReplyDeleteI want you to think about what you have written here in a comment. You are allowing what you project to be the sensitivities and the sensibilities of troops and their survivors to decide for you a theoretical or semantic issue!
In the first place, I don't think your projections are reliable.
In the second place, I have acknowledged that asking our brave troops to risk their lives at occupation is to assign them to an ignoble task that is beneath them.
And you answer (paraphrasing),
'No, No. you can't say that because they might feel you are dissing them! Even if it's an occupation, we have to pretend it's a war so our troops and their families will feel better!'
I disagree with Ron West and agree with Boris. I think this distinction is pivotal. Those who buy into the 'Iraq War' framing are unwittingly and unnecessarily allowing Bush-Cheney to pulverize their opposition into the pavement. Objectively speaking, we are engaged in an occupation; a poorly planned and under-deployed occupation, but an occupation nonetheless.
Please review the definitions in my Midnight Epiphany, Mike. I don't think you are being reasonable. I don't think you are thinking clearly.
We have been through this time and again Vigil. The argument is old, the situation is not. I always appreciate your point of view, but I fear it is an agenda, although one we all share, i.e. get rid of the idiot and bring our troops home. Calling a war an occupation will not help that cause. As to your claim that my projections are not "reliable" I don't think you know enough about me to make that claim. I have seen war and what it can do. Secondly, please do not paraphrase me. You are the one who is projecting and that is rather unfair. As to "Boris" I choose to ignore his insults. Peace...
ReplyDeleteIt's the other way around, Mike. The war is over. Bush declared victory four years ago. It's no longer a (illegal) war but a (deeply) flawed occupation. Instead of re-reviewing my definitions, you let your sense of veterans' and troops' sensibilities cloud your perceptions of reality. It's also (perhaps) the ghosts of Vietnam haunting you, which I totally respect. ("I have seen war and what it can do.")
ReplyDeleteLook, Mike, we all love the troops and hate the abuse they have been subjected to by the Ferret. But if you let Bush's framing this occupation as a Neo-Second World War, what or where will that get you?
As I mentioned at my place Vigil you and I have been agreeing to disagree for quite a while now and that is a good thing. Thanks for your response. I always appreciate intelligent thought and you are right on several points with this one. I am not yet a convert but you can be persuasive:-)
ReplyDeleteMike, let's ask the Iraqis! (What a novel idea!) They'll admit to having lost the war. And they refer to us as THE OCCUPIER. The only war they're currently aware of is THEIR civil war. Which is not OURS.
ReplyDeleteI don't disagree with that Messenger but what do we ask the families of those AMERICANS who die there? You know: The Army, Marines, Navy, and all of our Armed Forces involved in this WAR [oh sorry: occupation] And let's not forget our Allies. Do we ask them why they [their loved ones] died there? After all it was not their [our] war. It was an occupation!!! We were the occupiers and that is why they died...???
ReplyDeleteWhat do we ask the wounded; those that only lose an arm or a leg or both or all four. What do we ask them? Hey guys and gals how did you enjoy the "occupation?"
You can rave on about the indigents, and it is a tragedy indeed, but right now we need to bring the Americans home. We can leave the resident population to their own devices, or, in the alternative, figure out a way to raise Saddam from the dead, you know...Like Jesus.....Everyone dies for our sins, or their sins, or some similar silliness....Sighhhhh....
I feel your pain Mike, but they died for special interests, the same that control our country through crooked politicians. That would be an honest answer. I assume you all want honest answers ?
ReplyDelete