War in Iraq - Clock

1955 Days since the start of the War in Iraq

U.S. Military Casualties since the start of the War in Iraq

(Includes casualties from fighting in Afghanistan)

Deaths - 4685

Wounded - 30435

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"COUNTRY FIRST" - Not for this American

Recently John McCain gave a speech to supporters in front of a large banner that said, "COUNTRY FIRST." I am certain that particular theme plays well for many people in the United States, but not for this citizen. For me, God and family are placed above "country." My "allegiance" to God and family will always trump my allegiance to country if ever those loyalties are opposed to one another. The Republican Party has repeatedly confused and substituted the term "government" for the term "country" making it even more difficult for me to profess my devotion to our country. My country - the United States of America - is NOT the government of the United States of America. It is disheartening that John McCain and so many other Republicans do not understand this. The territory of the United States and the people who live within its borders are this country. It is not the monstrous government and those who control it that define the term country.

What's more is that John McCain is from the party that supposedly wants "less government." Yet, the current Republican administration has reached deeper into our homes, our wallets, our churches, and virtually every other part of our lives than any other presidency in the history of this nation.

Recently, I had a very long, thoughtful, and friendly discussion with a friend of mine who happens to be a conservative southern Democrat. On practically every issue we agree - except one, the war in Iraq. Although we agree that we should never have gone into Iraq - unlike me, my friend believes that since we are there, we need to "finish the job." I have serious problems with his reasoning. Saying that we need to "finish the job" in Iraq, is like saying that a surgeon who has begun amputating the wrong limb should "finish the job." Of course, this is absurd. The surgeon should do his best to undo the damage he has done, and get out. That is exactly what we should do when it comes to Iraq. We should do our best to correct the damage we have done and get out. If the Iraqi people are not willing to fight for their liberty, then why should we? You can not "hand" democracy to a people and expect them to appreciate it. In every instance, where democracy has succeeded, it is because the people were willing to demand it and, in most cases, fight for it. This has not happened in Iraq.

My friend made an interesting statement during our discussion. He said, "You know, Lon, there are only two things that I am passionate about. The first one is my country - because country is 'home.' The second is my woman." I replied, "I would add God to the top of my list. Before country would be my wife and family - because they ARE my home, no matter where we live. If I am with them, I am at home." My friend smiled and said, "I respect that. I'll have to think about it. It makes sense."

Thank You, Dr. Randy Pausch

Randy Pausch Last Lecture: Achieving Your Childhood Dreams

War in Iraq - Clock

1950 Days since the start of the War in Iraq

U.S. Military Casualties since the start of the War in Iraq

(Includes casualties from fighting in Afghanistan)

Deaths - 4684

Wounded - 30435

Visit Anti-War.com

-- and --

 

Housing Foreclosures Up 120% - but no recession according to Bush ... riiiight!

Follow the link to the story on CNN Money.

Couric Continuing as Republican Mouthpiece

Katie Couric is continuing to help the Republican cause by her attacks (although well veiled) on Barack Obama and her support (not as well veiled) for John McCain. In recent interviews with both presidential candidates, Couric is very pointed in her attempts to get Senator Obama to admit that the "surge" in Iraq has worked, while basically ignoring the points he makes in why he did not support the surge. She completely ignores the other options - instead of sending more troops and money into Iraq - that were available to us at the time. Couric also does not challenge McCain at all in her questioning of him about the success of the "surge." For example, she could have asked:

• Senator McCain, isn't it possible that the success of the surge is only temporary?
• Senator McCain, do you believe that this increased presence of American troops in Iraq will have to be sustained for weeks, months, or years to come in order to keep the violence levels low?
• Senator McCain, is it not possible that the surge will create new resolve for those who have been the cause of violence against our soldiers in Iraq to fight even harder or find new opportunities to attack them?
• Senator McCain, are there better ways that the money being spent on the surge could have been spent to secure a peace in Iraq and help the citizens here in the United States?

However, these questions nor any like them were asked of Senator McCain. Cowardice and complicity - apparently that is all CBS expects from Couric.

T. Boone Pickens' Energy Solution

Finally, an oil man speaking truth and common sense - T. Boone Pickens has proposed a real solution to our energy crisis. Switch to natural gas, wind and solar power. It's a very simple plan, can be done within 5 years, will create an economic boom in this country and around the world, and is environmentally friendly. So, why aren't the economists and Republicans talking about it? They are joined at the hip with "big oil." There is no other reason. It is all about manipulation and control of the citizens of this country by controlling the economy through oil prices. For a long time, Republicans have blamed Democrats for creating a dependency on government "handouts." In reality, Republicans have created an addiction to oil. By allowing oil companies to control this the energy production of the United States, the Republicans have handed control of our entire economy over to "big oil." There is a solution. Go here to listen to T. Boone Pickens talk about it with Lou Dobbs.

War in Iraq - Clock

1947 Days since the start of the War in Iraq

U.S. Military Casualties since the start of the War in Iraq

(Includes casualties from fighting in Afghanistan)

Deaths - 4682

Wounded - 30409

Visit Anti-War.com

If Obama Is Wrong, Why Follow His Plans?

The Bush Administration has slammed Mr. Obama's belief that our government should engage in talks with Iran concerning their development of nuclear power. They also shunned the idea of moving troops out of Iraq and into Afghanistan. Yet, in the past few weeks they have been doing or planning to do exactly those things. Can the Bush Administration make its hypocrisy any more obvious? Do they really believe that we are all so stupid that we will accept these actions as their own, when they openly criticized these ideas only weeks earlier when they came from the mouth of Mr. Obama? Wake up, Republicans. We don't all watch Fox News like your sheople do.

America's Racist Double Standard

The New Yorker published one of the most offensive covers in their history today. They call it satire, but no matter what the article behind the cover has to say, nor what the magazine's staff has to say about the cover, it will be used by those supporting John McCain to defame Mr. Obama. It will spread like wildfire through email and blogs and only do damage to Mr. Obama no matter what anyone says about it. I completely agree with the following response to Elizabeth Snead's post about the cover in her blog - "The Dish Rag":

Posted by: nilda | July 14, 2008 at 11:32 AM

I'll be waiting for their cover with McCain up on the cross for how he uses his fake Christianity and his time as a POW to score political points.

Or their cover with Bush dressed up as a sadistic priest from the Spanish Inquisition, using his self-righteous brand of Christianity to legitimize torturing people.

Or Lieberman in a skull cap with curly sideburns and a machine gun blazing away like Rambo in the deserts of Palestine.

Oh wait... those things are offensive to white people.

They have no place on the covers of major magazines in America.

That space in America is reserved for mocking people who happen to be the same color as Black Panthers and Arab militants.

America's racist double standard on display for all the world to see.

Congrats New Yorker.

---end post---

Well said, nilda. You can bet that we will never see the likes of McCain on the cross on the cover of the New Yorker or any other magazine in America. America's racist double standard lives on.

War in Iraq - Clock

1939 Days since the start of the War in Iraq

U.S. Military Casualties since the start of the War in Iraq

(Includes casualties from fighting in Afghanistan)

Deaths - 4674

Wounded - 30349

Visit Anti-War.com