· “Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told Schwarzenegger and other governors that the Pentagon plans to pay to replace some of the equipment that is damaged or destroyed, but the compensation could take several years because of budget constraints.”--The San Francisco Chronicle, 2/26/08
In other words: re-equipping our National Guard units will be left to the next administration--just like the war, the economy, the environment, and everything else that George W. Bush has managed to destroy or foul-up during his presidency.
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· “Driven by a painful mix of layoffs and rising food and fuel prices, the number of Americans receiving food stamps is projected to reach 28 million in the coming year, the highest level since the aid program began in the 1960s.”-- Erik Eckholm, The New York Times, 3/31/08
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The Bush Administration, which has shown a remarkable lack of foresight or planning when it comes to war, the economy, the environment, etc., is right on top of things when it comes to “the final solution” for the detainees at Guantanamo. In January 2006, Army regulations that required military executions to be carried out by lethal injection at Fort Leavenworth in Kansas were quietly amended so that prisoners could be executed at Guantanamo Prison--thus eliminating any possibility that the condemned prisoners might set foot on American soil, where our pesky American judicial system might come into play.
Guantanamo prison does not currently have a death chamber, but I’m sure Halliburton would be happy to build one--as soon as they receive another cost-plus, no-bid contract. The Bush Administration has everything else planned--even where to dispose of the bodies:
“A small area of the cemetery has been fenced off and remains ready for the burial of any Muslim who may die here and not be repatriated to another country, for whatever reason,”--Bruce Lloyd, spokesman for the Guantanamo Naval Station, AP, 2/13/08
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Can you believe this?
· “...I’m a little envious. If I were slightly younger and not employed here, I think it would be a fantastic experience to be on the front lines [of Afghanistan] helping this young democracy succeed. It must be exciting for you ... in some ways romantic, in some ways, you know, confronting danger.”--George W. Bush, during a video conference with US military and civilian personnel in Afghanistan, Reuters, 3/14/08
Boy George had his opportunity to participate in the fantastic experiences of war during the Viet Nam War, but he avoided it. Instead, he cut in line ahead of about 500 other young men and joined the Texas Air National Guard, but failed to fulfill that obligation by disappearing for a couple of years. Now, Bush regrets his decision to stay home, while someone else got to go and have all the fun.
I think Bush deserves a second chance. He exercises regularly, gets plenty of rest, and has best health care that (our) money can buy; so he is in better physical condition than many of the National Guard troops he has activated and sent to war. As Commander-in-Chief, Bush could give himself a special waiver or something. Anyone who routinely ignores treaties, breaks laws and defies the U.S. Constitution can surely bend a few rules to get himself into the action.
What could be more fitting than the War President (who started the war) leading his troops into battle? Let’s give our fearless leader a rifle, outfit him with some sub-standard body armor, put him in an un-armored humvee and let him lead the next patrol through the mountains of Afghanistan. Excitement and romance could be right around the bend.
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