“It was the end of the world,” said one officer Thursday. “It went all the way up to President Bush and back down again on top of us. At least six of us here will lose our careers.” The Pentagon drops the hammer on disgruntled GIs who made the mistake of voicing their frustration to ABC News. Hmm. True, these guys were out of bounds. Still, I wonder how many soldiers America would have lost over the ages if we kicked out everybody who’s ever grumbled about their assignment. Whether or not you’re risking your life for your nation, apparently, it’s never wise to displease the Dubya.
Category: World at Large
The signs of war advance.
No king of England if not of France. Alas, the NY Times didn’t think much of Henry V in the park. I caught it a few weeks ago and enjoyed it better than this reviewer, for sure. Given recent events, I do wish they’d turned up the satire a notch (“We doubt not of a fair and lucky war,” as the posters proclaim) and Bronson Pinchot’s Balki-esque schtick as Pistol seemed wildly out of place. But all in all, I thought the show made for a lively summer evening. And as a fan of the McKellen Richard III, I enjoyed the WWI motif Liev Schreiber & co. were aiming for.
Pile On.
Weaponsgate fallout continues, with Ted Kennedy decrying Dubya’s foreign policy, John Kerry lambasting Homeland (in)Security under Bush, and Dean and Lieberman calling for Tenet’s head. Whether or not Tenet continues to fall on his sword for the Bushies, the buck stops with the White House, and the GOP Senate can only play defense for so long. What did Dubya know, and when did he know it?
Packing Heat.
Via my friend Mark, Orrin Hatch is trying to lift the handgun ban in DC. Aren’t Republicans supposed to be for home rule? “District officials, including Mayor Anthony A. Williams (D), Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), Council Chairman Linda W. Cropp (D) and police chief Charles H. Ramsey opposed the legislation.” If you want to kowtow to campaign-contributing gun nuts, Senator, then hand out free semis to Salt Lake City residents or something…don’t take out your frustrations on the District.
Untruth and Consequences.
Try as they might to contain it, Dubya’s role in the Iraq-Niger component of Weaponsgate continues to leak under scrutiny. Worse still for the White House, many irate columnists are examining the larger pattern of deceit that has characterized this administration. Whatsmore, the I-word is now getting thrown around. How, I wonder, will the Bushies manage to lie their way out of this one?
Bring the Pain.
Perhaps taking a page from the Governor of Vermont (whom he declined to attack), Kerry turns up the heat on Dubya and Weaponsgate, as do the Congressional Dems. Good…the pressure from now herein should be furious and unrelenting. And under no circumstances should the Bushies be allowed to get away with lying to America by pinning it on John Bull.
Wicker Man, Stone Woman.
Speaking of ancient rock formations, a former professor of obstetrics and gynecology believes Stonehenge to represent a large vulva, in honor of the fecundity of the Earth Goddess. Sure, I buy it.
A Dixie Chick’s Revenge.
Clear Channel is sued by Roxanne Cordonier, a South Carolina DJ and the 2002 state Radio Personality of the Year, for firing her for her anti-war stance. The suit also alleges that Cordonier “was forced to participate in a pro-war rally.” I’ll have to keep an eye on this one.
The Man in Me.
A Japanese writer finds himself quoted in Dylan. Sounds like he’s got the right attitude about it…I wouldn’t think this really constitutes plagiarism.
Armies of the Nut.
“Democracy, more than any other political system, depends on a modicum of honesty. Ultimately, it is much at the mercy of a leader who has never been embarrassed by himself.” Norman Mailer weighs in on the Iraq War, Weaponsgate, and Dubya’s aircraft carrier stunt.