Good Question

John DeRosier 8/20/06

Iraq war is "straining the psyche of our country"

Ya think? The Iraq war/occupation is straining a lot more than the psyche of this country. It's definitely straining our budget and it's breaking a lot of hearts.

Bush sounded more frazzled and anxious in his press conference today than he usually does. I think he didn't have a script and he was depending on his feeble mind to get him through the hour trying to sound all presidential. Using his own mind didn't work today and it hasn't worked in a long time, if it ever did. He just wasn't sounding very presidential today.

It's the same old thing, can'tleave/won't leave Iraq before the mission is complete, blah, blah, job is done, blah, blah, blah, we're not leaving, I'm the president, blah, blah, blah Same old stuff. He did add a new reason to stay the course, if "we leave before the mission is done, the terrorists will follow us here." A failed Iraq would provide a safe haven for terrorists and extremists and give them revenue from oil sales" I'm pretty sure he isn't saying if we bring the troops home now, the terrorists will come to Mountain View, CA and they'll make money on oil sales, or get cheaper gas prices at the pump- I'm not sure.

Bush talked about the conditions in Lebanon and about authorizing 15,000 UN soldiers to be brought into the area, but that effort is already faltering. Italy promised to send 2000-3000 troops, in marked contrast to France which having been behind the diplomatic negotiations to work out a UN ceasefire resolution had also been expected to provide the bulk of the troops - instead it had said it will provide only 200 troops.France is stalling over chain of command concerns. The US is sending $230 million in humanitarian aid.

It got ugly when he started talking about Iraq again. Bush said:

You know, it's an interesting debate we're having in America about how we ought to handle Iraq. There's a lot of people _- good, decent people _- saying: Withdraw now.

They're absolutely wrong. It'd be a huge mistake for this country.

If you think problems are tough now, imagine what it would be like if the United States leaves before this government has a chance to defend herself, govern herself and listen to the _- and answer to the will of the people.

No, George, YOU are absolutely wrong! Bring the troops home, bring them home NOW! The will of the Iraqi people is for the US to pull the troops now (The top US Commander in Iraq, General Peter Pace admitted Sunday that Iraqis wanted US and other foreign troops to leave the country "as soon as possible,")

Back to Hezbollah...the venerable Helen Thomas asked Bush, why he always gave Israel a pass . He responded "This never would have occurred had a terrorist organization -- a state within a state -- not launched attacks on a sovereign nation." But, but, but...oh yeah, we launched attacks within a sovereign nation....sheesh! Bush also said They make decisions on their own sovereignty. yeah...the Coalition Provisional Authority made those decisions, not the US, so everything must be okay in Iraq, right? (don't worry if you're having trouble keeping up, there's a scorecard around here somewhere.)

When asked if he was frustrated, Bush replied:

Frustrated? Sometimes I'm frustrated. Rarely surprised. Sometimes I'm happy, you know. But war is not a time of joy.

These aren't joyous times. These are challenging times, and they're difficult times, and they're straining the psyche of our country. I understand that. You know, nobody likes to see innocent people die. Nobody wants to turn on their TV on a daily basis and see havoc wrought by terrorists.

I can assure you, war is not a time of joy; ask any Gold Star family. He doesn't get a vote. And "nobody likes to see innocent people die"? I guess that's why this administration doesn't allow photos of flag covered coffins returning to their final resting place.

Bush did a little doublespeak about Katrina, putting the blame on the lack of progress in clearing the debris on the state, and he talked about gas prices. He thinks that the economy is strong Look at what the economy has done. It's strong. And he's still saying the main reason we went into Iraq, at the time, was we thought he had weapons of mass destruction. It turns out he didn't, but he had the capacity to make weapons of mass destruction. (noooo, he did not say that, did he?). And surprisingly,he did admit that Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11. When asked, what did Iraq have to do with 9/11 he said:

Nothing, except for it's part of -- and nobody has ever suggested in this administration that Saddam Hussein ordered the attack. Iraq was a -- the lesson of September the 11th is, take threats before they fully materialize, Ken. Nobody has ever suggested that the attacks of September the 11th were ordered by Iraq. I have suggested, however, that resentment and the lack of hope create the breeding grounds for terrorists who are willing to use suiciders to kill to achieve an objective. I have made that case.

All around, many important subjects were covered. But the president needs to understand you can't have it both ways. If Hezbollah cannot attack a sovereign country, then neither can the US. If it is important that the Lebanese make decisions on their own sovereignty, wouldn't that also apply to Iraq? AND please George, please stop lying about WMD. It was a lie in the run up to the war, it was a lie when you were hunting for WMD in your video presented to the Press club and it is a lie now. There were not WMD in Iraq.

My brain is straining and it hurts!

Timely Bumper Stickers

Today, I turn my little soapbox over to something I found on the internet

The following actual bumper stickers are now on cars. I didn't write any of them. I'm only the messenger. If they make you laugh, good. If they make you cry, good.

AT LEAST IN VIETNAM, BUSH HAD AN EXIT STRATEGY

BLIND FAITH IN BAD LEADERSHIP IS NOT PATRIOTISM

IF YOU'RE NOT OUTRAGED, YOU'RE NOT PAYING ATTENTION

IF YOU SUPPORTED BUSH, A YELLOW RIBBON WON'T MAKE UP FOR IT

POVERTY, HEALTHCARE & HOMELESSNESS ARE MORAL ISSUES

OF COURSE IT HURTS. YOU'RE GETTING SCREWED BY AN ELEPHANT

BUSH LIED, AND YOU KNOW IT

RELIGIOUS FUNDAMENTALISM: A THREAT ABROAD, A THREAT AT HOME

GOD BLESS EVERYONE (No exceptions)

BUSH SPENT YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY ON HIS WAR

PRO AMERICA, ANTI BUSH

WHO WOULD JESUS BOMB?

IF YOU SUPPORT BUSH'S WAR, WHY ARE YOU STILL HERE? SHUT UP AND SHIP
OUT

FEEL SAFER NOW?

I'D RATHER HAVE A PRESIDENT WHO SCREWED HIS INTERN THAN ONE WHO
SCREWED HIS COUNTRY

JESUS WAS A SOCIAL ACTIVIST - THAT IS A LIBERAL

MY VALUES? FREE SPEECH. EQUALITY. LIBERTY. EDUCATION. TOLERANCE

IS IT 2008 YET?

DISSENT IS THE HIGHEST FORM OF PATRIOTISM -- Thomas Jefferson

DON'T BLAME ME. I VOTED AGAINST BUSH -- TWICE!

ANNOY A CONSERVATIVE; THINK FOR YOURSELF

VISUALIZE IMPEACHMENT

HEY BUSH! WHERE'S BIN LADEN?

CORPORATE MEDIA = MASS MIND CONTROL

STOP MAD COWBOY DISEASE

GEORGE W. BUSH: MAKING TERRORISTS FASTER THAN HE CAN KILL THEM

KEEP YOUR THEOCRACY OFF MY DEMOCRACY

DEMOCRATS ARE SEXY. WHOEVER HEARD OF A GOOD PIECE OF ELEPHANT?

ASPIRING CANADIAN

CORPORATE MEDIA: WEAPONS OF MASS DECEPTION

DON'T CONFUSE DYING FOR OIL WITH FIGHTING FOR FREEDOM

STEM CELL RESEARCH IS PRO LIFE

HATE, GREED, IGNORANCE: WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION

HONOR OUR TROOPS - DEMAND THE TRUTH

REBUILD IRAQ? WHY NOT SPEND 87 BILLION ON AMERICA?

FACT: BUSH OIL
1999 - $19 BARREL
2006 - $70 BARREL

THE LAST TIME RELIGION CONTROLLED POLITICS, PEOPLE GOT BURNED AT THE
STAKE

Playing the fear card

When I started speaking out against this administration and this war, I didn't know what I would face. I knew I had already had the worst day of my life, so how bad could it be? Nothing has been as bad as May 31, 2004, the day I was notified my only child, Lt Ken Ballard, was killed in the Iraq war turned occupation.

I've been called un-American, a traitor, a freak, disrespectful of my son and other such insults. I was told my son was "Doing his job" and "Everyone Dies!" while I spoke. Not only is it mean, it is wrong. Apparently those folks never heard the wise words of Abe Lincoln, Tis better to be silent and be thought a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt. Or they didn't listen to their mother when she told them, if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all.

Respect seems to be one of those attitudes that is dying in this country. When someone has lost a child, there is no need to be mean. Anyone who thinks that is okay is a bully; we already know they are mean, junior high mean! Whether you agree or disagree with their politics, a good response when a Gold Star family member is talking would be "I'm sorry"

The day after Ned Lamont won the election in Ct, the first thing I heard on the radio was that the Democratic party is the antiwar party and are unAmerican. what? A fair and reasonable properly held democratic election in the United States of America turns ALL members of the Democratic party into people who are unAmerican? I don't think so and while I'm pretty sure that ALL Democrats are not anti war, it's nice to hear a Democratic voice question the war. It's about time, guys, and welcome to my world!

I thought that would be it, but of course, it only got worse. The VP of this land, Dick Cheney, said that the Lamont victory might encourage "the al-Qaeda types" who want to "break the will of the American people in terms of our ability to stay in the fight and complete the task."And Tony Snow, the president's press secretary said a vote for Lamont was a vote for another 9/11. Snow said that Connecticut voters who backed Ned Lamont (and the 57 percent of Americans who support his position on Iraq) were choosing to "ignore the difficulties and walk away." That is the same approach, he said, that led Osama bin Laden to the conclusion “that Americans were weak and wouldn'’t stay the course and that led to September 11th."” And because of 9/11, then we had to go to war in Iraq? oh geez!

I've got "fear fatigue" and the more this administration plays that card, the more I see it as the little boy crying "Wolf". If we ever really need to believe them, what are the chances that we will?

What did this country do to deserve these people?

I wonder

Today we marked the very sad passing of the 2600th US member of the military. It is likely the media will not comment on this number. All Gold Star families mourn the loss of any soldier.

The occupation of Iraq has been put on the back burner while we try to figure out what the hell is going on in Israel and Lebanon and what we can and cannot carry on an airplane.

I've been wondering....in no particular order....

I wonder if members of the Bush administration ever wring their hands and ponder what they have done?

I wonder if they ever watch the news and see, really see, the faces of our children, our loved ones who are dying in this war.

I wonder if they know, at a moments notice on any given day, the US casualty count in Iraq. (it's 2601 as of today)

I wonder if any of them know a name, any name of a US soldier who has died as a result of their failed policies.

I wonder if they know a name, any name of an Iraqi civilian who has died as a result of their failed polities, not they even know the number of those casualties.

I wonder if they ever wake up in the middle of the night; are not able to breathe thinking about their loved one. They'll wake up with their loved one safe and sound, but we never will.

I wonder if they look in the mirror and say "I am the meanest son of a bitch in the land.....and I like it!"

I wonder if they know how hot 135 degrees is. Not just for one day inside the Green Zone in Baghdad, but for months at a time.

I wonder if they have any guilt for lying about the reasons to illegally invade a sovereign country.

I wonder if any of them has a doubt about staying the course. Do they ever even think about it?

I wonder if the executives of Halliburton, KBR and the other war profiteers cheer at their company picnics for the obscene profits they are making off of our children. For that matter, I guess we are paying for that picnic anyway.

I wonder if they feel guilty for losing $9 billion dollars of reconstruction money.

I wonder if they honestly believe that the war in Iraq can be won.

I wonder if these people have lied all their lives or is it a skill they gained later in life.

I wonder if they can imagine standing on a tarmac at the airport waiting for your son's body to be removed in a flag covered casket.

I wonder if they know what it is like to lay in bed at night practicing what you would say if you got that knock on the door.

I wonder how many of them have attended a military funeral for a casualty from this war.

I wonder how many have visited Section 60 at Arlington National Cemetery to see the damage they have done.

I wonder if Rumsfeld ever did sign the condolence letters to families.

I wonder if they ever think that the American public would have backed this war/occupation if they had told us the truth in the beginning.

I wonder when Peace became a bad word.

Connecticut has Spoken

I thank you.


Shock loss shows US anti-war mood

Smackdown in Ct

I love a good election. I kind of wish I was in Connecticut on Tuesday. Lamont vs Lieberman. After months of campaigning, this smackdown starts at 8 a.m. when the polls open. I hope it's a KO on Lieberman. I don't understand how he can call himself a Democrat when he has been cuddling up to his friend, George Bush in the White House. His stance on Iraq, "I still believe that [the decision to invade Iraq] was right" along with his continued, cozy support of the administration will hopefully bring his legislative career to an end. In last minute campaign stops, Lieberman said he has opposed nearly every major domestic issue Bush has backed, including a ban on stem cell research and a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage. I'll concede those are important issues, but he wins no brownie points with me.

If Lieberman loses; the message will be loud and clear. The message is Iraq. It is not about getting re-elected, because if it isn't about Iraq, you shouldn't be re-elected. The invasion of Iraq was wrong, is wrong and will forever be wrong. Historians will not view this administration favorably and if you are tied to this administration with your support of the war, blood is on your hands, too.

Don't think the Grand Old Party isn't quaking in their boots, either. If Lamont is victorious, they better be examining their election strategies, too.

While most agree that the eventual Democratic winner will be supported by those currently supporting Lieberman, like the Clinton's and former Senator Max Cleland, it is in the best interest of those in his camp to see him win. A Lamont victory would shift the party to the left and give further encouragement to activists already deeply disappointed with Mrs Clinton's hawkish approach to foreign policy.

The polls may say the numbers give the win to Lamont, but the biggest threat to a Lamont win is getting those voters to the polls. If the Lamont campaign has a good campaign manager and I suspect he does, the phones are ringing all over Connecticut and that will continue until the polls close on Tuesday evening.

It's time for the legislators on both sides of the aisle to remember that we voted them in; we can vote them out.

It's time for the voters of Connecticut to send the message loud and clear. I can only hope that the voters across the country do the same.

3700 Troops Extended

The Department of Defense announced last week that 3700 soldiers from Alaska's 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, which has been deployed in Mosul since last summer, will be extended for as long as 120 days to boost security in Baghdad. These soldiers were 2 weeks from coming home. My heart goes out to these familes. I have walked in their shoes.

Back on April 3, 2004, Ken's unit had turned in their weapons, had shipped their personal items home. They had taken their unit photos, a tradition well known by members of the military. These guys had been in Iraq for nearly a year and were heading for the march out of Baghdad, the following week. The families who had held their collective breathes for that year were trying to decide if it was time to breathe. The plans for the Welcome Home parties were in full swing. I had planned the menu for this grand party. We had stopped sending CARE packages. They were COMING HOME!

The next day, on April 4 in Sadr City, Iraq, Ken's unit lost their first soldier, Sgt Mike Mitchell of Atascadero, CA.

In April, 2004, the First Armored Division had already spent a year trying to gain control of Baghdad, one of the most dangerous assignments in the country. Units were then sent to the Shiite holy cities of Najaf and Karbala to battle the Mahdi Army, the militia founded by Moktada al-Sadr, the anti-American cleric. Morale plummeted among soldiers of the First Armored Division when they were asked to stay beyond their yearlong tour in order to quell a Shiite uprising

On April 14, 2004, the Department of Defense announced that 20,000 US troops were being operationally extended for 120 days. We didn't know when the 120 days began; we didn't know when they would be home. I was devastated at this news. Ken told me their mission was not complete and they had to stay for this 120 days. He sound exhausted. I could not, did not tell him how heartbroken the families were. They made it through the year until Mike was killed; there had been a few injuries, but not life threatening. I thought that we had been fortunate how we made it this far. How would the families feel if their soldier didn't come home when they had waited so long, when their loved ones had done what the president had asked of them? The parties were on hold for 120 days. Ken would spend his 2nd birthday in Iraq, another summer in hell. How many families would miss Father's day together, how many birthdays and anniversaries would be spent apart?

Every day Ken was in Iraq, was hell for me. Every single minute of each of the 384 days was a hell that no one should know. After the extension, I felt we were tempting fate. Every phone call from Ken, every instant message was a miracle. I may have cried more in those 6 weeks of the extension than I had the prior year. The unit was in battle for every single day in May. Ken's tank had been hit by RPG's (rocket propelled grenades) 9 times.

On May 30, 2004 near midnight, Ken was killed under enemy fire in Najaf, Iraq. The same night, Spc Nick Zimmer of Columbus, OH was killed in nearby Kufa. They should have been home.

Fate was not kind to us after the extension. I didn't know what hell was.

I Cannot Imagine the Pain

A lot of people have said that to me, more than you could think. It's true, you can't. Losing a child, your only child is beyond unimaginable and losing him in a war turned occupation that you didn't support....don't go there.

Last week another family in Texas got that knock on the door. The Velez family was notified by military official that their 22 year old son, Army Spc. Andrew Velez was killed in Afghanistan.

The soldier stepped out, and I looked at him until I got up to the door step, and he said we need to talk to your wife also, and I said it's about Andrew and he says lets go inside, and I said no, I don't want to go inside. I said, is my son dead, and he said yes,"Sadly it is not the first knock on the door this family has answered.

In November of 2004, military official notified the family that their 23 year old son, Army Cpl. Jose A. Velez was killed in Fallujah. 2 sons lost in service to their country.

"I can't be angry. I feel like my heart's been pulled out," Roy Velez said Tuesday. "We've done what the Lord allowed us to do for our country."

He's kinder than I would be. Not only was I angry that Ken was killed, I was angry at God. Some days I still am. Ken was on every prayer wheel known to man, Methodists, Jewish, Catholics, you name it, he was on every list. I was touched when people told me they would add his name. I never prayed that Ken would return home; I always asked that he "return home safely". I know some will say that he is home, he is with God, but that's not what I wanted.

Young Andrew was given the option of not returning to combat after his brother was killed, but he told his father "You always do it for your buddy next to you." That is what soldiers will say about being in Iraq. Regardless of what their commander, or commander in chief tells them, their mission is to bring their buddies home.

The Velez family has more than paid the ultimate price. They lost both sons; their only sons. Andrew's wife, Veronica will raise their 5 year old daughter, Jasmine Jade, and her brothers Jordan & Jacob alone. Jose left behind his high school sweetheart, his wife of 2 years.

This is more than one family should have to live with. Roy Velez, the boys father said:

"I think the only thing that really helps me, that really gets me through this is that somebody out there, somebody in the city of Lubbock, somewhere through our great county is praying me through."

We are praying, Roy, we are praying for you and your family and for all the families.

Happy Birthday, Buddy!

Kenneth Michael Ballard weighed 7 pounds, 7 ounces when he entered the world, my world on 7.21.77.

He was the best gift God could ever give a mom. I was the lucky one. I was so proud to be his ma. Ken embraced life and didn’t let anything stand in his way. From the day he was born, this world was his! From the first moment in the morning when his eyes popped open, to the time his head hit the pillow at night, he had 2 speeds- Fast & Off. How I tried to keep up with him!

Today he would have been 29. This is the 3rd year I have not heard from him on his birthday, the 3rd year of getting used to living a life without him. 3 years seems a lifetime! They say a child who has a long delivery will have a long life. It didn't work out that way. He was killed in Iraq on 5.30.04.

Of course I am devastated about Ken's death. I do not wish this journey of bereavement on anyone. My days seem to be filled with death; every death in Iraq, this illegal occupation.

We will celebrate Ken's life this weekend because he lived and we will not forget that.

I miss you, buddy!

Happy Birthday greetings also to Bonnie, Mary & Ken E. Paul Wellstone's birthday is today, too, another good guy who left this world too soon.

Not Spare Parts

George Bush, damn him again and again and again.

At the White House he read his opening statement this morning "I am returning herewith without my approval H.R. 810, the "Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2005." Standing in front of several families with their babies who had been born of in vitro fertilization, Bush said the children

began his or her life as a frozen embryo that was created for in-vitro fertilization but remained unused after the fertility treatments were complete. ... These boys and girls are not spare parts

The first time he uses his presidential veto power is on a bill to expand funding of research through the use of embryonic stem cells, instead encouraging research using adult stem cells and cord blood.

Note this resolution was passed in the House last year by a vote of 238-94. This week the companion bill was passed in the Senate by a vote of 63-37 and this afternoon, the House voted 235-193 to override the veto, falling short of the two-thirds majority needed to override the decision.

"President Bush defied the will of the American people and crushed the hopes of millions who suffer from serious and debilitating diseases like cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer's, Lou Gehrig's and Parkinson's. The need or a new direction in America has never been clearer," said Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., in a statement.

This bill would support the taking of innocent human life of the hope of finding medical benefits for others. It crosses a moral boundary that our society needs to respect, so I vetoed it," Bush said. (can't you just see him sticking his tongue out, taunting us?)

Bush doesn't know a moral boundary. If he does, he seems to save that for the unborn and for brain dead like Teri Schaivo. These snowflake blastocysts languish in a test tube, and living, breathing viable human beings will continue to suffer with chronic illnesses that we know can be cured or advanced with further stem cell research. While our legislators and this president were worried about Teri Schaivo's quality of life back in 2005, how many members of our military were killed in Iraq? His moral boundary doesn't include Iraq.

We know there is a brain drain in some countries with restrictions on stem cell research. An Iranian born German scientist is now pursuing research in England said "It is a double standard to allow fertility clinics to destroy embryos in the process of their work, but not to permit the doomed blastocysts to be used for research purposes. What kind of a moral standard is that"? A biology professor at The University of California at San Francisco is lost its top stem cell researcher to Britain because of political uncertainties threatening the future of his work in the United States.

Bush has made it clear where he stands with regards to the will of the people of this country. He cares only to support his fundamental religious right supporters. Let's be real clear who joins him and let's remember those names when November rolls around. At least I know where my Senators and Congresswoman stand- Thanks Anna Eshoo, Barbara Boxer & Diane Feinstein- you got it right this time!

Senate

YEAs ---63
Akaka (D-HI)
Alexander (R-TN)
Baucus (D-MT)
Bayh (D-IN)
Bennett (R-UT)
Biden (D-DE)
Bingaman (D-NM)
Boxer (D-CA)
Burr (R-NC)
Byrd (D-WV)
Cantwell (D-WA)
Carper (D-DE)
Chafee (R-RI)
Clinton (D-NY)
Cochran (R-MS)
Collins (R-ME)
Conrad (D-ND)
Dayton (D-MN)
Dodd (D-CT)
Dorgan (D-ND)
Durbin (D-IL)
Feingold (D-WI)
Feinstein (D-CA)
Frist (R-TN)
Gregg (R-NH)
Harkin (D-IA)
Hatch (R-UT)
Hutchison (R-TX)
Inouye (D-HI)
Jeffords (I-VT)
Johnson (D-SD)
Kennedy (D-MA)
Kerry (D-MA)
Kohl (D-WI)
Landrieu (D-LA)
Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Leahy (D-VT)
Levin (D-MI)
Lieberman (D-CT)
Lincoln (D-AR)
Lott (R-MS)
Lugar (R-IN)
McCain (R-AZ)
Menendez (D-NJ)
Mikulski (D-MD)
Murkowski (R-AK)
Murray (D-WA)
Nelson (D-FL)
Obama (D-IL)
Pryor (D-AR)
Reed (D-RI)
Reid (D-NV)
Rockefeller (D-WV)
Salazar (D-CO)
Sarbanes (D-MD)
Schumer (D-NY)
Smith (R-OR)
Snowe (R-ME)
Specter (R-PA)
Stabenow (D-MI)
Stevens (R-AK)
Warner (R-VA)
Wyden (D-OR)

NAYs ---37
Allard (R-CO)
Allen (R-VA)
Bond (R-MO)
Brownback (R-KS)
Bunning (R-KY)
Burns (R-MT)
Chambliss (R-GA)
Coburn (R-OK)
Coleman (R-MN)
Cornyn (R-TX)
Craig (R-ID)
Crapo (R-ID)
DeMint (R-SC)
DeWine (R-OH)
Dole (R-NC)
Domenici (R-NM)
Ensign (R-NV)
Enzi (R-WY)
Graham (R-SC)
Grassley (R-IA)
Hagel (R-NE)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Isakson (R-GA)
Kyl (R-AZ)
Martinez (R-FL)
McConnell (R-KY)
Nelson (D-NE)
Roberts (R-KS)
Santorum (R-PA)
Sessions (R-AL)
Shelby (R-AL)
Sununu (R-NH)
Talent (R-MO)
Thomas (R-WY)
Thune (R-SD)
Vitter (R-LA)
Voinovich (R-OH

House (The House doesn't set their list up as nicely, so check it out for yourself)

I would cry, too

(photo courtesy of the AP)
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=395610&in_page_id=1770

Who is this man?

He looks like Bush, he talks like Bush, he must be our president, but I am horrified. The Middle east is exploding, North Korea is heating up, Sudan is spinning out of control, Iran & Syria seem to be involved somehow; the world is in more danger than we've seen in a long time. George wants to talk about a pig!

The President of the United States, who is heading to the G8 conference in Russia stopped in Germany to visit German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Laura and George were feted at a barbecue of roast wild boar. George told the guests that since he and his wife, Laura, come from Texas, throwing a barbecue for them is "one of the greatest compliments you could have." Isn't that nice? (photo courtesy of PABLO MARTINEZ MONSIVAIS / AP)

I'll give him that, the time to be social, we all need some down time. And even though George Bush gets plenty of time off away from the White House; last year, in 2004, he broke the all time vacation record held by Ronald Reagan, he deserves it, he's the President afterall. It's a tough job.

No one can deny that the job of president of the United states is a 24/7, 365 days of the year full time job. You don't get to forget your responsibilities; you are always on. So, let's get back to the pig.

Prior to this barbecue in a Baltic coastal town, a press conference was held. There were questions about the violence in the Middle east and Iran. I'm thinking this would be a good time for the President of the United States, arguably one of the most powerful men in the world (sorry, Dick, for this rant, it goes to George), to assure the world that these current events were being watched very carefully and that communications remained open- I don't know if that's true, but that's what I want to know or not.

Mark Silva from the Chicago Tribune reports that although the president did respond to the serious questions, it seems that George really just wants to talk about the PIG! "I understand I may have the honor of slicing the pig

"Apart from the pig, Mr. President, what sort of insights have you been able to gain as regards East Germany?" a German reporter asked.
"I haven't seen the pig yet," Bush said, sidestepping the question about insights gained from his two-day visit to this rural seaside region that once rested behind the Iron Curtain.

We should be able to expect better from our leaders; it just doesn't seem very presidential. What did we do to deserve this?

Rumsfeld needs to go

Gunmen kill 22 while Rumsfeld visits Baghdad. Rumsfeld visits Iraq on day with deadliest incident.

"There certainly has been an upsurge in sectarian violence," Rumsfeld told reporters en route to Iraq from Kandahar, Afghanistan. "There's no question but that they're trying to incite a civil war, and they have been for a long time, and they've failed so far."

At least he didn't say we were on the last throes of the insurgency. He did however, have another smartass response to a soldier who was brave enough to stand up to Rumsfeld and ask him about the aged state of equipment that his NAtional Guard unit is working with. The good people at ThinkProgress.org have the video, so let's take a look

Improvized Explosive Devices (IEDs) are responsible for nearly half the casualties of our troops in Iraq. Among the best defenses against IEDs is a massive heavily-armored vehicle called the Buffalo, which has become the favorite of U.S. Army combat engineer teams. Yesterday, during a surprise trip to Iraq, Defense Secretary Rumsfeld was confronted by a U.S. Army corporal who said the Buffalo he was using was one of oldest pieces of equipment in the country, and that just two weeks before, he'd seen a brand new Buffalo in New York City. Rumsfeld defended the Pentagon's anti-IED efforts and deflected the specific question with a joke.
Watch the video:

Full transcript below:
CORPORAL ARTHUR KING: Right now we have one of the oldest pieces of equipment in the country. It's called a Buffalo and ours is the oldest. And the other day, two weeks ago, we saw a brand-new one in downtown New York City and we've been waiting for three months for ours. We are just wondering why that was.
RUMSFELD: Well, I don't know about New York City. They obviously have a separate budget and they buy what they buy. We've got $3.6 billion that dwarfs anything that New York City does just for I.E.D. work and General Monty Miggs has been brought back and he is in the process he has been in the Army for two and a half, three years, he has been working their heads off as the nature of the I.E.D. problem has migrated and evolved they have put enormous effort on it. I can't answer why your particular unit ends up with one of the oldest pieces of equipment, but I'll bet you General Casey can.
OLBERMANN: To his credit, General Casey skipped the jokes and said he didn't know either but would find out and get back to him with an answer.

$3.6 Billion dollars is being spent on IED work and how many people in Iraq, both coalition and Iraqi lives have been devastated by this popular weapon? $3.6 billion and we can't get our soldiers the latest and greatest technology? Something is so wrong with this picture! But remember, the person who is responsible for our military just doesn't care because he's the one who said "As you know, you have to go to war with the Army you have, not the Army you want," back in December 2004 in response to another soldier asking about his units lack of armor.

Who invited him anyway? Rumsfeld usually ends up offshore when he is looking for high ground when something has gone wrong. He went to the Greenzone after the story of the abuse at Abu Graib prison broke back in 2004. I asked Ken about it and he told me he didn't care that Rumsfeld was in Iraq; he couldn't be bothered because he had a job to do and couldn't be distracted with that photo op..

Please Rummy, put us out of our misery and resign, quit, go sit on a ranch somewhere, but leave the job of Sectretary of Defense to someone who actually cares about the welfare of our military. This is not time to joke about equipment for our troops.

I'll ask again, who's supporting our troops?

Fighting for Peace

Sometimes when I am interviewed for a story, I feel like there is a nice connection with the writer, especially when they write from the understanding of a subtle point. I just missed an opportunity to meet Mike Ferner, a member of Veterans For Peace, by a few days last September, but I still think about the compelling words he wrote last summer about Crawford, TX.

I just saw another article that Mike wrote at the end of June. I looked forward to seeing what he was up to; how could you not, when the title of the article is Has This Country Gone Completely Insane?. From the beginning, this article did not bode well. I'll let Mike take it from here.

This afternoon, drinking a cup of coffee while sitting in the Jesse Brown V.A. Medical Center on Chicago’s south side, a Veterans Administration cop walked up to me and said, "OK, you’ve had your 15 minutes, it’s time to go."

"Huh?", I asked intelligently, not quite sure what he was talking about. "You can’t be in here protesting," officer Adkins said, pointing to my Veterans For Peace shirt.

"Well, I’m not protesting, I’m having a cup of coffee," I returned, thinking that logic would convince Adkins to go back to his earlier duties of guarding against serious terrorists.

Flipping his badge open, he said, "No, not with that shirt. You’re protesting and you have to go."

Beginning to get his drift, I said firmly, "Not before I finish my coffee."

He insisted that I leave, but still not quite believing my ears, I tried one more approach to reason. "Hey, listen. I’m a veteran. This is a V.A. facility. I’m sitting here not talking to anybody, having a cup of coffee. I’m not protesting and you can’t kick me out."

"You’ll either go or we’ll arrest you," Adkins threatened.

"Well, you’ll just have to arrest me," I said, wondering what strange land I was now living in.

You know the rest. Handcuffed, led away to the facility’s security office past people with surprised looks on their faces, read my rights, searched, and written up.

The officer who did the formalities, Eric Ousley, was professional in his duties. When I asked him if he was a vet, it turned out he had been a hospital corpsman in the Navy. We exchanged a couple sea stories. He uncuffed me early. And he allowed as to how he would only charge me with disorderly conduct, letting me go on charges of criminal trespass and weapons possession — a pocket knife — which he said would have to be destroyed (something I rather doubt since it was a nifty Swiss Army knife with not only a bottle opener, but a tweezers AND a toothpick).

After informing me I could either pay the $275 fine on the citation or appear in court, Ousley escorted me off the premises, warning me if I returned with "that shirt" on, I’d be arrested and booked into jail.

I’m sure I could go back to officers Adkins’ and Ousleys’ fiefdom
with a shirt that said, "Nuke all the hajis," or "Show us your tits," or any number of truly obscene things and no one would care. Just so it’s not "that shirt" again.

And just for the record? I’m not paying the fine. I’ll see Adkins and Ousley and Dubya’s Director of the Dept. of Veterans Affairs, if he wants to show up, in United States District Court on the appointed date. And if there’s a Chicago area attorney who’d like to take the case, I’d really like to sue them — from Dubya on down. I have to believe that this whole country has not yet gone insane, just the government. This kind of behavior can’t be tolerated. It must be challenged.

The members of Veterans for Peace that I have met on my journey since my son, Lt Ken Ballard was killed have all been lovely people. Our local chapter 101 in the SF Bay area have been supportive beyond words. I love the VFP men and women in Santa Barbara who spend every Sunday on the beach at Stearns Wharf, Arlington West, setting up crosses to represent the US casualties in Iraq. Yes, every single Sunday, for nearly 3 years now. If I have any sense of difficulty at a peace event, I know that I will be safe if one of the VFP guys stands by my side. I know that many of these veterans who served their country well have told us Gold Star Mothers that we could have been their mom's and they hoped if they hadn't come home that their moms would have spoken out. I cannot imagine speaking without my friends at Veterans for Peace.

Back to Mike....The Veterans for Peace shirt is not provocative, it has a dove on the front with the words "VETERANS FOR PEACE" and is available in different colors; I'm partial to the tie dye version myself. I'm sure the VFP logo on Mike's shirt looked something like this.

Since when did wearing an innocuous shirt like that result in an arrest for protesting? If you aren't fighting for peace, what ARE you fighting for but most of all, when did Peace become a bad word?

And Mike, the answer is yes, the country has gone completely insane; totally barking mad!

Bad Day

It's been a bad day for me today. Yesterday in Iraq, 3 members of 1st Armored Division were killed in Ramadi. (1st Armored Division was Ken's division). You should not be surprised to know that many Gold Star families still feel an affinity to our loved one's units. When Ken's unit was deployed back to Iraq in January 06, I felt that same familiar sick, stressed and worried feeling in my stomach that I had for the 384 days that Ken was there. Until now, there had been one casualty from 2/37, a 19 year young soldier from Florida, Pvt Jody Missildine, who was killed in April.

While Ken was in Iraq, when I turned on my computer first thing in the morning, I would check the Department of Defense website to read of the latest casualties. Some people thought that macabre, but I didn't. I knew that if something happened to Ken, that I would find out via a personal notification, so that is not the information I was looking for. I was looking to see if there were any casualties from the general area or specifically from Ken's unit. Then I would know why he was not in communication with me.

In the case of a casualty, communications are shut down so that the family is notified via official means and not from a fellow soldier or any other method. That means that no soldier can contact their family to tell them they are okay or to discuss any details or to find some emotional support. There were a few communications blackouts when Ken was deployed; the worst and longest was a period of 5 days when 2/37 lost our first soldier, Sgt Mike Mitchell from Atascadero, CA on 4.4.04. I don't know how long the blackout was when Ken and Pfc Nick Zimmer were killed on 5.30.04; I was in the middle of that maelstrom.

Today, we are in the waiting period for the families to be notified and the official notification to be released by the Department of Defense. They don't typically release any information until 24 hours after the family is notified. In some cases, the families notify the local media sooner, which is why you may hear something before it becomes official.

I recently had a conversation with someone from Ken's unit. I told the soldier I thought about the guys every day. He was surprised. I really wanted to tell him that I worry about them every day while I'm thinking of them. Each one of these soldiers is my son or daughter; they are America's sons and daughters. Isn't it time to bring them home now?

My heart breaks with every single casualty, but most of all, I cannot bear the thought of attending another military funeral for someone I know.

Happy Birthday George

The census department reports that 7918 of the oldest baby boomers will turn 60 each day in 2006. We know that George Bush has been thinking about this round birthday, the BIG 6-O, a lot. He keeps talking about it in that self deprecating good old boyish way he has.

I've got a few good years under my belt until I look 60 in the face, so I can't exactly relate and no birthday, no number has bothered me yet. I don't think George is really bothered by it, although he does appear wistful at times for those 60 years gone by.

The actual birthday celebration was low key with his daughters Jenna & Barbara preparing what one attendee called a very cute and light- hearted video of some highlights and low lights of their daddy's career.

Physically, he doesn't show the outward appearances of decline that many of his predecessors have. Doris Kearns Goodwin, the historian and former aide to Lyndon B. Johnson.

"You don't see a drawn look. It's as if somehow he has psychologically not allowed the burdens to fully get to him. Maybe it's the exercise, maybe it's his sureness about his own decisions."

Maybe he doesn't understand the magnitude of damage he has wrought with his Presidency. I'll say that he thinks he cares, but I don't think he has the capacity to care. While he will likely enjoy the long lifespan that he inherited from his family, there are 2539 soldiers who were killed in Iraq and who will not celebrate a birthday this year. There are 2539 families who will not bake a birthday cake and will instead mark that birthday with a visit to a cemetery or in quiet reflection for what might have been.

There are also nearly 19,000 soldiers who have been wounded in Iraq. What do their birthdays mean to them? Happy to be alive? Possibly. Wondering how to adjust to this new normal as their old life exploded one day in Iraq? Definitely.

While George Bush contemplates the rest of his presidency and his life on this round birthday; my birthday wish for him is that he would have an epiphany and wonder how he can spend the rest of his life atoning for his sins and those of his administration. He'd make a list of all the people he wronged in his life, kind of like Earl on "My Name is Earl", except George's list would be much longer and he has many more people to make nice to. It's a good thing the Bush genetics will give him a long enough life for this atonement. (a girl can dream, can't she?)

Schadenfreude

I'm suffering from a case of schadenfreude today, so don't mind me. And don't mind me if I find this bit of news a bit too ironic and amusing.

Back in October 1995, Rush Limbaugh said on his television show "Drug use, some might say, is destroying this country. And so, if people are violating the law by doing drugs, they ought to be accused and they ought to be convicted and they ought to be sent up." Being an equal opportunity drug warrior, Limbaugh said in response to the charge that drug laws singled out African Americans "Too many whites are getting away with drug use. The answer is to go out and find the ones who are getting away with it, convict them and send them up the river too."

Back in April, he agreed to a deal that kept him from jail time when faced with charges about Oxycontin and other prescription painkillers. I guess he didn't learn a lesson about being a model citizen and he may find himself back in front of a judge. Limbaugh, hardly the voice of compassion for non-violent drug offenders, has run afoul of the law again. This time, it's that little blue pill, Viagra.

Limbaugh was returning on a flight from the Dominican Republic when he was questioned by customs agents about a vial of pills that were not labeled with his name. A doctor had prescribed the drug Limbaugh's attorney said, but it was `labeled as being issued to the physician rather than Mr. Limbaugh for privacy purposes,''

That privacy thing kind of blew up all over the media, didn't it? Not only do we know Limbaugh is a blowhard, we now know that he needs "a little help" and that is too much information for me!

This schadenfreude is getting to me, does anyone have a pill for that?

Patrick McCaffrey's vigil

I was at a vigil last Thursday to mark the 2 year anniversary of the death of the son of my friend, Sgt Patrick McCaffrey. Besides it being the hottest day of the year, it was pretty emotional.

Nadia's 11 year old grandson, Patrick McCaffrey, Jr was there wearing a shirt with his father's photo on the front and back. There is no doubt he is Patrick's son with that smile. How do you explain to an 11 year old that, yes, your father was killed in the war, but it didn't happen like we told you. How does an 11 year old grasp that his father was murdered by some very bad guys?

Stephen Edwards was there, a fellow soldier and good friend of Patrick's. Because of his relationship with Patrick and the recent news that the circumstances of his death was murder by the Iraqi soldiers that their unit had trained, Stephen has been thrown into the spotlight. Stephen tells compelling stories and is very strong in his convictions about the war. He was also respectful, almost reverent of the 3 Gold Star Mom & Dad's who were there; Casey's dad, Ken's mom & Patrick's mom. He told me he wished he had known Ken.

Stephen is one of those guys who cherishes his wife. He looks at her like every woman wants a man to look at her. He has that same look when he talks about his wife and his daughter. I cannot imagine their journey. I'm sure they just want their old life back. I wish I could do that for them.

Stephen was wearing his desert camo shirt. Above the name tag his name was embroidered in Arabic. At least he thought that's what it said. An Arabic woman asked him if he knew what it meant and he said, yes, Edwards. She told him it read "Edwards enemy". The soldiers had what they thought was their arabic names above their official nametag, I'm presuming so that the Iraqi population could read the name. How offensive is it that this embroiderer who had been hired by the Americans to work on the base and to provide a service to these soldiers, felt that their political agenda was more important?

During an interview, a reporter told me that an Army spokesperson told him that the Army has only 6 families who have had the truth delayed to them. I told him "I doubt that's true; I know 4 of the families". Am I lucky or what?

Patrick's mom, Nadia spoke about the two year journey she's been on and about her plans for the future to help returning veteran's of this war find peace in their minds and bodies when they return. I know Nadia, and she will accomplish this vision with a little help from her friends. What a legacy for Patrick.

Nadia & I got to talk briefly on Thursday. The parallels of the journey to truth, or lack thereof, are significant. What amazed me was that both of us had information that the Army had no clue about. Much more so in Nadia's case, but just the same, the Army learned details from me, too. Yes, the families talk and so do the soldiers.

Thursday was also the 2 year anniversary for my friends in Massachusetts, the Lucey family. Lcpl Jeffrey Lucey had returned from Iraq 9 months prior. He couldn't deal with his new life and he killed himself. His father found him that afternoon.

I'm so sorry.

Sgt Patrick McCaffrey- Rest In Peace

We find out today that my friend, Nadia's only child Sgt Patrick McCaffrey was not killed the way the Army told her 2 years ago. It's deja vu all over again. (the photo of Patrick was taken 45 minutes before he was killed)

Nadia called me on Monday night to tell me that the Army was coming to see her on Wednesday. They wanted to come on Thursday, but that will be the 2nd anniversary of Patrick's death. Were they being inconsiderate when they wanted to meet on Thursday or were they just plain stupid? These kinds of anniversaries are a stab in the heart for Gold Star Families for a very long time before and after that day.

Probe finds Iraqi troops killed 2 American soldiers

Two California soldiers shot to death in Iraq in 2004 were murdered by Iraqi civil-defense officers patrolling with them, military investigators have found.
The deaths of Army Spc. Patrick R. McCaffrey Sr., 34, of Tracy and 1st Lt. Andre D. Tyson*, 33, of Riverside were originally attributed to an ambush during a patrol near Balad, Iraq, on June 22, 2004.
But the Army's Criminal Investigation Division concluded there was foul play after probing the circumstances for several months.
The investigators found that one or more of the Iraqis attached to the American soldiers on patrol fired at them, a military official said Tuesday. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the military did not plan to release the report until Wednesday.

There is alot more wrong about this than might seem evident. Nadia & I are very good friends. We talk several times a week, often several times a day. She stood with me when I found out that the circumstances of my son's death were not what they told me 15 months prior. I will stand with her as she goes through this continuing nightmare. (the photo is Nadia & me at Arlington West in Santa Barbara)

Nadia has been suspicious for a long time and has been trying to find her way through the military bureaucracy to have someone tell her the truth. When Patrick's unit came home, his fellow soldiers told her stories that did not match what the Army had told her. When she read the autopsy report, she was suspicious, and when she viewed the autopsy photographs, she remained suspicious. There were different caliber bullets and there were more wounds than she was told.

When is the Army going to understand that families want to know the truth at the earliest time? In this day and age, information cannot and will not remain hidden for long. Those terrible secrets from the battlefield will come into the homefront and then there will be more explaining to do.

When the Tillman family was told a different story 5 weeks after the very public memorial service, it was wrong. When I was told a different story 15 months later, it was wrong. Nadia will be finding out the truth the day before the 2 year anniversary of Patrick's death, and that is wrong, too. In all of our cases, the soldiers who had boots on the ground in Iraq knew the truth. This is starting to look like a very ugly pattern of behavior.

The military has to fix this problem about revealing the truth in a timely manner. It seems as if covering up is standard practice and that must change. I told both the Secretary of the Army and the Inspector General of the Army that it is easy enough to change a policy, but it is more difficult to change the culture of the Army. I wish them good luck, but they have no choice, this must be fixed. The staff at the Pentagon must know that when news of a coverup or incompetence is revealed, it is a cold wind that blows in the home of every military family. For Gold Star Families, they wonder if they know the truth about their loved one and if not, how long will it take for them to get this very difficult and different news? For active duty military, they wonder if this is how their family will be treated should something happen to their loved one? There is a lack of confidence in the military and for every one thing they do correctly, this type of revelation, or coverup erases too much hard work and commitment that many members of the military live by. It is easy for us to feel that no one cares about our soldiers.

Imagine for one minute that you have lost a family member in a war. You try to deal with this new normal that your life has become and you try to move on. You start to heal in ways that you don't notice, because it is so subtle. Imagine then that the story of the circumstances of their death was not what you were told. Your heart is ripped open and you immediately move back to the day your world was turned upside down, when you heard about the death the first time. As you listen to the "new" story, you are hearing about the last minutes of your loved one's life. You are trying to listen to the analytical details, the technical side and at the same time, you think to yourself, this is my little boy they are talking about. These are the last minutes of his life. For us, it isn't a "story"; it is our life.

Don't think for a moment that these are the only cases. I know of 2 Army families who were initially told their son's committed suicide in Iraq; they didn't. In both cases no investigation was performed in Iraq. It has to be nearly impossible for a thorough investigation to be held when the evidence is no longer intact and the people of interest are scattered to the wind.

I find the timing of this news interesting, too. How will this play in the media following George's Excellent Adventure to Baghdad last week and the killing of Zarqawi? Things are not going well in Iraq. PERIOD. Two young American soldiers were captured and killed in a very horrendous and public way and now this news of yet another Army coverup. Patrick and Andre were murdered by the very Iraqis that they were training. Is this still continuing? Why are we in Iraq if they don't want us there? Was there a bounty on American soldier's lives as Nadia was told? Why did the Army not respond to Nadia's earlier inquiries? Why indeed? Nadia says she has a list of questions for this meeting on Wednesday. I'll bet she does.

This is all bad, but to me, having someone from the military leak this information to the media before the families are briefed is beyond unconscionable. This is reckless behavior and someone's head should roll.

I was fortunate that the Army played it close to the vest with me. Even though I did not know what the Army was going to tell me, I knew it was going to be bad news. I had called on my Congresswoman Anna Eshoo's office to be by my side during my meetings- my message- don't f**k with Army families, and they didn't. I hope they learned that telling the whole truth, however awful, is really in their best interest. The McCaffrey's and the Tillmans deserve the same; the sooner the better.

When Nadia is told the truth, the whole truth, perhaps Patrick can then rest in peace.

* I do not know the family of Lt Andre Tyson who was also murdered in this ambush. My heart goes out to them, too. I have walked in their shoes.