Bush De-emphasized Counterterrorism

When the wingers blame President Clinton for Bush's failure to prevent 9/11, you might refer them to this piece by Robert Parry.

"Bush kept drawing distinctions, too, between his presidency and Bill Clinton’s. Bush and his senior advisers continued their hostility toward what they viewed as the old Clinton phobia about terrorism and this little-known group called al-Qaeda.

Tenet’s late August trip to Crawford seeking to underscore the urgency of the terrorist threat may have been viewed in that light, helping to explain why it devolved into a meaningless discussion of the ranch’s “flora and fauna.”

Despite the Sept. 4, 2001, meeting of senior Bush aides to review the counterterrorism initiatives that had been languishing since March, the administration still didn’t seem moved by the urgency of the moment.On Sept. 6, 2001, Defense Secretary Rumsfeld threatened a presidential veto of a proposal by Sen. Carl Levin, D-Michigan, seeking to transfer money from strategic missile defense to counterterrorism."

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General Blasts Bush's Veto

Retired Major General Paul D. Eaton gave Bush a piece of his mind on Bush's refusal to sign the bi-partisan legislation funding our troops.

"Today, in your veto message regarding the bipartisan legislation just passed on Operation Iraqi Freedom, you asserted that you so decided because you listen to your commanders on the ground.

Respectfully, as your former commander on the ground, your administration did not listen to our best advice. In fact, a number of my fellow Generals were forced out of their jobs, because they did not tell you what you wanted to hear -- most notably General Eric Shinseki, whose foresight regarding troop levels was advice you rejected, at our troops' peril."

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Bush Turns His Back on Troops

Democrats offered our troops $100 billion in funding to get them the body armor, ammunition, jet fuel and spare parts they need.

Bush said, "No."

He's turned his back on our troops.

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Iraq Generals to President: You've Failed Us

Bush gets failing marks from two distinguished generals.

"Today, two retired Generals who led troops in Iraq expressed outrage at the President's veto of the U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Health, and Iraq Accountability Act.

The President vetoed our troops and the American people. His stubborn commitment to a failed strategy in Iraq is incomprehensible. He committed our great military to a failed strategy in violation of basic principles of war. His failure to mobilize the nation to defeat world wide Islamic extremism is tragic. We deserve more from our commander-in-chief and his administration. --Maj. Gen. John Batiste, USA, Ret.

This administration and the previously Republican controlled legislature have been the most caustic agents against America's Armed Forces in memory. Less than a year ago, the Republicans imposed great hardship on the Army and Marine Corps by their failure to pass a necessary funding language. This time, the President of the United States is holding our Soldiers hostage to his ego. More than ever apparent, only the Army and the Marine Corps are at war - alone, without their President's support. --Maj. Gen. Paul Eaton, USA, Ret."

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Invasion Helped Iran and Al Qaida

According to former Reagan National Security Advisor, General William Odom, the US had no real interest in invading Iraq.

"The invasion wasn’t in our interests, it was in Iran’s interest, Al Qaida’s interest. Seeing America invade must have made Iranian leaders ecstatic. Iran’s hostility to Saddam was hard to exaggerate.. Iraq is now open to Al Qaida, which it never was before- it’s easier for terrorists to kill Americans there than in the US . . . the US is bogged down in Iraq, pretending a Constitution has been put in place, while the civil war rages, Iran meddles, and Al Qaida swells its ranks with new recruits. The US Army is stretched to the breaking point and the majority of Americans have deep doubts. We have lost our capacity to lead and are in a state of crisis- diplomatic and military."

[...]

“There isn’t anything we can do by staying there longer that will make this come out better. Every day we stay in, it gets worse and the price gets higher.”

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No Incentive for Bush to Work

Bush and the GOP know that the Democrat who comes to office in 2009 will have to implement some very painful measures to begin making up for the Bush train wreck.

So, their thinking probably is, "Hey, let's f*ck things up even MORE while we have the chance! The worse we make things, the more unpopular the next president will be. And since that's going to be a Demcocrat, then, all bets are off. Let's PARTY!!!!!!!"

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Bush Tells the Truth

Bush inadvertently told the truth in a speech before he signed a spending bill.

"Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we."

Some of us wish Bush would STOP thinking of new ways to harm us and our country.