As with much of the nation, I have been distracted with the lead up to, the questioning of and the follow-up to, the Petraeus regurgitation of Bush’s plan. While this drages on, we are being distracted from the important issues facing us. Here are some thoughts that finally started breaking through this fabricated fog.
As a recent interview of Tony Snow came to its end, I was reminded of the arrogance of the current unchecked Executive branch of our damaged government. This lead me to wonder what contributes to this arrogance. The main element that came to mind was that these people are in a position to know more about national issues. But then I thought, “knowing more doesn’t mean knowing better.” Knowledge can easily be used intelligently or politically. It can be used for lowering us to a standard set by others or maintaining a high standard set by Americans who came before us.
Petraeus may have written his statement to Congress, but he also knows what is expected of him by his boss, the Commander-In-Chief. Petraeus fits in well with our authoritarian Executive. He is submissive to authority – a requirement for his current job or any job that reports to GWB or his team of social dominators. He was aggressive on behalf of authority as he avoided answers to few serious questions from those in Congress who oppose the President’s Iraq plan. He did so by talking over several Congressman as they tried to get an answer to their question. He is obviously respectful of those with power over him, his chain of command. He worked very hard not to make his boss look bad.
We’ve not only got a lame duck President, we have a lame duck Congress. Add to this the dysfunctional Justice Department and the President still wins. The only option left for Congress is impeachment – it’s veto proof.
If the holder of the highest office of the land, or his appointees, break the law, how can we not prosecute them and then not expect their example to be replicated by others in a position of power. Where will we end up without checks and balances of anyone who abuses the power they have over others?
Mr. Petraeus has supremely executed his lead role in this week’s well planned and finely tuned pro-war extravaganza. And it just happened to occur during the remembrance of our losses from the downing of New York’s World Trade Center six years ago. Coincidence – I doubt it. I think the Administration is far better at political planning than it is at planning a war and its aftermath.
I have no doubt that our well-trained voluntary military can and will succeed in what any President directs them to do. However, when our military is thrown into a much larger morass that is mostly political and requires the cooperation of different religious sects that have battled each other for centuries, I don’t see how we, the military player in Iraq, can be held responsible for the failure or success of nation building. We have a role, but it is wasted if we don’t recognize the difference between fighting those who attacked us six years ago and providing security for those who can’t provide their own security or figure out how to share their nation’s resources.
If you agree that our presence in Iraq is hampering the willingness of the Iraqi government to take control of Iraq, then have you considered whether this could be the Administration’s goal. As long as the Iraqi government is dysfunctional, business friends of the Administration can take advantage of Iraq.
If codependency makes sense in a relationship, then we should stay in Iraq indefinitely.
I agree. It is not a coincidence that we have not been attacked in the last six years while we have been battling various angry individuals in Iraq. But it’s not because we are “killing them over there.” We haven’t been attacked here because these individuals have been too busy taking advantage of our five star Iraq training program. As long as they are busy with homework and real-time practice there, they don’t have time to attack us here. But what happens when our training is done? Will we only come to regret the Iraq invasion later as the results of our efforts are again used against us?
Highly successful organizations owe their success to effective leaders and a focused group of followers. When the effectiveness and productivity of critical high-level leaders show telling signs of dropping off and there are fewer successes, it’s time for the leader to take a break – like Karl Rove has. He needs to get away, relax and recuperate. After that, he will review, regroup and return, with a vengeance, to where he left off. After all, he has a purpose to fulfill and his followers, “the masses,” will have become desperate, disoriented and disorganized waiting for the return of their wunderkind.
So, when Karl returns, he will have a revised plan to secure a permanent fix for the future of the concerned masses. A future where, as a minority, the masses are finally secure and in total control of our nation. Can you image Karl Rove as our Vice President?
So, don’t let near term side shows distract you from what is lurking out of sight.
Andy Hailey