John Adams, Dick Cheney and the war
I have been watching the HBO series about John Adams based upon the book by David McCullough. I wonder what he would have to say about our present "leaders"
"Great is the guilt of an unnecessary war." -- John Adams
In the alternative universe that I share with two-thirds of Americans I had my sensibilities assailed by the VEEP's comments in an interview with Martha Raddatz on ABC. I am not including the video clip which captures Cheney's "concern" about our opinion because it has a negative affect on my health. The complete transcript of the interview may be found on http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/03/20080319-5.html. This is just the segment that makes us crazy.
Q Two-thirds of Americans say it was not worth fighting.
THE VICE PRESIDENT: They ought to go spend time, like you and I have, Martha. You know what's been happening in Iraq. You've been there as much as anybody. There has, in fact, been fundamental change and transformation, and improvement for the better. I think even you would admit that.
Q Let me go back to the Americans. Two-thirds of Americans say it's not worth fighting, and they're looking at the value gain versus the cost in American lives, certainly, and Iraqi lives.
THE VICE PRESIDENT: So?
Q So -- you don't care what the American people think?
THE VICE PRESIDENT: No, I think you cannot be blown off course by the fluctuations in the public opinion polls. Think about what would have happened if Abraham Lincoln had paid attention to polls, if they had had polls during the Civil War. He never would have succeeded if he hadn't had a clear objective, a vision for where he wanted to go, and he was willing to withstand the slings and arrows of the political wars in order to get there. And this President has been very courageous, very consistent, very determined to continue down the course we were on and to achieve our objective. And that's victory in Iraq, that's the establishment of a democracy where there's never been a democracy, it's the establishment of a regime that respects the rights and liberties of their people, as an ally for the United States in the war against terror, and as a positive force for change in the Middle East. That's a huge accomplishment.
GW Bush as a Lincoln? Interesting idea
Cheney spent Wednesday, the 5th anniversary of the war, not mourning the dead, but fishing off the Sultan of Oman's royal yacht. So?
How is the war going?
In death and suffering:
In dollars and lost resources for our citizens
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