Iraq - Three Wars Too Many

"He who is the author of a war lets loose the whole contagion of hell and opens a vein that bleeds a nation to death." Thomas Paine

I can't stand it. The 5-year anniversary of 9/11 came and went ... as a media event. And its outgrowth--the war in Iraq--continues unchecked and largely unnoticed by the American public.

The 9/11 families live with the tragedy and loss 24/7, 365. The country lives with the memories and the threat it could happen again. The soldiers in Iraq live in constant fear and continue to die virtually unrecognized, except by their families and friends.

Our president and his posse--who should have to live with their own monstrous guilt--instead used the 9/11 anniversary as a cynical opportunity to shore up their evil agenda, promote the war and undermine its detractors.

Who are these people? What happened to their souls? Why have we given them so much control over our destiny? Where is the uprising of protest against them, their overwhelming failures and their dirty stinking war?

If you ask me, the real "godless infidels" are George Bush, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Condoleezza Rice and all who support them.

They are responsible for not one, but three distinct wars in Iraq.

The Political War
The self-serving lies through which our president and his minions tricked this country into war with bogus claims that Iraq had Weapons of Mass Destruction and was responsible for 9/11.

The Bush administration's blatant pandering to greedy corporate cronies, funneling obscene amounts of money into their coffers and thus into the campaign chests of Republican candidates.

A personal Bush family vendetta against Sadaam Hussain.

The president's continuing arrogant claims of victory and "stay the course" ... not only to deny personal responsibility, but to help keep Republicans in Congress.

The Military War
The outrageous lack of readiness as America's vast Military Industrial Complex sent soldiers into battle woefully unequipped and unprotected. Local communities hold bake sales to buy body armor for their soldiers ... while the fat cats in the White House and at Haliburton sit on $1200 toilet seats smoking $800 cigars.

Reservists promised one or possibly two tours, called up a third and fourth time--many to die as their luck ran out--because the military doesn't have the volunteer manpower to support this endless conflict.

Soldiers killed by friendly fire, which the Pentagon covers up. Then releases piecemeal with the lamest possible excuse: an inevitable consequence of war.

Retired military generals, heroes, strategists and former officials reversing their positions on the war and publicly calling for a pullout, only to be bullied, fired or defamed as unpatriotic for acknowledging this egregious error and facing reality.

The Personal War
The greatest tragedy of all--the loss of thousands of lives--for personal, political and military gain. And the irreparable damage done to thousands of families as they struggle to cope with staggering loss.

It just doesn't get any more personal than this Carrying the Weight of Iraq.

When will we see a united public outcry to leave the wars in Iraq?

I can't stand it.