Why I Need a Hug

It could be that I haven't slept a lot and that usually makes my body temperature seem a degree or two warmer. It could be that I have been away from home since October of last year working on a project but since I ain't in Iraq, I will STFU on that one. However, I believe that it is a disconnect from what I see/believe and what those who "represent me" are saying.

From the front page Politics of Fear Part III via LATimes:

If the politics of the war do not change, Republicans fear ...

I know the answer. Republicans fear that more American lives will be lost? Annnhhhh. Wrong answer.

Republicans fear that a concerted effort will not be made on behalf of Congress and the President to rally the Iraqi governmental factions toward unity, governance and decrease in violence? Annnnnnh. Wrong answer. Death of more Iraqi children? Not even close.

If the politics of the war do not change, Republicans fear, their hope of regaining control of Congress in 2008 will not be realized.

Damn the limbs of the fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters of the constituents in your district or any other American. Damn the lives.

"Do we hope Iraq is not an issue by election day? Sure," said Rebecca Fisher, spokeswoman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

Damn the limbs of the fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters of the constituents in your district or any other American. Damn the lives.

Then I listen to the president go on and on about Al-Qaeda. Right as the tide has turned on Iraq, press conference: Al-Qaeda, the same people as 9/11, if Iraq becomes a failed state, they will pursue us over here, 9/11, Al-Qaeda and in conclusion Al-Qaeda.

But didn't LCJohnson in Deep Shiite, We've Driven Off the Cliff refer to a WaPo article entitled Mahdi Army, Not Al-Qaeda, is Enemy No. 1 in Western Baghdad?

The ethnic cleansing of Baghdad is well advanced and the United States does not have the military force in place to alter the course of these events without engaging in a full scale war against the militias of Moqtada al Sadr and Abdul Aziz al-Hakim.

The WaPo article says of one area in western Baghdad:

U.S. soldiers estimate that a year ago, Sunnis made up about 80 percent of the population there and Shiites 20 percent. But those numbers have now reversed, after a concerted effort to cleanse Sunnis from the area, according to U.S. military officials.

And did not Juan Cole via CNN inform that of the 19,000 multinational force detainees, that only a small amount were foreign fighters? Where is that Al-Qaeda you keep scaring us with and convincing the hangers-on, like last night's lurker, is the reason WE CAN'T LEAVE?

Of course, some entities are doing pretty good in Iraq [also from Juan Cole]:

Government auditors discovered something odd last year when they reviewed KBR Inc.'s annual cost estimate to provide support services for U.S. troops in Iraq. The contractor proposed charging $110 million for housing, food, water, laundry and other services on bases that had been shut down.

By far the largest government contractor in Iraq, KBR has been paid more than $20.1 billion through last October...

Let us not forget their overcharging our troops 212M for meals, the millions overcharged for transport, etc. Let us mess up a tax return and see if the IRS is as understanding.

Meanwhile, we are ramping up the strike Iran rhetoric? Are you kidding me? Are you f***ing kidding me?

The Guardian

The White House claims that Iran, whose influence in the Middle East has increased significantly over the last six years, is intent on building a nuclear weapon and is arming insurgents in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The vice-president, Dick Cheney, has long favoured upping the threat of military action against Iran.

This from the people who swore, who swore to America that they KNEW beyond a shadow of a doubt, that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction. Swore so hard that last night's lurker would vote for the president again.

This all came to a head with me while watching Graham and Webb on MTP.  I wanted so badly for Webb to ask how is a soldier getting 1 to 1 leave time a political issue? As Graham continued with "let 'em win" and "the largest signing of recruits tells us" blah, blah, blah, I wanted Webb to stand up and knock his f***ing block off.

And that is why, I, need a hug.