A worried bunch

It looks like the neocons, especially Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld and Rice leading the way, are getting worried about the possibility of being charged with war crimes. Why else would our Attorney General be lurking around the halls of Congress trying to convince our legislators they should change the laws to protect Bush/Cheney and others from being prosecuted for war crimes. There is no doubt they are guilty, no doubt whatsoever. So...the usual Republican solution to the fact they have broken both U.S. and International laws is to try to change the laws. Simple, no? Can they get away with it? Let us hope not. Whereas they might get their sleazy Republican Congressmen and Senators to try to change the U.S. laws they might not have so much luck with the International scene. At the very least this should confine them to base as other countries may well be willing to charge them if they find them on their soil, as is the case with Kissinger.

Senator Kennedy now says that Roberts and Alito deceived us when they were being considered for the Supreme Court. Does this mean he just woke up? Of course they deceived us. Everyone knew at the time they were deceiving us. The Democrats knew this for certain but did little or nothing to keep them from being confirmed. So why whine about it now? Our Democrats have long ago conceded defeat and have all become pretty much useless. Gosh, it's like Kennedy just discovered there is no Santa Claus.

Speaking of deceit, I can't get over CNN news these days. They do things that are somewhat subtle but nonetheless deceiving. Like yesterday, for example, when they announced that Republicans had voted to raise the minimum wage - but neglected to tell us at the same time this was linked to the elimination of the Estate tax. I believe this has to be deliberate. Today, listening to a report from Nick Roberts, when he was talking about the situation in Lebanon, he said something to the effect of Lebanon's "perceived" notion that the U.S. was supporting Israel. To say it is merely perceived is to insinuate that it might not be real. Alas, it is all too real.

Bush was on television today claiming that we "mourn" the loss of life in Lebanon. Do you believe that he mourns? I don't. Remember, this is the governor that sent 152 people to death in Texas with only a cursory examination of each case, and, in fact, mocked one woman who was pleading for her life. This is the same president who eagerly unleashed "shock and awe" on a virtually helpless nation that was no threat to us, has thereby killed and wounded thousands of American troops and probably more than 100,000 innocent Iraqis, and who now has blocked a cease fire in Lebanon so Israelis can go on killing more and more children and other innocents. How can anyone believe he "mourns" for anyone? Personally I doubt he has any conception of mourning.

He now says he wants a "permanent solution" for the Israeli Middle East problem. Perhaps he does. I doubt it. I don't think he cares one way or another if there is ever peace in the Middle East. He has certainly done nothing in almost six years to bring it about. The only way to describe his policy in that part of the world is simply neglect. Whereas the U.S. has always at least pretended to broker peace betweeen Israel and their neighbors, Bush has abandoned any pretense of brokering peace and in fact has committed us to enthusiastic cooperation with the Israeli war criminals. Having rushed more bombs and missiles to Israel in recent days (god forbid they should run out before more innocents are killed) he says at the same time we must send humanitarian aid. His idea of success is the fact that International outrage has finally brought the Israelis to at least stop their genocide for 48 hours (he no doubt credits Rice, the most worthless Secretary of State ever) for this wonderful achievement. Rice, who was told by Lebanon to not even bother to return as there was no point in further talk (or, I gather, more photo-ops so she could continue her incessant smiling while more children die).

Israel is apparently failing miserably in their attempt to crush Hezbollah. Short of killing everyone in Lebanon there seems no way they can "win," whatever winning might mean in such a context. The solution being offered by the U.S. is pretty simple: Hezbollah gives up everything, Israel gives up nothing. Typical. Hezbollah returns the two prisoners, Israel returns no one. Hezbollah disarms, Israel maintains its overwhelming military superiority, etc., etc.,etc. Hezbollah has now demonstrated to everyone that Israel is not invincible. This is going to make a great difference in years to come. Unless Israel literally kills everyone they will eventually have to come to some fair-minded and reasonable settlement with their neighbors, especially the Palestinians and Lebanese.

Somewhere today I saw a Haitian proverb that would seem to be most apt in the case of Israel: "The higher the monkey climbs the more you can see his ass."