Truth and Reconciliation?

Protecting baby squirrel,
Doctor is arrested for
shooting and killing hawk.

The pressure seems to be mounting for the Obama Administration to do something about the war crimes of the Bush/Cheney administration. Much of this pressure is now coming from people with enough clout and authority to perhaps make it actually come about. Patrick Leahy, among others, is now suggesting that we need an investigation “to find out what happened.” I think this is silly, given the fact that we already know more or less what happened, and Bush/Cheney have even admitted to war crimes. The other problem with a “Truth Committee” is that such a committee usually means a kind of cover-up so that no real investigation or prosecutions will occur, just a means of putting off any serious action. When Leahy was interviewed by Rachel Maddow, however, he said that the only way one could achieve any immunity was if they agreed to tell the truth, the whole truth, and whatever. If they were found not to tell the truth, or if they refused to talk at all, they would be subject to prosecution. If this is true, such an investigation might actually work. As Pelosi is now on board, saying she would be interested in an investigation, and as Harry Reid has indicated he would provide funds for such a task, and as other highly placed individuals have expressed support, maybe, just maybe, something may come of this. I hope I can live long enough to see justice done. In this case it would surely be deserved.

The outcome of the Israeli elections has not been finalized as yet. It appears that the right wingers are going to win and that “Bibi” Netanyahu may become the Israeli leader. As his views on what should be done are in direct opposition to what the U.S. position has been, this does not augur well for peace in the Middle East. He has announced that he will not consider returning the Golan Heights to Syria, does not want to see a viable Palestinian state, and will continue building Israeli settlements in the West Bank. In other words, if he becomes the next leader of Israel there will be no chance whatsoever of solving the Palestinian/Israeli problem. Jimmy Carter, in his recent book, has outlined a plan for a solution that seems eminently practical and realistic, and has a lot of support in the Middle East. But nothing will come of it as long as Israel remains stubbornly racist, colonial, and greedy for more and more land and water. I repeat once more: there is no viable plan other than a two state solution. If Netanyahu insists on denying this the situation will remain hopeless forever, short of genocide.

Obama has taken his stimulus plan directly to the people with great success, even in states where he lost to McCain. His positives remain very high. But not so the bailout plan presented by Geithner who was lucky to escape volleys of tomatoes and other fruits and vegetables. “Stimulus” seems to be emerging as a positive term, whereas “bailout” has become decidedly negative. I guess there are good reasons for this, thanks again to Bush/Cheney, who just handed out more billions with no strings attached as usual. Bush/Cheney have done far more damage to the U.S. than Osama bin Laden could possibly do even if he lives to be a thousand. And speaking of bin Laden, do we truly know where he is living and what he is doing? I know we keep insisting he is living somewhere in the mountains of Pakistan, close to the Afghan border. But is he really? I would not be surprised to learn he is living in one of the world’s great cities in luxury and laughing out loud every time he hears of airline travelers having to remove their shoes or going without their toothpaste and shampoo. Think of it, one not very bright guy years ago tried to have some kind of half-ass bomb in the heel of his shoe, and ever since a billion or more innocent travelers have had to remove their shoes. He has accomplished what he set out to do – force America to spend itself into oblivion and become a laughingstock among nations. Even if we ever did catch him he will still have won, thanks to Bush/Cheney and their idiotic responses to 9/11.

Even though I am not usually a conspiracy theorist, I am still not completely convinced that bin Laden doesn’t remain a CIA asset, just as he was when the Russians were attempting to take over Afghanistan and he was on our side.

I recently read The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, that, as you probably know, was on the New York Times best seller list several years ago (it takes a while even for best sellers to arrive here in the backwaters of civilization). Actually, that is not true, but I tend to avoid best sellers as I have found most of them not worth reading. Anyway, I read it and found it to be a wonderful book, although sad and depressing. Hosseini is a fine writer and the book represents what I think may be the ultimate in verisimilitude. My wife is watching the movie of it at this very moment. I refuse to watch because I do not wish to become further depressed. If you haven’t read it, you should.

LKBIQ:
It is an illusion that youth is happy, an illusion of those who have lost it; but the young know they are wretched for they are full of the truthless ideal which have been instilled into them, and each time they come in contact with the real, they are bruised and wounded.
W. Somerset Maugham

TILT:
The musky odor from which Musk Ox derive their name is used to attract females during the mating season.