In case you wanted to be furious...

They have run out of Purple Hearts to give to injured soldiers.

I'm really not kidding. But I am dreaming, right? The world can't be this ironic. This administration can't be that baldly inept, can it?

Not only can they not get out of Iraq, they can't give a dinky medal to the people who are getting blown up as a result of their awfulness. Makes me sick.

Iraq Happenings

So Maliki says we can leave. Let's recap shall we? No WMDs, Saddam is dead, they have a government (or they will again in September, ha), American soldiers have been killed by Iraqi soldiers we trained and armed, and now the Prime Minister says we can mosey on out and they'll be just fine. Oh yeah, and the war is less popular at home than Vietnam. So... do I really need to ask once again why we're there?

I feel like Bush says, "we'll leave when we reach the end zone," and then every time we get to the 5-yard line he just has someone come by and paint a big zero next to it and we're back at midfield again.

Here's a little bonus link just in case you weren't furious enough today. Apparently the Pentagon refused to buy vehicles that could withstand mines, and the decision cost an estimated 621 Americans their lives. Where the hell is that 12 billion a month going, anyway?

Olbermann Strikes Again!

Once again, Keith Olbermann has a ginormous (look that word up in Webster's this fall as it's been added as a new word) balls as he calls out our President for a second time. If you missed it the first time, please feel free to check it out here. I will leave Keith to do the talking as this rant has only one man (well one administration, but Mr. Bush is certainly the central target) on his mind and he does not approve of the actions (most recently the pardon of Mr. Libby, and for our reader out there who is short on memory, I wrote up on the possible pardon of Libby here) of this administration or our President so much that the most appropriate action for the sake of this nation, with so much damage that has been done in during this presidency, is for the el Presidente and Vice el Presidente to resign and spare this republic for which it stands from any more harm. I couldn't agree more.



P.S. Major bonus points for Keith as he embraces Stain Club by using "stain" not once, not twice, but thrice within the first two and a half minutes.

Some Iraq Stuff

It's been a long time since I've posted about Iraq, but my colleague wrote a very moving post about it just the other day.

Since it has been so long, here are a few things. First, a soldier who is fighting his fifth tour of duty. Besides the whole danger of death thing, he'll probably lose his house and have all sorts of job trouble if he goes. Can't get enough of that old compassionate conservatism.

Although, I must say I do think five is a good number, because it's the maximum number of times you can play Russian roulette on the same spin without definitely dying, so I say send em back Georgie. Who cares that you couldn't even be bothered with one tour in Vietnam. Also, five just happens to be the exact number of deferments that Dark Side Dick Cheney received. How appropriate.

Second, our reader will know that I'm always looking for fun new metaphors for the war, and I read this one today. I think it sums up this moron's tactics perfectly:

Bush is like a superintendent with a large toolbox containing only a hammer. When he fails to solve a problem that cannot be fixed with a hammer, he either demands to know how anybody could suggest it's not the finest hammer ever manufactured, or he tries to obscure the view so only the nails are visible.

Let's put out a fire with gasoline. If that doesn't work, it's either faulty gasoline or it's a fire that only burns things in a good way.

Following up

It's been a couple of days now and I figured I would post a follow up about Tony. I imagine most of my hometown has heard about it at this point and the news coverage is starting to roll in. Growing up in a small town you really get a sense of how connected you are with people, even if you don't count them among your close friends. I only hope I don't have another reason to write about this in the future.

Days Gone By

There's been a real summer lull here at the Stain Club. All of our usual topics are floundering (phloundering in the Phillies case) and in July, most everyone is more worried about staying out of the oppressive summer heat. One topic that has been particularly neglected is the War in Iraq.

I always shied away from the discussion for a lot of reasons, first and foremost though, was that it's much easier to crack jokes about baseball and comic books than it is to grapple with life and death. Like many Americans, I don't subscribe to S.Q.'s laudable rule that "not a day goes by" for him without his thoughts turning to Iraq. Despite reading the paper everyday, the news often goes in one ear and out the other. I don't think I'm alone when I say that. Pundits and politicians inundate us with opinions, often largely unfounded, disguised as fact. They offer us prediction after prediction about a war that has already defied countless predictions. Slowly but surely, the deluge chipped away at my will to care. Every scrap of ignorance I could find was bliss. Every day that went by was another that I could try forget how 100 turned into 1000 and kept climbing.

Before the war began, I was against it. Everything I heard or read screamed poor management. The reasons for war were sketchy at best, and anyone who questioned the war could look forward to having their love of America questioned. Sensing its inevitability, I clung to a small silver lining; Saddam Hussein was a tyrannical dictator, and the world would be better without him.

It was a small consolation at the time, and it has diminished considerably over the past 4+ years. Worst of all, as the war drags on, I only become more torn about whether we should stay.

Armed with hindsight, most of America believes we never should have gone. And we are rightfully weary of the empty promises claiming that the insurgency is in its last throes. It has become nearly impossible to believe the "Surge" is any different. I am terrified that in September, General Petraeus will testify before Congress and outline a new plan for a "Thrust." However, no one seems able to credibly answer the question of what will happen when we leave.

With the changing political climates, a major withdrawal seems increasingly likely. Despite the changing political winds, I am still deeply skeptical of the vague solutions delivered by opportunistic politicians. Although getting our troops home safe would be an amazing relief for countless families across the country, I cannot stop wondering what will happen to the Iraqis. If history is any guide, the war will not end when we withdraw. And if the plans for a major redeployment in March 2008 go through, I will be exactly where I was 5 years before... Desperately hoping I am wrong.

Right now it's 11:50pm, and until an hour ago, I had not thought about the war. I was busy dreading another mindless day at the office when a friend from high school called to tell me a friend we both knew died in Iraq.

I was stunned. I think I still am. People from my hometown don't die. They just fade away when you move out and get on with your life. I hadn't seen or, in all honesty, thought about Tony in a few years. But we hung out in high school occasionally and he was a nice guy who I considered a friend.

I wish I had something poignant to end with, but I don't. My thoughts keep turning to how little I appreciated the luxury of having days go by without thinking about the war. Intellectually, I knew all the details, but deep down it was something happening somewhere far away to someone else. Perhaps tomorrow I will have something clearer to say, but I'll wrap up with the most important point.

Tony was not someone else.

6.27 Political Link Dump

A little more specialized today as I found these links/videos most interesting

--Ann Coulter Getting Owned By Mrs. John Edwards

--Our President Making Various Cameos on Family Guy

--O'Reilly Getting Owned by...a High School Student (Bonus Points for using a quote from O'Reilly's book against him)

--Part II in the Four Part Series that Plumpy posted on earlier today

--Not only is Bush's Approval Ranking tanking in America, but around the world as well (Shocking, isn't it?)

Supporting the Troops, Sorta

Here's a little something to sicken you to your stomach, just in case the Phillies rout last night has you feeling great today. Here's the most telling quote:

Jason Pepper applied for a program called the Specially Adapted Housing grant, which offers vets up to $50,000 to make their homes handicapped-accessible. But the VA representative handling his case told him he qualified for just $10,000 for his blindness.

Pepper recalls their conversation: "She's like, 'What's the amputation?' And I'm like, 'Well, it's my index finger.' And she's like, 'Well, that doesn't help at all. If you were to lose your arm from the elbow up, or if you were to lose a leg, then you'd qualify for the $50,000.' So, you know, I fired back with 'Well, haven't I lost enough?'"

Remember what it felt like to be flush with pride and patriotism? Why does that seem like a nice dream I had a few years ago that's getting tougher to remember with the sorry events of every passing day?

Oh, and Dick Cheney, the Vice President of the United States of America (remember how honorable that title used to be?), hates everything we're supposed to stand for, BTW. Have a fun day.

Not A Day Went By, I Promise

It's been a mighty long time since I've posted here at my beloved stain club, and I'm sure my reader has been upset. I can promise, however, that not a day went by when I didn't at least think for a moment about this horrendous war.

Speaking of horrendous things, this guy's injuries make him the war's most wounded soldier. I don't even have anything to say, except that it makes me feel incredibly blessed to be a recent college graduate with my whole life wide open ahead of me, while this guy, who's younger than me, will have an incredibly tough time forever. He's inspiring though, that's for sure.

Rally Against Iraq

As many of our loyal readers may have noticed, Hagglepuss has been abstaining from his “Not a Day Goes By” posts. Even though he hasn’t been posting, I am sure he has been still thinking about the continuing snafu that is known as the Iraq War. Furthermore, I think he would especially appreciate this site called Iraq Moratorium.

Using the Vietnam Moratorium of 1969 as its inspiration, these leaders of this project (they note specifically that it is not an organization) desire to inspire those who are against the war to take some sort of organized action, no matter how small, that will stand as a testament to their anti-war stance on every third Friday of the month, beginning on September 21. The website has some good suggestions for action, such as wearing black armbands and/or ribbons, or not purchasing gasoline.

We here at Stain Club have clearly made our stance on the war clear ever since this blog was introduced, and this is another way to support that very stance. I will post a link to this site under “Time Killers” as this post will eventually be knocked down the blog as my fellow Stain Clubbers add their posts. So spread the word about this project to all those who feel the same way about the war because if we can organize and show our strength in numbers, maybe we can get our troops home sooner rather than later.

Top Ten in the Polls

Apparently, two of the countries that we are occupying, namely Iraq and Afghanistan, have ranked in the Top Ten of Failed States in the world. The article notes that pouring funds into such countries is worthless as they are not stable in terms of government and leadership. Iraq currently ranks at number 2 while Afganistan is at number 8.

And our government and president continue to believe that there is hope for this country as long as we keep sending troops and funds over yonder. A brilliant, brilliant deduction from our Bu$hleaguer in office.

Plamegate Comes Full Circle

“Scooter” Libby’s jail sentencing could determine how much the American public finds out about President Bush’s manipulation of the facts concerning Iraq’s pursuit of Uranium, which were pivotal in the justification for the current war in Iraq. According to this article, if the presiding U.S. District Judge, Reggie Walton, decides for an immediate sentence, it may result in Libby blowing the whistle on the roles of Bush and Vice President Darth Cheney in Plamegate so that he could obtain a more lenient sentence. What was the the end result of this situation called Plamegate back in 2003? Answer: the essential silencing of Iraq war critic Joseph Wilson, who, at the time, was discrediting the White House for its Iraq-Uranium intelligence as evidence for war.

How does Valerie Plame, the center piece of Plamegate, fit into this entire equation? Well, she’s a covert CIA officer, who just so happens to be the husband of (drumroll…) Mr. Joseph Wilson. Please…Discuss.

Humorous parallel

Apparently the Red Cross is taking the opposite of the anti-war rallying cry "No Blood for Oil" a bit literally these days. And, of all places, in Philadelphia. I'm glad to see the Red Cross is tacitly, and hilariously, supporting our foreign policy.

From Baghdad, A Soldier's View

I found this post by an actual solider over in Iraq. He expresses an opinion that the majority of America shares: Why are we in Iraq when the people do not want our help? What rings true to me the most is the soldier, Private Donald C. Hudson, Jr., directly attacking Bush's adamant policy of remaining in Iraq:

Why does our president's personal agenda consume him so much, that he can not pay attention to what is really going on here?

I feel sorry for this man because so many Americans are asking the exact same questions and raising the issues concerning the futility in Iraq, and yet we remain because if we leave the "terrorists will be emboldened" and this Bu$hleaguer in office will lose control of his military industrial complex that is running the economy.

Bring our troops home already! Why? Because all the government is doing now is endangering the lives of so many faithful, courageous Americans, who saw that it was their duty to protect this country from a forgein threat.

Looking to the Future

Considering most of us here at Stain Club recently graduated in the past few weeks (Plumpy had the balls to make the jump to the real world a whole year earlier), I came across this fictional graduation speech that Tom Engelhardt posted on his website a mere day after that I actually graduated. It is an impressive speech to say the least because of its bluntness about affairs concerning not only the United States, but the world at large.

Unlike my speaker, who was a long-winded lawyer (is there any other kind?) and prattled on and slightly boasted about her accomplishments (shocking!), Engelhardt doesn’t pussy-foot around the serious issues such as global warming, over-population, and the war in Iraq. But what impresses me most about this speech are these two sentences towards the end of the speech:

We failed you. I believe that and I don't even know exactly how.

I admire this kind of responsibility. I have always been one to admit to my wrong doings and mistakes, and this kind of admission needs to be applauded. Engelhardt recognizes the fact that the problems that are currently plaguing America and most of the world have come from the previous generation.

My father consistently bitches about the government’s tax system and how I need to eventually change it. Admittedly, this is mostly kitchen small talk, but it is a topic that has come up a lot these past few years. I have turned to my father and said several times, “Why can’t you do something while there’s still time?” His answer is usually this: “Because I’m too old now.” My father is turning 60 on Thursday, and I can see his point, but this story alludes to the previous point that Engelhardt was getting at: the problems of the previous generation are being passed to my generation, and there are many, and he refers to these as

a terrible burden that my generation of parents should never, never have loaded on your shoulders.

Such a statement is enough to make your jaw drop, especially if this were an actual graduation speech, which usually touches upon the subjects such as looking to the future as a land of dreams and hope that can be molded the way you want or giving pearls of wisdom that graduates should live by as they enter the real world. Engelhardt gives these pearls (the second idea he explains is pretty thin to me, as is the third, but he is able to clarify them in the paragraphs that follow them which is more important), and he turns this potential hell-hole of world into a land of potential. He refers to a time near 1000 AD where peasants anticipating the end of the world built coffins for themselves and laid in them while awaiting their doom. The world that we graduates have inherited can be seen as a coffin to lie in. Global warming, an incompetent presidency and government, a senseless war in Iraq (and possible one with Iran) are the planks that make up this coffin.

To lie down in this coffin would be an act of submission and would indicate a lack of faith in the future of the world. I do not want to lie down in this coffin as much as anyone else would want to. I want to make sure that this world is a safe place to live in when I think it is time to start a family. I realize that I can’t shape or change the world immediately, but it is heartening to hear Engelhardt spell out the fact that, in the words of William Joel, we didn’t start the fire. And now, I hope some how, some way down the road that we can put it out. Maybe this blog is a start.

Instilling Freedom By Not Practicing It

Fuck This. What country are we in?

Keith Olbermann Has Huge Balls

This video, in that of itself, may make up for the lack of "Not a Day Goes By" posts over the past few days. Keith lays the smackdown on not only Bush, but the spineless Democrats who, despite public support, could not garner any sort of support to override Bush's veto to set a time-table for troop withdrawal. That's mostly an overview of what he says, but trust me, you want to hear what he has to say. If you want a transcript of his "Special Comment," you can find it here.

And while we're on troop withdrawals, here's another instance of Dick Cheyney eating his own words from two years back by asseting that the war in Iraq is coming to a close and that the troops would be home by the end of his administration (we're to assume that this is also Cheyney's administration). The most horrendous fact of all is the number of American soldier deaths, which has surpassed the casualty numbers of the Spanish-American War and the War of 1812. Will we surpass the American Revolution? God I hope not.

Terrible Presidents

This is usually S.Q.'s business, but I thought I'd contribute a Not a Day Goes By given his lacking internet access these days. I got into a discussion last night about terrible presidents. I mentioned my dislike of Reagan, not a popular decision with a lot of Republicans at the table. Carter's name came up. Clinton was mentioned once, something I can't get behind as I thought he was a fantastic president.

However, the point of interest is that there was absolutely ZERO argument that Bush Jr. is a terrible president, and few argued that there was a worse one (although Nixon was mentioned). Outrageous.

Democrats Forget About Recently Recovered Balls, Pathetically Capitulate

There's absolutely no excuse for letting Bush beat you like this when 70% of the country is behind you and dozens are dying every day. What fools. What weak, pathetic fools.

Humpty Dumptistan

I can't seem to find the link, but recently I saw someone compare Iraq to Humpty Dumpty, which is a great addition to the numerous fun metaphors and nicknames I compiled here. Of course, it's tough for all the king's horses and all the king's men to put Humpty Dumpty back together again when they're busy alternately proclaiming that he hasn't actually had a great fall and complaining that they need more horses and more men to fix him. Meanwhile Humpty's been smashed to pieces under their well-meaning hooves and feet.

On another note, I'm going on a trip until early June, so "Not A Day Goes By" will most likely refer to how often I think about the war, rather than how often I post a stain about it. I'm going to try to keep it up, but I'm not sure about internet access. I want to assure you, my loyal readers (there are dozens of you, dozens!), that my fellow Stains will fill in to the best of their ability, and I'll be back pretty soon.