WITH HIS LAUDED "VICTORY" IN AFGHANISTAN LONG SINCE FACED FROM THE SHORT ATTENTION SPAN OF THE U.S. PUBLIC, HE FACED THE PROSPECT OF RUNNING IN AN INCREASINGLY SLUGGISH ECONOMY (OR SO IT WAS PROJECTED AT THE TIME), AND WITH THREE YEARS OF CUMULATIVE GAFFS AND MALAPROPS HAVING MADE MANIFEST HIS INTELLECTUAL INADEQUACIES. BY WRAPPING HIMSELF IN THE FLAG, HE BECAME BULLETPROOF. THERE WOULD BE NO TRUCK WITH CRITICS OF HIS ACTIONS WHO WERE AUTOMATICALLY UNPATRIOTIC AND LOVERS OF TERRORISM (WITNESS THE CONGRESS LINING UP AND GIVING HIM WHATEVER HE WISHED). HE REMEMBERED HIS APPROVAL NUMBERS AFTER AFGHANISTAN: ALL HE NEEDED WAS A WAR! PREFERABLY AGAINST A PRE-MASTICATED MILITARY FORCE WHICH HAD RECENTLY BEEN IRREVOCABLY EVISCERATED? AND WHERE HIS DADDY HAD FAILED TO SEAL THE DEAL? HMMM.

ANOTHER QUESTION RARELY POSED: WHY, AFTER A DOZEN RELATIVELY INNOCUOUS, IF FRUSTRATING, YEARS AFTER GULF WAR I, HAD IT SUDDENLY BECOME SO URGENT TO ENFORCE THE WMD INSPECTIONS? NOT EVEN BUSH'S INTELLIGENCE "CHEFS" COULD AVER THAT SADDAM HAD OPENLY SUPPORTED TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS OR HAD TIES TO THEM, SO WHY THE SUDDEN RUSH TO WAR TO, PURPORTEDLY, PREVENT SADDAM FROM SUDDENLY DISTRIBUTING THEM TO TERRORISTS? WHY? 'CUZ HE HAD TO GET RE-ELECTED!!!!

WHAT REALLY SUPPORTS CRIMINAL CHARGES, IF NOT CONSTITUTIONAL CHARGES OF TREASON, AGAINST BUSH ET AL. IS THAT HIS HEADLONG RUSH COST US MANY AMERICAN LIVES AND ASSURED A PROTRACTED OCCUPATAION. HE IGNORED ABOUT FIVE GENERALS UNTIL HE FOUND ONE WHO COULD DO IT ON THE QUICK AND CHEAP. EVERYONE HAD TOLD BUSH THAT HE HAD TO WIN THE PEACE MOST IMPORTANTLY, WHICH WOULD REQUIRE A PROHIBITIVE OUTLAY OF MONEY AND TIME (!!) SINCE THE MUCH HIGHER TROOP CONCENTRATIONS NEEDED TO STABILIZE THE COUNTRY IMMEDIATELY POST-BELLUM, WOULD ALSO NECESSITATE A COMMENSURATELY GREATER RUN-UP AND STAGING. HE WANTED TO STEP INTO THE RING WELL AND HAVE HIS ARM RAISED TRIUMPHANTLY WELL BEFORE THE UPCOMING ELECTION. AS RICK SAID TO UGARTE IN CASABLANCA: "I DON'T MIND A PARASITE. I OBJECT TO A CUT-RATE ONE."

TO BE FAIR, CAN WE ALL CONFESS THAT, PRE=WAR, WE ALL SUPPOSED THAT SADDAM, MEGALOMANIACAL ADOLESCENT THAT HE WAS, HAD INDEED RETAINED AT LEAST SOME OF HIS PREVIOUSLY DEPLOYED WMD, GAS, ETC. AFTER ALL, BOYS WITH THEIR TOYS RIGHT? WHAT I DON'T GET (AND AGAIN, I'VE HEARD LITTLE DISCUSSIONN ON THIS POINT) IS WHY DIDN'T SADDAM, KNOWING HE NO LONGER HAD THE WMD'S ALLEGED BY BUSH, JUST LET ALL THE INTERNATIONAL INSPECTORS IN AT THE LAST MINUTE, WITHOUT RESTRICTION. HE WOULD HAVE ACHIEVED THE FOLLOWING: 1) EXPOSED THE US INTELLIGENCE SERVICE AS UNRELIABLE WRITERS OF RANK FICTION, PERMANENTLY TAINTING THEIR CREDIBILITY AND SUPPORTING ANTI-ARAB ACCUSATIONS; 2) CAUSED UNTOLD EXPENSE IN STAGING FOR THE WAR; 3) M HE WOULD HAVE HAD HIS COUNTRY BACK UNFETTERED BY U.N. RESOLUTIONS AND INSPECTORS, NO NO-FLY ZONES AND ALL HIS OIL PRODUCTION RESTORED TO HIM; AND, MOST IMPORTANTLY GIVEN SADDAM'S EGOTISTICAL BENT 4) HE WOULD HAVE IMMEDIATELY BECOME THE IDOL OF THE MUSLIM WORLD. THE DAVID TO OUR GOLIATH. WHAT WAS HE THINKING? HE MUST HAVE KNOWN HE AND HIS REGIME AND FAMILY WOULD BE ANNIHILATED. ADD IDIOT TO HIS LITANY OF CHARACTER AND MORAL DEFECTS.

ANYBODY ELSE OUT THERE THAT HAVE WONDERED ABOUT ANY OF THIS?

JACK RONNER

Vincent, I agree with everything you write and I have only just started reading your book. The Clinton debacle etc.

I agree so wholeheartedly with your statement about Limbaugh “an uncommonly loathsome individual”.

But, I am extremely worried that that loathsome individual is still given credence.

I am also extremely concerned that more troops are being sent to Afghanistan.

I am also extremely terrified of the dangerous right wing Republican party that continues to have so much power in this nation and is supported by almost half the people in this nation. I keep waiting to hear something come from the Republicans mouths that doesn’t fill my heart with fear.