I have not yet explicitly made this point: I am violently opposed to the U.S. taking any military actions against Iran. I am opposed as a patriot - U.S. efforts to impact world geo-politics has been impotent for some time now. Yet the dogs of war are in full heat, trying to stir up the cauldron of war fever with mega-doses of nationalism, racism and propaganda.
I am opposed as a pragmatist. Unless the U.S. chooses to go to invade with countries like Grenada, we will LOSE, which means leave with our tails tucked between our legs, like bullies who beat up on the retarded kid and then have to answer to the retarded kid's midget mob hit man brother.
Does this opinion mean I disrespect the troops? Hardly. I am simply weary of sending them into the meat grinder of wars of choice, from which the rich emerge ever richer. Examples? How about Korea, Viet Nam, Mogadishu (oh, wait, Ronny tuck tailed and ran), Iraq (the present go around). Get a clue, U.S. policy makers. The history of the 20th century is writ large with the stories of how the colonies have tossed out their former masters. Think India, think the Soviet Republics, think Algiers, think the Belgian Congo, think South Africa, think Chiappas Mexico.
The Viet Cong fought us with spears, rocks, and single shot rifles. "Oh," I was told, "Viet Nam was a jungle war. A war in the desert is different. The enemy has no place to hide." (Unlike those cheatin' commies in Nam, who wouldn't even fight us a "fair" fight, I suppose. Those godless commies even stole the plays out of our own nation's insurgents' tactics book. Let the Brits march through the forests in their fine red coats, and their oh so straight lines. Shoot 'em down and dead from behind the cover of trees and rocks. "Not fair," cried the Brits. "What kind of war-waging is this?")
I am opposed to waging war on Iran as a fiscal conservative. Wars cost money. The gasoline to move the forces is expensive. The cost of ordnance is expensive. The cost of replacement equipment is expensive. The cost of medical care for the wounded is expensive. The cost to replace the career soldiers / sailors / airmen is REAL expensive. The time to train them is long.
I am opposed to waging war on Iran as a human being who has learned maybe only one thing from my readings on war, and wars. That the face of war looks like a baboon's buttocks. It is that ugly, revolting color and shape.
I am opposed to waging war on Iran as a Muslim. These are my brothers and my sisters. These are members of my ummah. Allah will have no mercy on those who wage war upon his children of Islam. NONE.
So, what do the present democratic candidates have to say about Iran?
H. Clinton:
We cannot, we should not, we must not permit Iran to build or acquire nuclear weapons"
"no option can be taken off the table."
(MG) Sweet sweet Hilary - WAR MONGERER. Lost my vote, babe.
J. Edwards
"Under no circumstances can Iran be allowed to have nuclear weapons."
"We need to keep all options on the table."
(MG) Hmmm .. that sounds vaguely familiar, almost like ... what Hilary says. OH! I GET IT! The dems have figured out how to play hard ball, just like the rethuglicans. STAY ON MESSAGE.
(MG) Curse the hateful message. Curse the hateful messengers. Lost my vote, cute boy.
D. Kucinich
Pre-emptive U.S. attack is impeachable
(MG) Oh Denny Boy - you're talking my language. I elevate you high above these more well known candidates, war-mongering wanna be's .. oh, do they ever wanna be.
(MG) Impeach the war-mongerers. Yes, I just signed a petition to impeach the President and the Vice President. This could be sold to the fundies if we also voted to send Bill Clinton and Madeline Albright (what's the point of having the best military in the world if you don't use it once in a while; 500,000 Iraqi children dead because of the sanctions? yes, she thought the sanctions were worth it) to stand before the ICC at the Hague for their imposition of the sanctions of medical supplies and food to the Iraqi peoples. THIS would please the fundies greatly, and show the world (and give the rest of the resident war-mongerers pause) that the U.S. is serious about prosecuting war criminals. At the rate popular support for governor bush is fading, you could get his base, including the media elites to turn on him, call for his impeachment, and sending him to the Hague, especially if you included William Jefferson Clinton in the deal.
Obama
Iran is "a threat to all of us" and
"we should take no option, including military action, off the table."
(MG) This really does sound so familiar .. where have I heard this before .. scratching my head .. hmm ... oh, I get it, OBAMA, EDWARDS, CLINTON are using the same consultants.
(MG) Okay, attractive young black man who suckled at the teat of the heretic Joe Lieberman, and whose political experience is, shall we charitably say, a bit thin. It doesn't matter how many times you give your "I had a dream and it came to pass, ain't America a great country or what speech," I've heard it all before, reminiscing on the great saint, Dr. Martin Luther King.
(MG) Until this articulate, attractive, Lieberman protege / understudy starts delivering MLK's Time to Break Silence speech, I continue to highlight his lack of character and conviction, even if, I have to repeat myself over and over and over, just like the new democratic spin meisters are doing with the "Fab Three Attorneys".
(MG) Attorneys. Sheesh, can't we find somebody with another background than attorney? Oh, wait, we have one of those in office, MBA - Mendacious Bloviating Anachronism.
But Kucinich can't win, can he?
Well, of course he can. It merely takes a majority of votes from the electoral college.
But Kucinich hasn't a chance, has he?
There is always a chance. As a reformed actuary, I can state, that while the probability of Kucinich being elected POTUS is very small, it is not zero.
If Kucinich is not elected, whoever the next president is, he should institute a new cabinet level post: Minister of Peace. That's a job Representative Kucinich is more qualified for than any other sitting congress critter, senator, or state governor.
