By Cecilia Rosenthal Santa Monica
During the Bush years, I have become more and more frustrated with comments from our “leaders” that make no sense and should have been challenged, but never were. For example, in answer to requests that he bring back our troops from Iraq now, Bush says, “Decisions about troop levels will be driven by the condition on the ground and the good judgment of our commanders, not the artificial timetables set by politicians in Washington.”
Since when is a president not a “politician in Washington?” Bush, in particular, is a super-politician, being the only president in the history of our country who lost the election, but managed to become president.
When asked why our army in Iraq was inadequately protected from the enemy, Rumsfeld said, “You can’t always have the kind of army you want.” Why can’t the “greatest country in the world” (as Dole regularly told us) have the best-equipped army in the world? Why has our military, knowingly, been sent into battle without proper protection?
You are probably wondering why Cindy Sheehan’s name is included in this motley crew. It is because I consider her a “leader.” In fact, I thought at one time, she would be the logical leader in our war against the Iraq war.
Recounting what she would like to say to Bush, Cindy said, “You get us out of Iraq, you get Israel out of Palestine.” Does she mean to take our troops out of Iraq, only to send them into Israel? Fortunately, Israel and Palestine have since settled their own differences. Or is she now campaigning to rid all countries of their invaders? In that case, top on her list should be the invasion and complete destruction of the most peaceful people and religion in the world — the Tibetan Buddhists, by China.
Cindy, you can’t have it both ways.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on January 2, 2006. Read the original PDF.