As I got thinking about Iraq and the Washington standoff that is simmering to an uncomfortable boil. Send more troops, more money, or do we
simply back away? I can only think of the rueful rhetorical question posed to gamblers all over the world, "why would you throw good money after bad?"
As a "commoner" in King George's realm, I don't understand how more troops will solve Iraq's problems. I know Mr. Bush continues to justify this decision in simple Texas logic and in simple Texas language, but even having lived in Texas a couple of years, I still can't comprehend his explanation. There must be some cultural barriers that can't be broken through. HA! This in and of itself should tell us something, but I digress.
What I do see in Iraq is a civil war between
religious and cultural factions that has been going on for hundreds if not thousands of years. And when I think of Civil Wars I can't help but reflect on our own civil war about 150 years ago (these reflections in the shadow of the Martin Luther King memorial holiday). America still fights legacies from our own war (see the recent arrest of a KKK member who is accused of beating and killing two young black in the 1960's -- 100 years after our supposed civil war ended). I ask how can we expect to help a resolve and ameliorate another country's deeper and more complex civil conflicts if we still have more basic legacies of our own to contend with?
Nope, as the body count for American
heroes rise, and the blood continues to flow for the countrymen and women of the Iraq nation, sending more troops keeps our
Nation's infectious contibution to the embattled streets if that country from healing. The mortal cost not withstanding, I
hearken back to the gamblers
dilemma, and if you ask me, sending more troops and spending an
additional $100 billion dollars (or more) is
continuing to throw good money after bad and expecting a different result.
We would do well by turning our attentions to the many social and economic problems we have at "home". This is the kind of bold and difficult decision I'd like to see our leadership embrace. As much as the generation before me struggled with President Ford's decision to pardon Richard Nixon, history tells us that decision turned our attentions onto healing our national problem, not perpetuating it. I'm afraid if we continue to follow our
existing course of action, politics will be return to more
partisan ways and
divisive behaviors just in time for the '08 elections. The results will find the voting American citizen more disenchantend and distrustfull of that which we propose to support in Iraq. If we can't believe it at home, how can we support it overseas?
Stop the
madness! I'd like to see theEXTRACTION of 20,000 troops as part of a surged
withdraw. Let's stop throwing good money after bad, and start our 12-step recovery from gambling our tax dollars and the lives of our valiant solders. We'd be wise to do so, and in the long run, become a smart example for other democratically inclined countries to follow.
Ok, so maybe the A-man grew a beard and is beginning to hang with a hot momma (his right) as well as groupies (his left). But make no mistake, he can still cut a riff and drive screaming cords, and look!, he doesn't have to shave his legs to be seen in public. Rock on dudes and don't let the gnats bite your Hyde hinies!
These 4th grade Mankato West girls were split into two teams (Chalupa - 3rd from right), and played in two separate tournament brackets last weekend. The results validated the old saying, "divide and conquer" Both teams swept their brackets undefeated, combined to win six games and the entire tournament. 
I don't need no stinkin' presents when I'm surrounded by the best gifts of them all!
Big Dawg, Buzz Daddy and Basketball (above)
