It's Revolting
Why Aren't We?
Why Aren't We?
Tonight our monkey will climb into a monkey-suit and dine in regal splendor with an anachronism.
At one end of the head table will be President George W. Bush, looking for all the world like a 10-year old spoiled brat being forced to sit respectfully through a the visit of a rich aunt.
At the other end of the table will be the rich aunt, in this case the Queen of England. Never mind that the Queen is little more than a national mantel ornament back home. She's still getting head-of-state treatment in Washington.
At the very moment the caviar and fine wines are served at the White House tonight, followed by no less than five, 5-star quality courses of food, our Gis in Iraq will be cracking open their breakfasts – another Meal Ready to Eat (MRE) – each packet one-course short of five – and way short on yum.
The ambiance at the White House meal will sparkle. So will the ambiance in Iraq. The only difference is the sparkle at the White House is designed to awe. The sparkle in Iraq is designed to shock – to death.
At the White House it will be a Mad Hatter's Tea Party. In Iraq's it's breakfast with Mad Max.
White House guests have each been instructed on the rules for being around the Queen. They should never speak to her unless she speaks to them. They must never touch the Queen. If she puts out her hand they are to put their hand out and let the Queen take it. DO NOT SQUEEZE! If the Queen deems you squeeze-worthy, she will do the squeezing.
It's much the same for the rules of engagement in Iraq, only more so. DON'T SQUEEZE ANYTHING! It might explode.
Am I the only one that feels tonight's state dinner for the Queen has the feel of a red-hot blast of cognitive dissidence -- remarkable even from this White House in it's feeling of unreality?
US and British men and women are being blown by the dozen every day in Iraq. The public in both England and the US overwhelmingly want their governments to rescue their troops from that hopeless hell-hole of a nation. But tonight the leader of one of those countries will fete the pretend-leader of the other country in a lavish dinner, as though at that very moment one or more of their soldier's life is not likely to be soaking into Iraqi sand.
Nevertheless they shall and, I'm guessing that, white wine will be in far more demand at tonight's White House dinner than red wine. It's not so much that the guests might have a hard time choking down red wine. Just imagine how awkward it would be should someone spill a glass of red wine on the white table clothe. Imagine the embarrassed shuffling as butlers rush to wipe it up before it forms those evocative pools of red at the guests feet.
Of course there will be no wine served to our troops in Iraq, white or red. Alcohol is not allowed in Muslim countries as, they fear, it could lead to irrational behavior and violence. Since there's no red wine in Iraq, those pools of red that spot the Iraq landscape are more than just an social embarrassment. They're the real deal.
Tomorrow night the Queen Of-Nothing-Real will return the favor by hosting a state-dinner for the President Of-Fewer-and-Fewer at the British Embassy in Washington. For the second time this week our Commander-in-Chief will climb into his monkey suit and dine in splendor with a woman dressed like the cake at a gay wedding.
Meanwhile, in Iraq their soldiers will wake up to another 100-degree plus day. They too will put on their monkey suits – 12-pounds of body armor, helmet, ammo, rifle – and three square meals... (that are actually square.)
While the food and ambiance at the White House and Embassy dinners will surely be to die for, in Iraq the troops will surely be doing just that.
And still we are not in the streets.
Disclaimer:
Not to be confused with what's being served at the White House dinner.
Not to be confused with what's being served at the White House dinner.
May 4, 2007
If Democracy is Messy
Why is Ours So Neat?
Why is Ours So Neat?
First the good news. Democracy – real democracy -- is still alive and well.
The bad news is, just not here.
Americans like to see the US as democracy's Mecca. Nevertheless evidence mounts by the day that the ideal of democracy, while never quite achieved in full, is currently, (hopefully temporarily,) moribund within the borders of it's birthplace.
If you are looking for real democracy in action you have to look abroad where, those of us from the 1960s and 70s will recognize the way it once was here.
In Turkey last week the streets were filled with protesters demanding that Turkey remain a secular state. They had good reason to worry it would not. Turkey sits directly on the fault line that separates secular Europe form the bubbling cauldron of Middle Eastern Islamic fundamentalism. And Turkey has been working overtime to become a member of the European Union.
For three quarters of a century Turkey has held Islamic fundamentalism at bay. That struggle began in the 1920s when Mustafa Kemal Atatürk transformed post Ottoman Empire Turkey into a representative, secular state.
To this day the Turkish military establishment considers Ataturk's reforms the scared cornerstone of the Turkish state and democratic governance. On more than one occasion when secular politicians were either too weak or too timid to stand up and protect their democracy from Islamic fundamentalist, the military did. Each of those times it took the military to say “no,” to Islamists whose aim was to return Turkey to the dark ages.
On the surface military interference would seem the antithesis of democracy. But the Turkish military has become Turkey's strongest and most steadfast protector of their nation's secular democracy. Over the decades they has gained the trust of the Turkish people, by doing the right thing, only at the right time. Doing the right thing, is never the wrong thing to do.Yes, it's a dangerous game. But so far at least, the Turkish military has walked that razor's edge with the utmost reluctance, restraint, skill and honor.
Change the venue for a moment. Recent public opinion polls show that well over two-thirds of Americans oppose the war in Iraq. Two-thirds... a super-majority. A veto-proof super-majority. Imagine if Pentagon brass – which has long known there was nothing to “win” through military action in Iraq -- reacted to those poll numbers. And if the Joint Chiefs of Staff went to the President and laid down the law.
The bad news is, just not here.
Americans like to see the US as democracy's Mecca. Nevertheless evidence mounts by the day that the ideal of democracy, while never quite achieved in full, is currently, (hopefully temporarily,) moribund within the borders of it's birthplace.
If you are looking for real democracy in action you have to look abroad where, those of us from the 1960s and 70s will recognize the way it once was here.
In Turkey last week the streets were filled with protesters demanding that Turkey remain a secular state. They had good reason to worry it would not. Turkey sits directly on the fault line that separates secular Europe form the bubbling cauldron of Middle Eastern Islamic fundamentalism. And Turkey has been working overtime to become a member of the European Union.
For three quarters of a century Turkey has held Islamic fundamentalism at bay. That struggle began in the 1920s when Mustafa Kemal Atatürk transformed post Ottoman Empire Turkey into a representative, secular state.
To this day the Turkish military establishment considers Ataturk's reforms the scared cornerstone of the Turkish state and democratic governance. On more than one occasion when secular politicians were either too weak or too timid to stand up and protect their democracy from Islamic fundamentalist, the military did. Each of those times it took the military to say “no,” to Islamists whose aim was to return Turkey to the dark ages.
On the surface military interference would seem the antithesis of democracy. But the Turkish military has become Turkey's strongest and most steadfast protector of their nation's secular democracy. Over the decades they has gained the trust of the Turkish people, by doing the right thing, only at the right time. Doing the right thing, is never the wrong thing to do.Yes, it's a dangerous game. But so far at least, the Turkish military has walked that razor's edge with the utmost reluctance, restraint, skill and honor.
Change the venue for a moment. Recent public opinion polls show that well over two-thirds of Americans oppose the war in Iraq. Two-thirds... a super-majority. A veto-proof super-majority. Imagine if Pentagon brass – which has long known there was nothing to “win” through military action in Iraq -- reacted to those poll numbers. And if the Joint Chiefs of Staff went to the President and laid down the law.
“Mr. President, we are the US military. Our job is to defend and protect the American public and the American homeland. Our job is not to maintain a war the public does not support simply because you and those around you don't want to have to admit you made a terrible mistake. We also have a responsibility to the troops we command. We are not to misuse the troops for purely political reasons, which is precisely what you are asking us to do now. Therefore, here in this folder are several options we have develope and are prepared to enact on y our command. Each option is designed to wind down US military operations in Iraq as quickly as possible and in ways that minimize -- as much as possible -- the inevitable negatives from such disengagment. We are offering you thirty days to choose one of these options, or to come up with a better one that gets us to the same place. If you don't we will we go to Congress and the public this matter.”
Mutiny! Really? I'm not so sure about that. When I was in the Marines I was taught that I not only had the right, but the obligation, to oppose unlawful orders. I assumed then, and now, that that rule binds the lowest private all the way up the those star-spangled Generals at the Pentagon. In the scenero above the military is not trying to "subvert" civil authority, but to empower it with the clear thinking, planning and expert opinion and advice. Going diretly to Congress and the American poeple when they believe their Command-in-Chief is up to no good, is the consumate act of honor and duty to their country and the democracy they are there to protect.
I had assumed that career generals had learned something about the danger of blindly following combat plans drawn up by conniving politicians like “General” Lyndon B. Johnson and “General” Richard M. Nixon. Apparently not. Only in Turkey do we find a officers who understand that, at the end of the day, a military that is not supported by it's people and ignores their will, morphs a national army into a kind of domestic political mercenary force.
One more observation on the Turks and their apparent love of secular democracy. The Turkish people filled the streets in protest when it appeared the religious fundamentalist were about to gain control. They understand something that the majority in America does not understand: that religious fundamentalist – of all and any flavor – are anti-intellectual, anti-science, anti-democratic morons. Dangerous people who honestly believe they are following the orders of a heavenly spirit. The Turks get that loud and clear. Maybe it's because they were a lot closer to Taliban-run Afghanistan than we were. Or maybe it's because they can already see the signs of creeping Islamic fundamentalism on their streets in the form of growing numbers of burqua imprisoned women.
But Americans have not quite gotten that message yet. Here it's still considered "bad taste" and "intolerance" to openly scoff at nonsensical religious doctrines spouted by politicians. Instead we pretend they are not talking nonsense, and even elect them to public office. I saw a startling example of that last night during the GOP debates. The moderator ask the ten wannabe Presidents to raise their hand if they DID NOT believe in evolution. Three of them proudly raised their hand.
The right response – the intellectually honest response -- from that audience would have been – should have been -- to snicker or hoot right out loud in open derision. Instead most sat silent and expressionless -- not even a wrinkled brow in sight. And a few in the audience even nodded in agreement. Not one of the other seven candidates said a word about it either. Why? Because, to them, a vote from a moron is as valuable as a vote from a sane person. They didn't want to risk losing any Christian fundamentalist votes. So they just stood there with expressions on their faces that did display a hint that three men who want to lead our nation are ignoramuses -- and proud as hell of it.
So here we are, after seven years of biblically warped Bush administration officials feverishly Talibanizing US public health, environment laws, education, foreign aid and our courts, we are still not in the streets about it.
But the Turks were. They were Johnnies on the spot the second they got wind that pro-Islamist Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan was in line to become President. Because that would tipping the balance of power between ruling secularists and minority Islamist parties. And they knew where that road led. And they were not about to let their nation take that road. (Editor's note: My Neo-Office spell-checker even knows what's up. Each time I typed the word “Islamist” it tried to change it to “Misogynist.”)
Turkey's presidential vote annulled
PM - Wednesday, 2 May , 2007 18:44:13
MARK COLVIN: In Turkey, the latest power struggle between secular and religious leaders has come to a head, with the country's top court annulling the first round of a parliamentary vote for a new President....The decision has prompted the Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan to announce that his Islamist-based Government will go to the polls within months to resolve its stand-off with the secular elite....The announcement was given added urgency last week, when the Army threatened to intervene to defend the separation of state and religion, and on the weekend when more than one million people demonstrated against the Government and in favour of secularism and democracy. (Full story)
PM - Wednesday, 2 May , 2007 18:44:13
MARK COLVIN: In Turkey, the latest power struggle between secular and religious leaders has come to a head, with the country's top court annulling the first round of a parliamentary vote for a new President....The decision has prompted the Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan to announce that his Islamist-based Government will go to the polls within months to resolve its stand-off with the secular elite....The announcement was given added urgency last week, when the Army threatened to intervene to defend the separation of state and religion, and on the weekend when more than one million people demonstrated against the Government and in favour of secularism and democracy. (Full story)
The other place we can see real democracy in action this week is in Israel. (Yes, I know about the mistreatment of Palestinians by Israel. Plenty of blame on both side there. Besides its as different subject.)
Protesters vent anger over Olmert at rally
Friday, May 04, 2007: Judy Giladi travelled from Jerusalem to a rally of more than 100,000 people in Tel Aviv last night to register her anger at Ehud Olmert, the Israeli Prime Minister, and Amir Peretz, his Defence Minister, remaining in office after the failures of a conflict that had risked the lives of her family...."We want them to take responsibility for what happened. I don't believe we can face Hizbollah again with this leadership and I think we will have to face them again," said Ms Giladi...The 31-year-old backs the left-wing Meretz party but at least one of her brothers also at last night's protest voted for Kadima, Mr Olmert's party...."We are from all parties," Ms Giladi said of her traveling companions. (Full Story)
Friday, May 04, 2007: Judy Giladi travelled from Jerusalem to a rally of more than 100,000 people in Tel Aviv last night to register her anger at Ehud Olmert, the Israeli Prime Minister, and Amir Peretz, his Defence Minister, remaining in office after the failures of a conflict that had risked the lives of her family...."We want them to take responsibility for what happened. I don't believe we can face Hizbollah again with this leadership and I think we will have to face them again," said Ms Giladi...The 31-year-old backs the left-wing Meretz party but at least one of her brothers also at last night's protest voted for Kadima, Mr Olmert's party...."We are from all parties," Ms Giladi said of her traveling companions. (Full Story)
The protesters were demanding that Olmert resign. And the list of reasons why they say he should resign could serve as a nearly precise template to justify the same demand for George W. Bush's resignation. That he send his nation's military into to war at the wrong time, the wrong place, with the wrong commanders, the wrong orders and without proper equipment. And that he failed to meet his own stated goals.
I am betting that democracy in both Turkey and Israel are in fine shape, at least for now. Not so much here in “the home of the brave and the land of the free.” Here we are demonstrably less free than we were just six short years ago. And, while there are still lots of brave men and women willing to serve in our military. they are now being treated like cannon fodder in Iraq. Meanwhile their top commanders – who know better -- are not brave enough to stand up to a clearly amoral and twisted Commander-in-Chief.
And, dear reader, just what you nodding about? I remember, “back in the day,” when we shut down Washington DC and surrounded the Pentagon with tens of thousands of protesters. I remember when we forced a President to relinquish his hopes of a second term in office, because he insisted on continuing a war that should never have been waged, and which should have been ended.
So stop nodding. You and I and millions of other Americans have a lot to re-learn about what it takes to keep a democracy fresh, alive, healthy and growing.
Democracy – real democracy -- is messy. Unlike the going-through-the-motions kind of democracy we have allowed ours to become. This kind of democracy is neat. In this kind of democracy people do what they're told, put up with what they're given and, should they disagree, keep it to themselves.
In this kind of democracy – our kind -- the military brass does what it's told, even if their heart and mind tell them it's wrong.
They call it “sucking it up,” -- but it's really the reincarnation of “just following orders.”
