What is the matter with those guys?

So Bush sneaks out of the country to go visit Iraq for Thanksgiving. And everyone's saying what a great thing it is.

The trip came at a time of rising criticism of the president for not attending the funerals of the returning war dead. It also came in the same week that Mr. Bush met with families of 26 soldiers killed in Iraq, and thus appeared to be a concerted effort by the White House to deal with a political problem.

And the newspapers and the Demcratic fergawdsake presidential candiates are saying what a great thing he's done. Okay, the the Democrats are at least then turning around and saying he ought to get us out of there, but for crying out loud. This isn't compassion for the troops. Or solidarity with them. Or for their morale. It's a cynically calculated political maneuver which nobody in the Administration deemed necessary until Bush started taking hits on it. Why doesn't somebody say this? WTF are they doing?! This is an administration which has cut veterans benefits and funding for schools of the children of service members. This is an administration which has squeezed our fighting forces monetarily and starved them for supplies, materiel, and adequate staffing levels DURING A WAR! This is an administration who thought it was a good idea to put our soldiers in harms way by inviting terrorists to "bring it on". They've made it blatantly clear they don't give a damn about the welfare of the armed forces. So why aren't the Democratic candidates calling him on this blatant use of the armed forces to, once again, shore up Bush's polling numbers? It's sick, cynical, and altogether slimy and he ought to be called on it.

Comments

[Avedon]

I think some people are just relieved that he even behaved like he noticed the troops. Of course, he wouldn't have gone if Andy card hadn't told him to, and he was still more worried about his tail than anything else, but at least he bothered to go. That's the most he's done for them since he's been in office.

[Mary Kay]

That's the most he's done for them since he's been in office.

But see, that's my whole point. He didn't do it for them. He did it for himself. Because his numbers are dropping. Because people are asking awkward questions about non-attendance at funerals and the like.

MKK