Truth or Tell! New game in Washington D.C.

As we predicted in our last article, the “Generals” held true to form.

We noted that George W. Bush, the President of the United States, and the Commander in Chief, said that “I will not make the decision. The Generals will have to make the decision”. (Again even this seems to be his way. To try to find ways to NOT take responsibility for mistakes and errors).

I stated, that history shows that there has never been a general who did not believe that “with just a little more time, just a little more money, just a little more blood, just a few more soldiers and equipment, we can win”. Generals are eternally positive in their hope that they can solve military problems. Just like businessmen always think that "with a little more money, a little more capital, a little more time we can win." Unfortunately, as Viet Nam and many other places history has taught, sometimes it is just better to find the cleanest end to a bad situation as possible.

True to form, the generals spoke, with hopes of military solutions. They do not realize that this is a battle of culture, politics, religion, history, tradition and more. All things that military power can not deal with. Lieutenant General Raymond Odierno, the number 2 commander in Iraq said: “Oh, we can’t even give an evaluation in September, we will need a little more time (i.e. “little more money…little more blood”). Then Ambassador Tyan Crocker told lawmakers in a closed door session at the Pentagon that Iraq’s government would not achieve it’s political benchmarks by September. General David Petraeus, spoke and said that in his opinion Iraqi’s would be “fearful” if American’s left. All of this is in strange contrast to the statements of the President of Iraq who last week said: “The U.S. military can leave Iraq at anytime, it is ok.”

With George W. Bush’s approval ratings at 31% (69% of Americans disapprove of his presidency) this puts Republicans in a strange situation. Republican Senators and Congressmen are hearing the message of the American people, becoming louder every day, saying “Bring the troops home”. Yet, Republican congressmen feel the pressure of George W. Bush, THEIR president, and party leader saying: “More time, more troops, more blood, show me the money!”.

If Republicans vote against the President, they might retain political viability and some sense of ethical integrity from the American people. If they vote against him, their own party leaders turn against them. So far they have opted to go with the Republican party, instead of the will of the people. Republicans are trying to have it both ways, vote with Bush, on all efforts to not bring the troops home, while with their public speeches are saying: “It is time to bring the troops home.”

It is hypocrisy and conflict at the ultimate. The American people see it, recognize these manipulations, and know we are bleeding our nation, killing our children, ruining our military and destroying our standing in the world. The American people recognize that the Republican do not yet have the integrity or courage to oppose Bush’s miss-directed policies.