May 24, 2007
A New Webster's Definition of "Support"
The second ribbon is right! It might require progressive taxation!
Dick Cheney, Vice Presidential Acceptance Speech, 2000: For eight years, Clinton and Gore have extended our military commitments while depleting our military power. Rarely has so much been demanded of our armed forces, and so little given to them in return. George W. Bush and I are going to change that, too. I have seen our military at its finest, with the best equipment, the best training, and the best leadership. I'm proud of them. I have had the responsibility for their well-being. And I can promise them now, help is on the way. Soon, our men and women in uniform will once again have a commander in chief they can respect, one who understands their mission and restores their morale.
Hey, it's 2007! Wonder what's up?
(1) A special federal court that hears veterans' disability appeals is facing its highest caseload ever as the government increasingly turns down benefits for war veterans... the seven-judge court is now averaging 300 appeals per month, which don't include veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan... Harvard professor Linda Bilmes said it took up to 177 days for the VA to process an initial claim and then an average of 657 days to process an appeal, resulting in significant hardship to veterans.
(2) The House of Representatives wants to boost soldier pay by 3.5 percent in order to close the gap with private sector wages, but the White House opposes an increase beyond 3 percent. The White House has also come out against new benefits for disabled veterans and survivors of military retirees.
(3) Boosting U.S. troop levels in Iraq by 21,500 would create major logistical hurdles for the Army and Marine Corps, which are short thousands of vehicles, armor kits and other equipment needed to supply the extra forces, U.S. officials said.
Oh, and I guess sending doubling the number of combat troops to intervene, die, and be horribly maimed in a hopeless civil war on behalf of a hapless Iraqi government that seems more concerned with forming sectarian death squads or flying to the Mayo Clinic to get medical treatment for obesity. And breaking up families with broken promises concerning breaks and extended deployments. And this and this.
So if this constitutes support, then I guess the noun "athletic supporter" may soon be defined as "a swift series of kicks to the nuts" rather than "a protective covering around one's nuts."
UPDATE: The front page of the Austin American-Statesman (2004 Bush endorsement here) actually put the death of a soldier on the front page, and he wasn't even from the Central Texas area. Apparently, if you go missing for a few days rather than being instantaneously blown up or dying of wounds later in a hospital, the media actually takes notice of you. Small comfort for the 100+ non-missing soldiers who will die this month. My sympathies for the family of Pfc. Joseph Anzack Jr., of Torrance, California. This didn't have to happen, and the future sacrifice being planned in the form of the toothless, craven supplemental bill only honors his life if you worship some sort of vengeful Aztec or bipolar Christian God.
Geez, this is a depressing news day. Secret surges. A toothless Congress. That shitwit in the White House basically saying he's A-OK with killing more U.S. troops this summer*. We're giving Lebanon arms? WTF?
And what exactly does a "no confidence" vote for Berto Gonzalez accomplish?
Spending the next 4 days sans TV and intertoobz . .
* Full disclosure - my nephew (Army Reserves) expects to be redeployed this summer.
Posted by: Nancy in Detroit at May 24, 2007 03:58 PMsorry to hear that, nancy. hope his time isn't too rough if it happens that way. I have a brother-in-law who has been over twice (albeit in the green zone), and know a former courier who I haven't heard from since his last assignment to afghanistan. at least his email address isn't bouncing back at me.
Reid and Pelosi are playing a long game and, judging from the lack of talent sitting across from them, I just continue to hope they know what they're doing.
Posted by: paperpusher at May 24, 2007 04:53 PM