The Ear of the Leader

Narcissistic gerbils? I'm sorry, Bipolar Chica, but it was just a random thing. I'm not sure what a narcissistic gerbil would look like, perhaps sitting amonst his or her shavings while preening in a tin mirror. But whatever it looks like, I'm sure it makes more sense and is more fun to talk about than Sen. Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut. That's the snarling boob I want to talk about today.

Woodrow Wilson once said, "The ear of the leader must ring with the voices of the people." The people aren't always right, they may even be wrong most of the time. But our leaders, especially our elected senators and president, should know the wishes of the people they represent. The current crew of war nuts in DC, particularly Senator Lieberman and the president himself, definitely have ears, but they don't ring with the voices of anyone but a small group of zealots.

A dream of peace is within the soul of every decent human being who leads men and women into a war. I don't mind cynicism, and the bitter belief that war is inevitable. So long as the dream still exists, even if it's beaten up and world-weary, I want our leaders to aspire towards peace. When a leader of men and women gives up on that goal and embraces war as acceptable, even inevitable, then they need to be removed from office. They can no longer hear or feel or see as most people can and do. Right now, there are people in this country who still have a strong appetite for destruction. Because they have been in a false reality of their own creation for the past 5 years or so regarding Iraq, they are unable to think adequately or even know how to feel about potential strife in Iran. To these people, what is happening in the world right now is about as real as a comic book. They have lost touch with reality, and given their position of power that makes them immensely dangerous.

Evidence is mounting that Iran is supporting the insurgents in Iraq, by providing the pinball machine parts necessary to make an improvised explosive device. These IED's, I'm sure you already know, are responsbile for killing literally thousands of Iraqi civilians and US soldiers (ok, "coalition" soldiers, too...happy?). And the evidene that Iran is doing this makes sense, given how they aren't very fond of us.

So what to do?

Thinking people are of a mind to open up talks with Iran, without any preconditions, to just get a dialogue going that may bear fruit and prevent some bad things from happening. These thoughtful people of which I speak also know that the United States is already stretched painfully thin in Iraq; politically, militarily and economically. The latest "surge" in Iraq has been a complete failure, with civilian and military casualties actually rising steadily over the past few months. So, big surprise, the troop surge wasn't the answer for which we were looking.

Senator Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut is out of his fucking mind. On Sunday's Meet The Press, "Lieby" recommended that we should only sort of talk to Iran, knowing in advance that it probably won't lead anywhere. Then that will help to "justify" a bombing campaign of select Iranian sites.

Has is apparently unaware that we have a massive troop shortage and a security crisis in Iraq. And that bombing campaigns are never enough to capture any military prize of consequence (see World War 2, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq), and that troops will be necessary in Iran to exact regime change. The only way to have enough troops for Lieberman's plan is via a draft. And if you want to see young people getting interested in politics literally overnight, that's the best way.

A US Senator, a shill for the Israeli lobby known as Joe Lieberman, is very clearly out of his fucking mind. Bomb Iran? God help us. I've grown to hate Lieberman, starting when he ran as an independent after losing the Democratic Party Primary in that state. I'm sure you remember that. A lot of people thought it represented some sort of craftiness, that may or may not be a good thing.

So just by getting elected the way he did, Lieberman is something of a douchebag. What makes him a dangerous fanatic, however, is his willingness to kill countless more people, civilians and military alike, in defense of his master, Israel. That cause is to manipulate the United States into doing whatever Israel wants. That's what all those lobbyists are doing, and Lieberman is their man.

So it certainly wasn't a big surprise when I saw his punum on television, going on about the need for a "surgical strike" in Iran. Madness.

The United States is certainly keeping her options open around the world when it comes to the potential use of military force. From North Korea to Venezuela to Iran, America is acting like a bully. A brute with an unsubtle mind, lacking the ability and/or the inclination to do whatever is possible to avoid violence. In other words, the US is the biggest threat to peace in the world right now. With people like George Bush and Senator Lieberman at the helm, there is absolutely no chance of a thoughtful course of action prevailing.

George Bush is a warmonger and a fanatic, as is Lieberman. They go so well together. Naturally, Lieberman is Jewish and Bush is a born-again Christian, but they are joined at the gut in their war-loving nationalism (or with Lieberman, Zionism). They are dangerous people who lack common sense and compassion, and instead see the US and Israel as the vanguard against the non-Judeo-Christian world. Bush and Lieberman aren't interested in a careful course of diplomacy and talks aimed at keeping bloodshed to a minimum. Religious fanatics aren't interested in that sort of thing. Instead, George and Joe want to distinguish themselves in a cartoon struggle that exists primarily in their heads, and the heads of like-minded nutjobs. Civilian lives are of no importance. Consider that the British Medical Journal, The Lancet, estimates 655,000 civilian Iraqi deaths have occurred due to the meaningless US war in that country. If Bush, Lieberman, Cheney, Rumsfeld, et al had any scruples at all they would have ended their wretched lives, or at least resigned in dishonor. I'd have a lot more respect for Bush if he would wrap his lips around a revolver, or if Dick Cheney would shoot himself in the face for a change.

What these men have done in Iraq is criminal. No compassionate, thinking person would seriously consider forgiving these men for what they did, and are still doing. And now they are talking about Iran. They've made it clear that they are willing to make the same mistakes again, to get a lot of innocent people killed, because they lack the imagination, bravery and intellect to work towards a negotiated settlement on the Iranian nuclear issue. John McCain made a little joke about the "bomb Iran" Beach Boy's song. Isn't that cute?