Another year has passed and more blood has been shed. More blood than I care to think of, really. So here we are again at the time of year that we remember the sacrifices of those killed in our Nation’s service. Yet, I did not put a post up because I couldn’t. I couldn’t honor the memory and sacrifice of those killed while serving our country without mentioning Iraq. Turning a Memorial Day post into another bitch-fest about how criminal and wrong the Iraq War is, would not befit the lives and memories of all those who’ve died in other wars and conflicts in which we’ve been involved throughout history. For those of you who think that’s wrong, I’m sorry. There is nothing that means more to me that showing proper respect and honor to our troops. That was one of the reasons I started this blog to begin with. To properly honor the deaths of those killed in Iraq, we need to bring them home. The time to “fix” Iraq is over. It is now time to bring our young men and women home and start providing them the care, both medical and mental health, they so desperately need.

Support Our Troops! Bring Them Home!

Bush followed through on his veto of the spending bill that Congress sent to him because of what he calls “artificial timetables”.  Even Tony Snow was fairly clear for a change about what Bush meant by that term: no timetable for withdrawal, period. I kinda have to laugh at the term the President used though. In thinking about all this, I’m surprised that not a single Democrat challenged him on it. Personally, I would have said something to the effect of “I agree with you, Mr. President, we shouldn’t have artificial timetables, we should have REAL timetables. For our troops as well as the Iraqi Government.” But that’s just me I guess.

This week however, the Democrats controlling Congress had a chance to send a message to the president with the 2nd “War Funding Bill” they sent to his desk. Yet they remained silent. Sure, in the realm of public media and other such venues, they spoke out about how our troops need to come home and the Iraqi people need to take over their country, but behind closed doors it was all just a bunch of hooey.

I’m really starting to get depressed at the bunch of lackluster asshats we, the American people, sent to Congress to be our voices. Harry Reid talks a tough game as does Nancy Pelosi. And who can deny that Jack Murtha doesn’t speak his mind when it comes to Iraq? Yet, they capitulated, caved-in, whatever you want to call it, to the president concerning withdrawal of our troops. I voted Democrat in the last election because I don’t like President Bush’s policies and I want our troops home. Yesterday, even. When Reid and the others talk about how the American people made a statement in the last election, they weren’t kidding. We did. We spoke loud and clear that Iraq is a failure (although minor successes are by far overshadowed by the scope of failure) and that we want our young men and women home.

So, we get to play the hurry-up-and-wait game with Congress when September 30th rolls around. For those you not in the know, 9/30 is when the funding for Iraq and Afghanistan runs out again.

September 30th cannot come soon enough. We need to get our troops out of harm’s way and let the bastards fight amongst themselves. Iraq has become a civil war and our young men and women are increasingly the cannon-fodder trapped between warring factions. Thousands upon thousands of innocent Iraqi civilians have died as well. Congress needs to grow a set of balls, stand up to President Bush and DEMAND that our troops be brought home.

Support the Troops. Bring Them Home.

I’ve missed you guys. You. The person who comes to The Bulldog Says… to hang out and get my thoughts on todays, and increasingly yesterday’s and last week’s, news. We’ve had a bout of nice weather lately and I’ve used that nice weather as a chance to get out and do some riding and work on my yard. All this political stuff gets to be a real downer, if you know what I mean and I think you do. Iraq is even more of a failure than it was before and the 2008 Presidential candidates are all talking about how they’re (different/better/smarter/etc.) than Bush. After seeing the bill sent to the president concerning Iraq funding, I have to say I’m kind of skeptical. So anyway, I’m back. Again. For how long, you ask? Don’t know. But I’ll be around. Thanks for sticking with me.

Bulldog