BUSH STILL THINKS HE'S DON QUIXOTE

I find it a bit bizarre how Bush believes that he can achieve a sense of "peace" between Israel and Palestine--when we all know that these problems between the two countries have been around for far longer than some of us have been alive.

Carter couldn't do it. Reagan couldn't. Neither Bush I or Clinton could end the decades of spiraling violence and animosity between the two nations.

So why does Bush think he can?

Because it's his last 'hurrah'.

Iraq and Afghanistan is a mess--hopelessly mired in violence and uncertainty. Pakistan is rife with chaos.

But to get the two sides to agree to a lasting peace is a worthy of a pipedream, and Bush knows this. He just wants to act like he's some Don Quixote and everyone has to do what he says.

Unfortunately, things haven't worked out for us on the foreign policy front. Everything we've taken in has turned to garbage in a few seconds flat.

People say that Bush is being tested and this is a sign of a strong leader.

But a strong leader should know his weaknesses and his strengths. If he is ignorant of one or both; going on about his business in some kind of lucid dream state...? Then he's not a leader, but a stalwart fool.

Those who follow him blindly are just as foolish--and continuing to support such a clown is inherently dangerous for this nation.

Nothing more than what went on in Annapolis will be recorded as a simple photo-op. Because both sides have such steep divisions within themselves that the only way that a true and lasting peace in the Middle East can be achieved is if one side is destroyed or another.

Schuyler Thorpe

xxxth Street xx #X001

Everett, WA 98204

(XXX)-XXX-XXXX

WAR ISN'T JUST LOST, BUT FADING AWAY

Though my historical expertise on Vietnam is limited to who really won that war and what became that conflict--one thing is certain: Iraq is going to follow a similar path no matter what happens in years hence.

In the closing days of the Vietnam war, politicians and the military sold themselves out by portraying Vietnam as a success and how good things were really working--even as the Saigon airlift was in full swing.

Nobody wanted to admit defeat in the eyes of our enemies.

Decades later, we have the same thing going on: Politicians and the military glossing over how "swell" things are going in Iraq; spouting positive numbers and declaring the troop "surge" a success.

But just a few days ago, I suddenly got the sense that--outside of the politicians and the military brass--nobody really cared about what was going on in Iraq.

Nobody in the public is cheering. No one is rallying behind the troops. In fact (like in Vietnam), there's nothing. Just a quiet and persistent form of war fatigue.

Everyone knows that we aren't leaving Iraq now or in the next 50 years. We haven't brought real peace or stability to Iraq. Just spent the last 5 years ruining a country and installing a shim-sham, puppet government.

But the politicians, the military, and even the media are working overtime to convince the people that the war is not lost and we are indeed winning.

If that's the case, then why I do get the distinct impression that no one really cares how the war is going?

Schuyler Thorpe

xxxth Street xx #X001

Everett, WA 98204

(XXX)-XXX-XXXX

WHERE DOES SUPPORT WITH THE TROOPS REALLY LIE?

A recent letter in the Herald ("Quit complaining; support soldiers") had me wondering about something:

Given how the rate of suicides and desertion rates of our soldiers has been sky-rocketing (due to the 15-month extended tours business and the stress of being stuck in an endless "backdoor draft" situation...?) over the past couple of years, where does that writer's "loyalties" lie--exactly?

Is she just there to beat the drums of war blindly and cheerlead our already exhausted men and women until they can't see straight anymore--or does that writer's support also extend to those service men and women whom have killed themselves because of the mounted stress that this illegal war has brought upon them these last 5 years?

Or is it to those soldiers whom have deserted because they could not stand the strain of being forced back to serve yet another tour of duty? (After serving 3 or 4 tours?)

Where does her loyalties lie? Where does anyone else's for that matter? To those who are living in hell over in Iraq, or those whom have deserted, and/or committed suicide?

As an anti-war supporter, it makes me wonder if there are not double-standards to those who claim to support the troops but continue to turn a blind eye towards their ongoing pain and suffering.

It's a harsh reality we live in, but we can't pledge excessive fealty to a conflict without end. Especially one that has harmed us globally and continues to harm our troops at every passing turn.

Schuyler Thorpe

xxxth Street xx #X001

Everett, WA 98204

(XXX)-XXX-XXXX

PROGRESS IN IRAQ ISN'T WHAT IT SEEMS

Has anyone noticed how quiet things have gotten lately over in Iraq?

Oh, let's not chalk it up to "progress" as the military continues to paint it--making us all believe that this surge has somehow--magically--transformed Iraq into some fantasy fairy tale straight out of a Walt Disney movie studio.

We all should know by now that the military has failed in its objective to transform Iraq into some kind of plutocratic democracy full of laughing and cheerful Iraqis.

In many respects, the military hasn't succeeded at all in many of its operations. It still hasn't achieved a full measure of peace and the Iraqi people still very much hate us with a passion.

The only reason why they haven't turned on us wholeheartedly is because the military has been buying off the local sheiks and tribesmen--those whom control the Iraqi insurgency and its various elements (including the Shiite militias)--with a rock-solid promise that they won't attack coalition forces.

So yes, all these numbers, all these reduced car bomb attacks and so forth may look pretty on paper--may point to progress--but the reality is that we have created our own ticking time-bomb.

How long will it be before even money doesn't stop the militias and the insurgency from attacking our forces once more?

What is it going to take to stop the Iraqi people from driving us out of their own country--now that Al-Qaeda is out of the picture?

One has to wonder.

Schuyler Thorpe

xxxth Street xx #X001

Everett, WA 98204

(XXX)-XXX-XXXX

RATE CUTS IS GOING TO MAKE THINGS WORSE--NOT BETTER

I'm no expert economist, but I don't think that cutting key interest rates by the Fed is going to stop the hemorrhaging being seen by the spiraling housing market.

Under Greenspan's tenure, the respected former chair of the Federal Bank decided to keep interest rates artificially low and not raise them to counter what is now being seen as a bleeding economy.

Because of low interest rates, it allowed so many people on both sides of the economic spectrum to either borrow for a new home or purchase ARMs which soon reset at the end of the year--affecting millions of people.

But if you think that only the millions of homeowners are affected by this fallout--think again.

With each rate cut cheered on by Wall Street, the pain has become apparent that no amount of rate cuts is going to turn things around. In fact, cutting interest rates is going to make things worse again--at some future date. Not better.

Coupled with a weakened dollar, a slowing economy and rising oil prices, our nation's economic engine is suddenly facing the prospect of being ground to a complete halt.

Why?

It's partly to do with our government's insane "trickle down economics" initiatives, and mostly to do with the Fed's knee-jerk responses to its own problems long in the making.

Both have allowed these things to happen, and like Katrina--were so slow to respond to the crisis until it was much too late.

Don't worry though. Some of us will be cushioned from the up and coming recession.

But not all of us.

Schuyler Thorpe

xxxth Street xx #X001

Everett, WA 98204

(XXX)-XXX-XXXX