[427TJ]

I respectfully agree with Tom Breske but I will go on to say that G.W. Bush has been an unmitigated disaster for all but the very rich. If he had listened to the warnings such as the famous CIA briefing memo titled, "bin Laden determined to strike within the United States," 9/11 might have been averted. Well, it's all hindsight now.

If a Democratic president had presided over the failures and blunders of the past 6 years the Republicans would have set fire to Washington D.C., as they nearly did in going after Bill Clinton. (That'll teach him to lie under oath about his extra-marital affairs.) (Any of you boys ever lie about an extra-marital affiar??? Don't answer, I'm sure it's different because you weren't the president.)

If everything was Clinton's fault in the '90s then everything is Bush's fault now. (Being president is rough, better wear a cup.)

As for "flip-flops," how many times has Bush flip-flopped on his reasons for invading Iraq--is it seven or eight times he's changed his reasons? I can't even remember what the latest rationale for the war is--what is it, the "Evil Dictator" rationale? As the late Colonel David Hackworth said, and I paraphrase him, "once the orgasmic feeling of invading the country and bombing the hell out of it has passed--then what?" A 50-year occupation, that's what. (The Middle East oilfields are estimated to produce for maybe 50 more years before depletion. Feel free to Google or Wikipedia that and correct me.)

I joke with my 6-year old son that someday he will be able to tap the sands of Iraq from his boots.

Oh, and the Bush and the Kennedy families share one thing in common: They would go to any length to keep their sons out of trouble with the law. They are American elites first and foremost. (Ted Kennedy should have gone on trial for Mary Joe Kopechne's death, but it's just hindsight now.)

Get ready for Iran next. They're the real problem now, especially since Bush blundered into Iraq and provided Iran a method to invade Iraq themselves and influence Middle East politics and power. You think Iran would like to control the Iraqi oil fields? Bush has been a blessing to both bin Laden and to the Iranians. He got rid of the one guy who was keeping a lid on things--against the advice of almost every intelligent American statesman. Save the "we got rid of an evil dictator" crap. Saddam was our buddy in the '80s when we were aiding his war with Iran and he was just as bloodthirsty then as he ever was and we couldn't have cared less. America's incresing appetite for oil was what prompted the invasion of Iraq and the "mushroom cloud" and 9/11 provided the perfect cover story. That, and we had to beat the Russians and Chinese into the Middle East so they wouldn't get to the oil before us.

Just as Colin Powell warned: Bush broke Iraq and now he owns it.

But, I love burning gas as much as anyone so maybe we should all be quiet now that we're in there with no way out. Oh don't worry, even if we elected Hillary Clinton or Barak Obama (which I doubt*) they would still be just as stuck in Iraq as President Bush is. Iraq is the war that will keep on giving for at least 20 more years. As long as there's oil in the ground we'll be over there, sand in our boots, I guarantee it.

*I predict Jeb Bush will be the Republican candidate in 2008. Hey, at least he can string a sentance together. I think a Jeb Bush presidency would be appropriate since that would keep the Iraq war in the family. Maybe Jeb, because of his intense sibling rivalry with his older brother, would run an "Anything but Dubya" administration, much the same way that Dubya ran an "Anything but Clinton" administration. (Richard Clarke? Get him and his anti-terrorist ramblings out of here!) Jeb seems like a smart guy so maybe there's hope.

(I served in the Gulf War and still have sand in my old flight boots so save the "support our troops" comments. Every American with a brain in their head supports our troops. You really want to support the troops? Either join up and get your ass over there and help or vote to bring them home alive. Or...just use less gas.)