Bush Administration desperately Trying to Contain Burgeoning Firestorm; Hidden Coffins, wounded, failed Iraq non-plans unveiled, add up to growing chinks in the Armor
by Frank Pitz
There is no imaginable way that I can place myself in the mind, heart or soul of a parent who has lost a son or daughter in Iraq or Afghanistan. No way can I perceive that gut-wrenching, emotional roller coaster of feelings upon being notified of a child's death. As a writer I can conceive of what it must be like, but any words I might pen will never come close to conveying the tragedy. For the thousands of parents - as well as other loved ones - undergoing the daily stress of not knowing, having to read the daily news reports and watch the television graphically depicting events a half world away; has to be excruciatingly painful.
In addition to the day-to-day tension associated with events over which a parent has no control, there is the political battle. This is a battle that angers many parents and loved ones of our military forces; this is a battle, which many parents and loved ones can direct, and vent their frustrations toward. And many do just that, as they question the wisdom of sending American soldiers to fight and die - once again - thousands of miles from home for unclear reasons. We went to Afghanistan to capture al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden, this adventure has seemingly turned into a deadly game of hide and seek, while bin Laden continues to mock our political leaders. We went to Iraq to "restore Democracy" and one year and hundreds of American deaths as well as untold thousands of Iraqi dead and wounded, we find ourselves embroiled in an apparent "spider hole" from which there is no easy escape.
Thousand of American soldiers have been wounded in this war, shunted off to the bowels of Walter Reed, and other hospitals not to be seen - "out of sight, out of mind" is the overriding Public Relations credo of this administration in Washington. Like that incompetent housekeeper who may sweep the dust "under the rug" hoping to hide the ineptitude of his supposed talents; the American people are starting to lift that rug, and discover the filth swept under it. Flag draped coffins on the front pages of the news media, those same images making it to the nightly newscasts; parents speaking out and questioning the motives of the "Commander-in-Chief" and his minions. All of these events are coming together; burgeoning into a firestorm which the Bush Administration is trying desperately to contain. To be sure, this administration is still able to beat back this rising tide, the media is still in their pocket, but a crack is appearing.
It is up to the people to widen this crack and allow the light of freedom and information to seep out. This is happening in no small measure due to the questioning being put forth by the families and loved ones of those dying and wounded soldiers in Iraq and elsewhere. To be certain the administration propaganda mills are churning night and day, and this is still a very much-divided nation, but the crack is widening. In spite of the media cheerleading, the people are questioning more, seeking more, expecting more. As Dwight D. Eisenhower once said: "I like to believe that people in the long run are going to do more to promote peace than our governments. Indeed, I think that the people want peace so much that one of these days governments had better get out of the way and let them have it." I would like to think such a day is close at hand.
The families and loved ones of the dead and maimed returning from Iraq and Afghanistan are grieving; but they are also questioning - I grieve, and question with them. The grieving and the questioning is becoming a rising crescendo which can no longer be ignored, or placated with wannabe cowboy bravado such as "bring 'em on" or "you're either with us or agin us." "Mission Accomplished" banners, and crotch-bulging flight suits no longer produce the mesmerizing affects once desired. The people are beginning to see that the "Emperor has no clothes." Just how we make use of this chink in the administration's armor remains to be seen. This writer is vigilantly optimistic, and I will continue to express my thoughts about Bush and his totalitarian regime. Between now and November I will do my best to editorialize on the brutality of this administration. I am hopeful that the groundswell is just beginning, I am convinced that the people of this country will rise up and take this nation back. It is the power of the people which needs to manifest itself right now, we need to recognize what these words of Denis Fonvizin truly mean: "A fool is very dangerous when in power." It is past time to remove the fool from power.
Peace
Frank Pitz fpitz(at)comcast.net is a 66 year old iconoclast, writer, poet, cynic - and on top of all that a Buddhist as well. He lives year-round in Pompano Beach, Florida, is an alumnus of the glorious "cut and paste" newspaper days - Lancaster Independent Press, has also worked for a living from bricklayer, to truckdriver to Housing and Urban Development Professional. He's a grant writer, and has been known to run a political campaign on occasion.
