Same As In Baghdad

10/26/2007

Paul Munnis

God only knows that the residents of California impacted by recent fires have weeks of hardships ahead of them including polluted air, lack of water, sanitation problems, and no electricity. These are the same problems that Iraqi’s are facing in Baghdad daily and with no end in sight. It has been going on for six years.

In Atlanta, the Carolinas and Tennessee the lack of water is proving devastating as the area turns into a desert wasteland. Heat, humidity, no showers, bottled drinking water, no toilet flushing, and water restrictions combine make life very difficult for these people. It is the same things as found in Baghdad.

In Louisiana our government has been insensitive to the needs of people and has mismanaged every aspect of disaster management and disaster recovery. The result is widespread homelessness and a devastated economy. Jobs are scarce, businesses are bust, and people are wondering about the wisdom of creating a future in New Orleans. It has been going on for two years. These are the same issues as found in Baghdad.

So why is it such a calamity for us but tolerable for those in Iraq? We know it isn’t. We know it’s wrong. We know we are paying to have a fortune in money sent into Baghdad to fix these problems and the money is being stolen and embezzled. That is not your fault nor is it mine; we have people who are supposed to be stewards for America and they are implicated in corruption in major ways.

$13.5 Billion of Iraqi oil cannot be accounted for that we handled; but one example of the widespread theft. It has become so bad that rather than face the music the Bush Administration has fired the auditors because it’s all bad news and they want to hush it up. Congress hates to hear bad news because conscience demands that it be fixed.

An embassy in Baghdad with a building fit for a king -- yet no lights or water and the workmanship so shoddy that the building is condemned. A security force, Blackwater, that kills innocents in arrogance and impunity and who is above the law.

We have a Secretary of State who can’t manage her Agency. A CIA that breaks the law on torture and abuse, a Justice Department that has violated the Constitution and every other agency of our government is breaking down including our military. Today the FEMA Agency under Chertoff admitted to running a sham press conference. It is a disgrace. Republicans refuse to permit Democrats to fix anything and so we have government gridlock. It’s just the same as in Baghdad.

These are examples of the incompetence of the Bush Administration and it is universal to our government.

It’s sad, it’s sick, and it makes us mad. Congress tolerates it and that also makes us sick and it makes us mad.

Now the incompetence has spread to financial markets as the dollar crashes, oil rises, inflation takes hold, and Bush puts out press releases that we never had it so good.

When do we deal with this mess? Is it too elemental to just leave for the ballot box? One concern is that the limits of tolerance are being measured by politicians and they are learning just how much they can get away with. When we let them pervert our government then we deserve what we get. Same as in Baghdad!