Twice within 48 hours, and from two separate soldiers stationed at bases on opposite sides of the country, I have heard the news that we are likely to invade Iran--in the very, very near future. Like, this Fall. Like, after the election, of course. (No sense in needlessly riling up the masses in November.)
Do these soldiers know what they are talking about? I can't guarantee it, but I do know enough about how slowly the military moves and how much advance prep they require for action to think that perhaps these guys may have a clue the rest of us don't.
Soldier One, a close family friend, relays to his mother that he will be begin a new deployment in early October. His mother asks, "Back to Iraq?" Soldier One responds, "No. They are talking about another country."
Soldier Two, spent the night in my home, a childhood friend of my son's. He tells me in the course of a conversation on how he's doing these days that he will be deployed again soon." I ask, "Back to Iraq?" Soldier Two responds, "No, probably Iran." He's special forces. Do you think he knows what he's talking about?
I can't guarantee that either is privvy to the last word in America's military strategy. But, based on Donald Rumsfeld's recent speech to the American Legion, I'd say Donald might be a little fuzzy on the details himself. It isn't what Rumsfeld says that matters anyway. It's all about what he and his cohorts do based on what they believe. It's also about what they're thinking of doing, and you don't honestly believe they're going to let the public in on that until they find a way to sell it or scare us into it, do you?
Bush and Co. dazzle us with terminology like Islamofascism, which according to Middle-East experts is a non-word and not remotely synonomous with the word terrorism. What are we being set up for this time? The idea, the likelihood of movement against Iran very soon is definitely on the lips of those who will be most affected. Why? Two soldiers who don't know one another and stationed on opposite sides of the country. Iran? They've gotten that idea from somebody in command.
So, assuming these soldiers are in the know, what does this say about the upcoming election? To me it smacks of cocksuredness on the part of the current Commander in Chief that today's status quo in Congress will still be the status quo in January. It would indicate that he see the November election as not even a speedbump in the road to achieving his goals. But are his goals Americans' goals?
April 6 of this year was the last time the U.S. House of Representatives took any action in committee on H.R. 550--a measure which, if made into law, would require a paper trail for electronic voting machines thus making all votes independently verifiable. I know this because I checked on our Reps progress on this matter. So, until pressured by citizens to enact some safeguards, once again the upcoming electronic election will be brought to you by that bastion of corporate Republicanism, the Diebold Corporation. I'm not feeling very comfortable about the health of our democracy right now. http://www.alternet.org/blogs/video/40755/
To date, it has been very well documented what the Bush neo-conservatives who control the Republican party believe, and if you are fool enough to think it's Christian, think again. They have demonstrated their beliefs by their actions or non-actions over and over. Remember Katrina?
Now their message to the world from America, from you and me, is Our neo-conservatist fascists can kick the asses of your brand of fascists. Well, that strategy has not worked out so well in Iraq, has it? So don't expect to hear me defend the war. It's not the war on terror. It's just a war, begun by a class of people who had something to gain and access to plenty of cannon fodder. Some of that fodder I happen to personally know and love. Now it appears they arrogantly may be thinking of starting another war because, if the 2004 election is any indication, they clearly don't fear any stupid citizens getting in their way. http://www.appliedresearch.us/sf/epdiscrep.htm
So, what do you believe, reader? I believe first and foremost in the Constitution of the United States of America and the Bill of Rights. I believe citizens have a non-negotiable responsibility to find out what their candidates and leaders believe in before choosing to support them. I believe that "one citizen equals one" vote should be set like stone in the mortar of our forefathers' sacrifices and never subject to the interpretation of an individual, a government, or a political party.
When our votes stop counting, then this country stops being Ameria. I think it is way, way past time for all Americans who love this nation to come together as patriots on this one issue and demand of our representatives that they take immediate action on H.R. 550. Time is running out, and I don't think we'll find any democracy for ourselves on the road to Iran.
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