SOunTrUe

I've only heard a little of the speech itself, although between the usual websites I'm getting a feel for the event. Great comment on CSPan: "I think [Bush] has one oar in the water and is ready for the rubber room." This after correctly stating that the prescription drug benefit is really a subsidy to pharmeceutical companies. He closed noting the irony of planning a trip to the moon while putting a $500 billion dollar deficit on the credit card.

One Republican--in Little Rock, no less--picked up on something I heard on the drive home: Dan Schoor noted a comment by Bush implying that Clinton didn't finish the job off after the first Trade Center bombing back in 1993. Hell, maybe they'll try to argue that as the idea for invading Iraq--jeez. Anyway, the caller literally said that "the Democrats sure didn't go after them when THEY were in office." Little Rock people cartainly do sound sincere when they lie.

Found a transcript of the speech, and am trying to scan it--although CSpan is running it again really soon. You know, one thing that has been really troubling me for a while is the insistence that Iraq is "free." Hey, everyone, wake up: the Iraqi people are NOT free. They are living under an amalgam of Occupation Law, as defined by the Geneva Conventions, some literal martial law, either via our soldiers or the various militias, gangs, and whatnot, Sharia, or Religious Law, partly defined by I.G.C. fiat (see here, and here), and Religious Law as defined by the various mullahs and ayatollahs depending on their relative importance in a particular region in conjunction with any or all of the above--then there are also local councils, some owing alliegance to the US, others either a combination of the above or something different entirely. This ISN'T "free."

The implications of this is that there is a real good chance of civil war regardless of the presence of US--oh, excuse me, the coalition countries--on the ground. No way this comes even close to freedom.

But the recast is beginning, so I'm gonna close for a spell and listen in. If I hear/read anything that stands out, I'll post above.