Political Cortex: Brain Food for the Body Politic

After denouncing the Bush Administration for its current tactic of linking Iraq War difficulties to Hillary Clinton and others who have been critical of America's continuing involvement there, no more than a restructuring of the old argument used by Richard Nixon and surrogates against Vietnam War critics, Olbermann then turned the discussion toward Bush.

Olbermann used historical examples of General Ambrose Burnside and Winston Churchill.  After a civil war general and Lord of the British Admiralty had seen conflicts result in disaster and tragedy to forces under their command they both volunteered to go into battle and personally lead their charges in battle.

Keith Olbermann declared that the time is ripe for Bush to finally fulfill his own military obligation, which ended in a cover-up of his own flight from duty while a member of the Texas Air National Guard.

The Olbermann comment alongside that of the angry Iraq soldier echoes statements made by so many of us concerning the bold and aggressive pronouncements of Bush, Cheney and others alongside of their own shabby records.  

Cheney, like Bush, was a vociferous anti-Communist who believed in the Vietnam War, but yet, after 10 college deferments, when it looked as if he might actually have to go and fight in a conflict he felt was necessary and morally justified, instead impregnated wife Lynne and was able to avoid service altogether.

How numerous those ranks are!  Bill Kristol is aching for further military action as part of the neoconservative march to a New World Order.  As a Harvard student in the seventies, Kristol was delighted when Nixon launched his aggressive bombing of Cambodia.  He applauded those efforts from the comfort of the Harvard Yard, thousands of miles from the actual combat.

George Will?  It will be recalled that following the occupation of Iraq neocon spear carrier Will on ABC's This Week immediately turned his attention toward invading Iran.  George also sat out Vietnam via college deferment.

What about the new wave?  How delightfully appropriate it would be if those twin titans from National Review, computer terminal warriors Jonah Goldberg and Rich Lowry, would don battle fatigues and weapons.  How appropriate it would be for them to relieve some of the battle weary troops discussed in the McLaughlin Report film.

Yes, and there is that impassioned rhetoric from George W. Bush about commitment, responsibility and character building as we construct an Iraq predicated on "principles of democracy."

A number of young women have served in Iraq, Mr. Bush.  On the subject of character building and national commitment, have you had a talk with the twins lately?

Have you urged the twins to serve in uniform in Iraq the way that Franklin Delano Roosevelt's eldest son James served in the Marines during World War Two?

C'mon, neocons!  Let's see some of that precious personal service from yourselves that you advocate from others, beginning with you, Mr. Bush.