BCT Editorial – 8/28/06

This page was last updated on August 28, 2006.

Remain calm?; Editorial; Beaver County Times; August 28, 2006.

Below is a detailed critique of the subject editorial.

“More Americans are recognizing that all is not well in Iraq

“Watching President Bush talk about Iraq these days is like watching the Kevin Bacon ROTC character at the end of ‘Animal House.’

“While people are running all over the place to get away from the Delta House-induced anarchy that has broken out on the streets, the jittery young man, clearly lacking confidence in his words, is saying, ‘Remain calm! All is well!’”

[RWC] I can only assume the author assumes we don’t pay attention to current events. When has President Bush ever painted a rosy picture about Iraq? Of course, if you don’t view Iraq as a lost cause, folks like the editorial author assume you’re looking at Iraq through rose-colored glasses.

“In real life, Iraq is crumbling into civil war, if it’s not there already. The Marine Corps is so strapped for manpower that it has had to call up 2,500 men and women who are in the Individual Ready Reserve, which consists mainly of those who have left active duty but still have time remaining on their eight-year military obligations. U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., a Bush loyalist when it comes to Iraq, is criticizing the administration for misleading Americans about the problems U.S. forces would face when they invaded and occupied Iraq.”

[RWC] I wish the Times would make up its mind. In an editorial five months ago, the Times asserted civil war already existed in Iraq. Now the Times is not sure.

How does recalling volunteer marines with time remaining on their “military obligations” qualify as being “strapped for manpower?”

When did Sen. McCain become “a Bush loyalist when it comes to Iraq?”

“And the number of dead, maimed and wounded Americans and Iraqis continues to mount, with no end in sight.”

[RWC] Unfortunately, that’s what happens in war. It’s also what was happening for more than 20 years before we went into Iraq. When it comes to attacks against the U.S., folks like the editorial author seem to be memory-challenged about the era before President Bush took office.

“In midst of this awful reality, Bush appears to be doing the same thing as Bacon’s callow Animal House character, trying to reassure others - and himself? - to remain calm and that all is well when more Americans can see with each passing day that it obviously isn’t.”

[RWC] Apparently portraying President Bush as a moronic buffoon never gets old for the bash Bush crowd.