Velma Berger – 12/11/05

This page was last updated on December 17, 2005.

Reality check; Velma Berger; Beaver County Times; December 11, 2005.

This letter is just one talking point after another, and it’s the fifth Bush-bashing letter Ms. Berger’s written since February. For someone who throws accusations around so easily, you’d think she would be more careful with her supporting “facts.”

Below is a detailed critique of the letter.

“Is the president in touch with reality?

“First, it was his speech on the aircraft carrier in a flight suit announcing ‘mission accomplished.’ That was May 1, 2003. Since then, more than 2,100 service personnel have been killed. The news reported recently that 11 Marines were killed and 11 injured.”

[RWC] President Bush did not proclaim, “mission accomplished.” This was a banner on the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln acknowledging the initial mission of booting Saddam Hussein out of power was accomplished. During his speech on the Lincoln, President Bush clearly stated, “We have difficult work to do in Iraq.”

“How many times do we have to secure Fallujah? Where are these insurgents coming from? Iraq is approximately the size of California, and we can’t secure the border.”

[RWC] Unless Ms. Berger hasn’t noticed, we haven’t been able to secure California’s Mexico border for decades. The total Iraq border length is about 2,300 miles. I’d like to see the border locked, but 2,300 miles is a lot to lock down while also securing the country’s interior. The U.S. – Mexico border is about 2,000 miles and we can’t secure it either.

“Also, going back to Hurricane Katrina and the devastation of Louisiana and Mississippi, it took the president three days before he flew over the region. He then praised Michael ‘Brownie’ Brown, head of FEMA, saying, ‘Brownie, you’re doing a heck of a job.’

[RWC] I get a kick out of the people who whine, “it took the president three days before he flew over the region.” When President Bush showed up quickly after the 2004 Florida hurricanes, the same people bashed President Bush for allegedly grandstanding. No matter when President Bush showed up, it would have been either too soon or too late for folks like Ms. Berger. As we know, President Bush approved mobilization of federal resources before the hurricane. It was the local and state officials who dragged their feet, and in some cases even got in the way. Hey, all levels of government could have done better. I just get tired of people like Ms. Berger dumping all the blame on FEMA.

“Wrong again, Mr. Bush. People were not even getting bottled water, and two days later Brown resigned. FEMA let people down, and they are still suffering terribly.”

[RWC] Of course we now know the bottled water and other supplies were there, but the Louisiana Department of Homeland Security (not affiliated with the federal DHS) stopped delivery. The Louisiana DHS said it didn’t want to make the Superdome and the Convention Centers “magnets” for evacuees. This is only one example of FEMA getting bashed for the actions of local and state government.

We also know the people stranded in New Orleans wouldn’t have been there had the local and state governments executed their evacuation plans.

“So, on both of these occasions, Bush really had no idea what was going on.”

[RWC] In truth, it appears Ms. Berger has no idea what’s going on.

“Every time he gives a speech promoting this war, he has to travel to a military base or academy for the proper background. He should stay in Washington for a change and take care of the people’s business.”

[RWC] Ms. Berger and her fellow travelers really need to take logic courses. If the military didn’t support the mission, speaking before the military would be the last President Bush would want to do. The question we need to ask is, if folks who share Ms. Berger’s Iraq War position really believe they’re supporting the troops, why don’t they “travel to a military base or academy for the proper background” for their cut-and-run speeches?