Anybody surprised it’s about oil?

Alan Greenspan tells it like it is in his new memoirs. He is long past the age where he has to worry about his political hide:

“I am saddened that it is politically inconvenient to acknowledge what everyone knows: the Iraq war is largely about oil,”

The Iraq bloviating has become so thick of late that I cannot watch the Newshour or read much about Iraq pontificating anymore. Especially the mainstream regurgitation of the same old talking points about how we have to wait until…(you fill in the blank) before we begin to withdraw troops (withdrawing to the “pre-surge” troop level is not disengagement) and end our misguided occupation. Glenn Greenwald over at Salon.com explains why in this piece, “The Endless, Meaningless Blather From The Washington Establishment“.

As much as our political class disgraced itself with its obsequious support for the invasion itself, and further disgraced itself with its complicity in the endless claims (including from the General Whose Credibility Must Not Be Questioned) that things were going well when the opposite was true, their behavior over the last twelve months — when even they admit that the war is a failure and keep promising to support withdrawal only never to do so — is the undeniable evidence of how corrupt and worthless they really are.

We continue to wage one of the most absurd wars in history — one in which all of the original justifications have long ago vanished and nobody can identify any specific purpose in staying, yet one which continues with no remote end in sight. Put another way, we have exactly the war that befits our political establishment.

More and more lately it is not about Democrats versus Republicans (notice Greenwald’s use of the terms “political class” and “political establishment” above), it is about us versus our politicians. That is a good thing… er you think?

If you liked this post, feel free to subscribe to our rss feeds

2 Comments so far (Add 1 more)

(listed oldest to newest)

Sigh, Bushtool said:

“it is about us versus our politicians”

I’ve been feeling that way significantly. (which is why I left the party) Forget the little letter attached the the pol’s name. The endless stream of ridiculous answers and justifications all point to a patronizing drone of “Listen boys and girls, this is how we play in Washington. Our product is process. Pat-pat, there-there, now you are too naive to understand.”

We say Investigate, they reply, “and tie up congress?”

Then sensing frustration, get busy with token investigations of little fish - and the egrigious offenses stay entrenched in a system that seems to think better of questioning itself. (My Congressional To Do List: Investigate: Excessive Speculation in the Natural Gas Market), not that it isn’t important but I can think of a few I’d like to see ahead of it on the list.

I find myself equally frustrated by the insiders and political junkies. I loathe politics, I detest a game that requires I become some hardended, jaded, inertia-ridden Microvelli (little Machiavelli) in order to survive or escape eye-rolling ridicule. They tell us their inertia is somehow related to “Not having the Votes.”

Martin Luther King didn’t have the votes either, nor did Ceasar Chavez. The difference seems to be they believed in the imperative of their cause. I do not care - one jot - if by fighting I loose, as the goal of merely winning is morally bankrupt. Give me the dreamers, the idealists, the reformers and just a little bit of hope and I will be there.

[Reply]

1. Above comment written by arturo on September 16th, 2007 at 9:12 am (replies, if any, are attributed separately above).
When politicians become delinquent and a threat to human life and dignity, you now have the opportunity to blacklist them and declare them persona non grata.

[Reply]

2. Above comment written by J C Grobler on September 16th, 2007 at 10:32 am (replies, if any, are attributed separately above).

Moderation Active: Comments are open on this post and will be moderated (i.e. the post will not appear immediately, please don't submit twice !)