It takes a whole lot of medicine, darlin', for me to pretend to be somebody else

I suppose it's the masochist in me but I've been taking a little tour of the pro-Bush right-wing blogs reaction to the president's speech yesterday. Hoo boy. First, this from Blogs for Bush...

While we are arguing about nominees and indictments, the war goes on. The war: The only actually important issue before the American people.

Ah yes, the war. The one the American people now think was a mistake, is being badly fought, and want ended as soon as possible. That the one you mean?

Among the many things in the speech which impressed me was this bit, which refutes the critics who say that our liberation of Iraq caused more problems than it solved:

Some have also argued that extremism has been strengthened by the actions of our coalition in Iraq, claiming that our presence in that country has somehow caused or triggered the rage of radicals. I would remind them that we were not in Iraq on September the 11th, 2001 -- and al Qaeda attacked us anyway.

Um, okay, call me dense, but from where I'm sitting that doesn't refute such critics at all. It's just another attempt to muddy what has been crystal clear for years: Iraq had no connection to 9/11.

It doesn't even make sense; so, if we'd been in Iraq before 9/11 they wouldn't have attacked us?

We didn't "cause" or "trigger" the rage of radicals: We enabled it. By attacking a nation that was of no threat to us whatsoever, by sanctioning torture and other abuse of prisoners of war, we have given a whole lot of people around the world reason to say well, maybe al Qaeda is right.

By acting like the great Satan they've already been told we were, we have given, in a very real sense, aid and comfort to the enemy. That's what people mean when they say our invasion of Iraq has caused more problems than it's solved.

Meanwhile, John Hindrocket (and this is the last time I'm going to tell you this: he chose that nickname for his own self, we godless heathens just enjoy shoving it down his throat) writes:

I was talking with a liberal the other day, who tried to explain to me that democracy in Iraq is impossible because of that country's religious and ethnic diversity. Only civil war can result from such conditions, he said. Oh, great, now they tell us--multiculturalism is impossible!

Bwa ha, bwa ha, ha! because you see..Iraqi culture is exactly the same as American culture! So if their religious and ethnic diversity can only result in civil war, that means Geena Davis should get out of The White House and into a body stocking, where she belongs! Bwa ha, bwa ha, ha! Stupid liberals don't know what they're talking about!

And then there's Mr. Bush himself, who said:

Recently our country observed the fourth anniversary of a great evil, and looked back on a great turning point in our history. We still remember a proud city covered in smoke and ashes, a fire across the Potomac, and passengers who spent their final moments on Earth fighting the enemy. We still remember the men who rejoiced in every death, and Americans in uniform rising to duty. And we remember the calling that came to us on that day, and continues to this hour: We will confront this mortal danger to all humanity

We still remember a president who froze like a deer in headlights, sitting in a schoolroom, reading a book called My Pet Goat. We still remember the way the real heroes of that day who were fortunate enough to survive had their benefits cut. We still remember who dressed up in a pilot suit and strode manfully across the deck of a battle carrier and gave a speech in front of a banner that said "Mission Accomplished."

Almost two years ago. Two years of apparently neverending battles and mounting U.S. casualties. We still remember. But here's where I started to get angry.

We will not tire, or rest, until the war on terror is won.

How was that five-week vacation, you sanctimonious little turd?

We don't know the course of our own struggle — the course our own struggle will take — or the sacrifices that might lie ahead. We do know, however, that the defense of freedom is worth our sacrifice.

I'm sorry, whose sacrifice? Barbara and Jenna finally joining up, are they? My god. And to think they called his father a wimp.

Say what you will about Bush Sr, he does have that whole "shot down durning WW2" thing going for him. All Bush Jr. has is the blood of innocents.