Democracy Iraqi Style

One of my biggest objections during the Bush administration was that they governed by fear. This was American democracy in action and the world was watching. Especially the Iraqis upon whom we were trying to impose our vision of it.

The lesson, perhaps, was to do as we say, not as we do. They didn't seem to hear and have now taken it to their own level of governing by fear. Kill the opposition!

Provincial elections are to be held Saturday. Three candidates were killed today. They were all Sunnis. The current government is, of course, Shiia.

About 15 million Iraqis are expected to turn out Saturday with the Sunnis planning to turn out in large numbers. Tens of thousands of police and soldiers will supply security including curfews and a vehicle ban to discourage car bombings! I wonder if they ever thought of voting by mail!

When I read that the lead up to the voting has been less violent than feared, it makes me wonder just what the "surge" has really accomplished. And just exactly their take is on what "democracy" is all about.

When you consider the celebration in Grant Park after Obama's win and the crowds jammed into Washington D.C. for the inauguration, both of which went without incident, I get the feeling the Iraqis don't quite get it! I hope it doesn't turn into a blood bath. The verbal character assassination that occurs in our country is something I will gladly learn to tolerate if the Iraqi was is the alternative!

Golden Moment

Time in waiting rooms is usually spent leafing through old magazines and getting irritated because the doctor is running late. This has not been the case at Washington State's Vet Med Hospital. It is a large waiting room and though somewhat sterile, it's filled with comfortable couches and chairs and even TV.

It is a place of high emotion. Some tragic as was the case our first night there a week ago. A woman came in sobbing that her dog had been hit by a truck and she was sure he was dead. The staff got him on a gurney and brought him in and sure enough he was gone.

Hub hissed at me to leave well enough alone when the staff left her to take the dog away. Filled with empathy that night in particular, I hissed right back that I had him to console me but she was all alone and proceeded to where she was sitting. She fell against me and sobbed out the story of the entire ten years they had been together.

Already on shaky emotional ground I cried right along with her. The staff returned to talk with her and I took my leave.

Yesterday was a mixed bag. There was the student with Jackson, a sweet natured pit bull pup who was there for shots and to set up a neutering. There was the lady with the Great Pyrenees puppy who wanted to visit everyone everywhere and did to everyone's delight.

There was the lady who brought in a cancer stricken cat. Her son was dying from pancreatic and liver cancer. The cat was his and she was determined it was not going to die before he did.

People talk with one another. Whether their pet is healthy or gravely ill they empathize. You can feel it filling the room. And once in awhile something wonderful happens.

A blind Golden Eagle is brought out for a fresh air break and a chance to spread his wings. I wonder if they do this as a way to hearten the underlying sadness. It sure lifted my spirits, if only for a short time. It was a joy to see life had triumphed in a place where it often does not.

Have We Lost Our Moral Compass?

From the executives at Citigroup who will get 60% of their obscene bonuses even after the bailout to the local vet who refused to euthanize a dog because the owner couldn't afford it, I'm wondering if all the hype over hope and change has failed to penetrate our thick skulls!

On the "tell me something I don't know" segment of the Chris Matthews show, Bob Woodward said the issues of unpaid taxes were not over for Obama appointees. He didn't name names but assured Matthews there were names yet to come. A vote is due on an admitted tax cheat for Treasury Secretary. The headlines this morning tell me Lobbyists skirt Obama's earmark ban.

There are efforts being made to include adding sand to a beach in New Jersey and building a water park in Miami as part of the stimulus package! We're told the mall in D.C. needs re-sodded. How many hundreds of those promised jobs is that going to create? Please!

Another headline tells that a lack of grants and other funding will end a transportation service in Spokane to get seniors and disabled to doctors appointments. Well, thats certainly a method of population control!

The mayor of Portland refuses to step down after admitting he had lied about an improper relationship with a minor. He had this to say, "Tomorrow I go back to work as your mayor. I know I have let you down and made mistakes. I ask your forgiveness. I believe I have a lot to offer the city I love during this time of important challenges."

Please forgive him! Please forgive Bill Richardson and Rod Blogojevich and Timothy Geitner. How about throwing in all those banking execs who have gotten billions but won't account for them Forgive them. Don't forget former Treasury Secretary Paulson for giving it to them carte blanche. Forgive him.

My understanding and forgiveness quotient is tapped out. We have a new President who is trying to bring forward ideas to get us out of the mess we've gotten ourselves into. That won't happen unless we get beyond our own selfish interests and work with him. I'm not seeing that. I'm seeing no remorse for anything other than getting caught.

It's a sorry day when the letter "O" no longer brings to mind Obama, but rather a collective "Oops"!

A Peace Initiative Dogwalk Style

You know, I'm really getting tired of these countries who's leaders are scolding us for civilian deaths and wanting our military to kowtow to the dictates of their military. Their militarys which can't get it done for themselves. Whatever "it" is!

The BBC reports Karzai anger at US strike deaths. Sound familiar? Haven't we been hearing the same thing from Iraq? Haven't we been hearing the same demands that our military clear all actions with the Iraqis?

Here's how I see it. Neither really want us there. Karzai is little more than "mayor" of Kabul. The rest of his opium producing paradise is under the rule of the Taliban and war lords. Iraq's al-Maliki is little different. He's been dragging his feet for years because his Shiia interests outweigh those of his country.

Our main target, bin Laden, is in neither country. He's either in the tribal areas of Pakistan or has shaved his beard and is driving a cab in D.C. Who knows.

We get little respect from the Israelis when it comes to working toward peace between themselves and the Palestinians. So what's the point? When we have managed to bring about "democratic" elections the people of those countries have put governments in place that we do not like. Again, what's the point?

How do you effectively fight a war when our guys stand out like beacons because of their armor and uniforms while the opposition fades into civilian crowds because they don't dress for war! They surely do match us in weaponry.

I'm just a bit edgy these days but I'm tired of these governments scolding us when it's our young men and women who are being maimed or slaughtered to keep their sorry selves in power.

War is Hell. Civilians get killed. If they don't want their civilians killed stop the wars! Quit blaming us. If they don't want us there, let's oblige them. I'm sure all our Johnnie's would be more than happy to come marching home.

Kirsten Gillibrand Sounds Good To Me!

Having lived in upstate New York I came to realize, in short order, it is an entirely different universe then the metro New York City area. It's nice to see that they'll be getting a voice on the national level.

I had to chuckle when her name was first announced. All those NYC Democrats were crying foul. She didn't have enough experience was the one that really caught my attention. What the heck do they want?

Here she is a sitting Congresswoman. She knows Washington. She did fund raising for Hillary who's seat she is taking. She had the good sense to vote against TARP. She voted for funding the Iraq war which does not automatically mean she supported the war but more likely that she wasn't about to desert support for the troops. Obama had the same dilemma. She's a Blue Dog Democrat, you know, the ones who support fiscal conservatism? How radical is that!

She is well educated having graduated magna cum laude with a major in Asian studies from Dartmouth and has studied Chinese. She's considered a centrist which fits well with Obama's wanting to alter partisan patterns now so firmly entrenched.

As a former Upstater I say to Governor Paterson, "Good choice." To those of you who wanted the job but weren't chosen, try looking at what she has accomplished instead of picking apart the singular points with which you disagree. Maybe in the process you'll figure out why she was the one chosen.