ENOUGH ALL READY

Make that extremely frustrated. Enough all ready with the swift boats. We take the Portland Oregonian. There are three fascinating entries on page 2 of section A. One compares earlier statements from the cadre in Swift Boat Veterens for Truth ads. Their previous statements are 180 degrees from what they are saying now. The second entry is a lovely little flow chart showing connections to either the Bush family or Karl Rove. The third is a reprint of an article from the New York Times News service. An article that has information critical of both sides. That said, this is not Nazi Germany or the Soviet Union. Hopefully, this is still not a country where knowing somebody who knows somebody who is related to somebody else can get you arrested or worse, dead.

OK folks, one candidate served in the Air Guard here in the states, the other was at best a first lieutenent. That's the equivalent of a platoon or if the officer is lucky, company commander. As far as experience goes, neither one is a General Eisenhower.

Two of our most sucessful wartime presidents were Lincoln and FDR. Lincoln's military service was limited to a stint during the Black Hawk war. But, he was a quick study. When it was suggested that Grant be replaced because of his drinking and cussing, Lincoln replied, "I can't afford to lose him, he fights." An exasperated Lincoln was also reported to have asked during McClellan's era if he could borrow the Army of the Potomac for awhile. It didn't look like the general was planning to use it in the near future.

FDR put in a stint as Secratary of the Navy-no other military service that I know of. But, he could choose good men. He listened to them and he supported them. And as near as I can tell, if he received contrary information he didn't shop around until he found someone with an opinion that supported his own. He trusted the people and he did his best to make sure that the citizens of this country had as much information as could be provided without compromising the war effort. Near as I can tell the current crew is doing exactly the opposite. Way to go guys. Let's let them know just exactly what you can find on a computer hard drive and where we found it.

I guess  the point of this little entry is this. We're being distracted again. Energy is being directed at something that doesn't matter and away from what does. Voting machines that can't be trusted, accusaitons that voters in Florida are being intimidated orthrown off the voter rolls, a carpet-bagging candidate for senator in Illinois, the list goes on  and  the fact that neither candidate appears to have a plan for getting us out of this mess. The ground pounders in Iraq and Afghanistan deserve more-a lot more.

If anyone is curious about Senator Kerry's accusations of war crimes during the Viet Nam war I have this suggestion. Fire up your computer and do searches under "Tiger Force" and "Operation Phoenix". I'll let you draw your own conclusions.

I really wish that Irish Cream in my coffee this morning was the real thing instead of Torani.