A reasonable editorial assessment of Afghanistan status.

[measl at mfn.org]

An amazing editorial piece, considering that it is the very first one I
have seen that didn't have Shrub's balls slapping against the author's
chin:

http://www.cnn.com/2001/ALLPOLITICS/11/01/column.billpress/index.html

WASHINGTON (Tribune Media Services) -- Almost two months into the war
against terrorism -- and one month into the war against anthrax -- it's
fair to ask: 'how are we doing?' The answer is: 'fabulous!' Just ask
anyone in the White House. 

Thanks to Lloyd Grove of the Washington Post for assembling this verbal
collage of praise issued by members of the Bush administration to each
other. Let others play the blame game. They're busy playing the praise
game, showering each other with compliments, not always well-deserved. 

Of course, the praise starts from the top. President Bush boasts: "I've
put together a fabulous administration. I picked a great vice president in
Dick Cheney." He's proud of his Treasury Department, too: "Secretary Paul
O'Neill is doing a fabulous job." And he has no doubt we'll win the
war: "I've got great confidence in the American military." 

In each case, the truth belies the praise. If the military's doing such a
great job, why -- after three weeks of nonstop, intensive bombing of one
of the poorest countries on earth, with no navy, no air force and only a
ragtag band of soldiers using obsolete weapons -- is the Taliban still in
power? Why do they still control every major city in Afghanistan? What's
left to bomb? And why are Osama bin Laden's whereabouts still unknown? 

For that matter, if Dick Cheney's doing such a fabulous job, why are his
whereabouts still unknown and why isn't he allowed back into his White
House office? And is Paul O'Neill really doing such a fabulous job when
the nation's suddenly in a recession? 

The president is also quick to stroke Secretary of State Colin
Powell: "He's done a fabulous job of assembling a coalition of people from
all around the world to fight terror." 

Nice words, but again, the reality falls short. Of the so-called
coalition, only Britain is contributing man- and firepower. Saudi Arabia
won't let us fly sorties from their soil. 

Egypt has refused to supply troops. And Pakistan, our most important ally
in the region, is urging the United States to stop bombing. Except for
England, for all practical purposes, we're fighting this war alone. 

Other Bush team leaders join in self-praise. Secretary of Defense Donald
Rumsfeld brags: "We've done a pretty good job of being able to now
function over that country from the air." Which is as meaningless as his
assertion, on the second day of bombing, that we had "run out of
targets." In three weeks, we have learned the same lesson Russia learned
the hard way: Being able to fly military jets safely over Afghanistan is
far from being able to dislodge Afghani fighters from their mountain
strongholds. 

By the way, where are the massive defections of Taliban fighters we were
told to expect once bombs started dropping? 

But it's not just the war against terrorism. On the home front too,
fighting anthrax, administration members are lavish with praise. Health
and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson gives kudos to the Centers for
Disease Control: "They're doing a good job of identifying cases that might
be anthrax." And White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card chimes in: "We
have outstanding health care experts that understand this problem and are
addressing it quickly." 

Tell that to postal workers, who were assured by the CDC there was no need
to wear protective clothing or be tested against anthrax. 

That was before two mail carriers died from exposure to the disease. 

Completing the congratulatory circle, Card singles out his boss for
praise: "He is in great shape. He's a very disciplined man. He gets up
very early in the morning. He does his homework. And he works hard during
the day. He exercises, and he sleeps well at night." So, there you have
it. Things must be going well, because not even the Taliban can keep
George Bush from his treadmill. 

Actually, there are disturbing signs that neither war is going well. The
generals warn we may not be able to defeat the Taliban until November
2002. Secretary Rumsfeld recently said we may never catch Osama bin
Laden. And neither the CDC, the FBI or the CIA have any idea where the
anthrax-laden letters came from. 

Maybe the Bush administration would do a better job fighting both
terrorists and anthrax if they weren't so busy patting each other on the
back. 



-- 
Yours, 
J.A. Terranson
sysadmin at mfn.org

If Governments really want us to behave like civilized human beings, they
should give serious consideration towards setting a better example:
Ruling by force, rather than consensus; the unrestrained application of
unjust laws (which the victim-populations were never allowed input on in
the first place); the State policy of justice only for the rich and 
elected; the intentional abuse and occassionally destruction of entire
populations merely to distract an already apathetic and numb electorate...
This type of demogoguery must surely wipe out the fascist United States
as surely as it wiped out the fascist Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

The views expressed here are mine, and NOT those of my employers,
associates, or others.  Besides, if it *were* the opinion of all of
those people, I doubt there would be a problem to bitch about in the
first place...
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