Treason

Most can (and did at the time) understand that the Bush administration had to take strong measures in response to the terrorist attacks of 911. We complained some, but not too much, about what we then had to go through at the nation’s airports. We in general supported the overthrow of the Taliban in Afghanistan, and few raised any serious objections to the establishment of the Department of Homeland Security. While most know that Bush is an arrogant idiot, we gave him the benefit of the doubt, and his approval rating went stratospheric as the US started to kick ass and take names.

Tragically, demonic forces jumped into the fray with both feet and no shortage of enthusiasm. The attack gave the PNAC boys the Pearl Harbor event they wanted as an excuse to take over the world by any and all means necessary. The Bush brain was already planning to invade Iraq and loaded with code:

IF terrorEvent THEN invadeIraq;

The critical distinction is that between the above and the two lines:

IF terrorEvent THEN investigateCause;
IF investigateCause (terrorEvent) = Iraq THEN invadeIraq;

The PNAC boys had no problem generating enthusiastic support among a salivating army of war profiteers. Unfortunately, still hurting from Vietnam, most in America weren’t so enthusiastic about an unjustified, optional war at tremendous expense not to mention loss of American life. PNAC had its event, but it needed to demonstrate that Iraq belonged in the set of responses. Quickly, it was seen as necessary to collect the information sufficient for a case to invade Iraq.

Without listing all of the details, we now stand on the brink of uncovering not only the monster that the administration invoked, but the dark magic and incantations used to summon it from Satan’s empire. The reader likely grasps this monster’s respect for the rule of law, the Constitution, our troops, our economy, our reputation, our safety, our future.

Should any experienced generals (Shinseki) bring up reality in terms of the occupation, fire them. Should any of the finance people (O'Neill) bring up reality about the cost, fire them. Should sources of information fail to provide the desired data, torture them. Should the desired results remain unavailable, fabricate data and lie to everyone. The lead in a New York Times piece today:

The Central Intelligence Agency withheld information about a secret counterterrorism program from Congress for eight years on direct orders from former Vice President Dick Cheney, the agency’s director, Leon E. Panetta, has told the Senate and House intelligence committees, two people with direct knowledge of the matter said Saturday.