I was part of the recent small protest in the Civic Center area against the escalation of the Iraq War. A photograph of our protest was printed in your paper last week.
In March, 2003, almost four years ago, I participated in a similar protest, at Webb Way and PCH, against Bush’s war, which had not yet begun, which we now know was based on the lies this corrupt Administration has foisted on the American people. Over those nearly four years, over $500 billion has been spent on this unnecessary war, and it will cost our taxpayers over $8 billion a month to fight Bush’s war in 2007.
A Belgian university professor friend recently told me that the U.S. is not really a democracy, but a succession of four year dictatorships. In the November, 2006, elections, the American people showed that this is not the case, and we expressed our disapproval of this unwanted war started by this unelected (as some of us think) President, by returning the Democrats to power in Congress.
Bush’s response? To force a “surge” in his Iraqi forces. I see it as more of a tsunami-a tidal wave of additional American young men and women put in harm’s way to feed a failed President’s desperate effort to save his Presidency by extending the war to force the next President to be the one to clean up his mess. As Senator Biden put it, Bush wants the next President to be the one to send in the helicopters to lift the last American out of the Green Zone.
This failed President must be removed from office now, and he can take his Vice President with him.
Ted Vaill