The State Of The Union Address sounded like the last 6. Kinda like a KC and the Sunshine Band greatest hits album. The same old shit with new names. You know, like K-Tel’s offerings in the ’70’s and ’80’s TeeVee ads. Nothing thinking people want to hear. Just sappy drivel that may sell to the mentally challenged.

While babbling the reruns he tried to sell America that the State of the Union is strong. Issues addressed were tired old things like reforming Social Security, No Child Left behind and vouchers for schools. He called them “Pell Grants For Kids” but they are still just vouchers that will divert even more money from already underfunded public schools and giving the elite an upper hand.

Surprisingly he called for more support of clean energy and reducing dependancy on oil. I think this was just pandering to the green thinking populace and he really doesn’t care. Reducing the need for oil may hurt his income so I think it was just B.S..

Reforming “entitlement spending”, or social security, seemed to me to be about reducing benefits for those who have payed into this fund for life. Doesn’t sound at all like entitlement. Just getting back what you payed in.

Doubling federal border agents on the Mexican border and more fences were his solve all for immigration. He said we should take measures to make America unappealing. I wonder if that means lowering wages here so people wouldn’t want to come here to work.

When he started calling for more defense in Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran and Pakistan Speaker Nancy Pelosi started to read disinterestedly. Watching Cheney and nancy sitting behind Bush was more enlightening than any of the crap spewing from his mouth. She showed disdain by her reading and I thought Dick was going to have heart failure from all the standing and sitting he endured. If he would have died it would have saved him the shame of impeachment. Now to get on with that. I hope.

While sending 3200 Marines to Afghanistan he called the elections there a success. I noticed that congresspersons on both sides of the aisle applauding. It’s not their kids over there fighting so I guess they can praise this louder. The surge in Iraq is working, he said, so we are bringing 20,000 soldiers home in the next few months. He seemed proud of this like he actually was bringing our kids home. Even with 20 thousand coming back there will still be too many US troops staying.

After he renamed the Iraq conflict “Protective Overwatch Mission”, basically admitting a long occupation is planned, his threats to Iran weren’t a surprise. If we keep soldiers there it will be easier to attack Iran short range. The attacks threatened because America will defend our vital interests in the Persian Gulf.

We need to “defend America’ by monitoring the peoples communication, he said. We will be in “great danger” if congress doesn’t reapprove the spying on America crap that expires February first. Heckuva way to protect us.

He claimed a 95% increase in veteran benefits funding in the last four years. To “meet the needs of a new war” says they are planning a new conflict. Probably with Iran.

All in all it was just rehash of the crap we have heard since the Bushman took office. Old babble mixed with not so new rhetoric. alQaida on the run, Katrina hero’s from ‘05, 2005’s Iraq elections (2503 US soldiers have been killed in Iraq since the “freedom” came in those elections) and the rehashing of “stopping terrorist plots” in 2002/03.

Just a talking head spewing his “greatest hits”.

Hits that didn’t sell the first time.

Like KC and the Sunshine Band there was no substance.

In the wake of Bhutto’s death in Pakistan there are many accusations flying. The people are blaming Musharraf’s government while the official word from them has it Al-Qaida and the Taliban. The country is in a state of unrest and I think elections scheduled in 2 weeks will be suspended. Al-Qaida is an organization who catches the blame no matter who does it. Their involvement in the 9/11 attacks on our country was the first time most Americans had ever heard of them but since then the name is never far away when attacks are made anywhere. That makes them the most powerful non government group in the world. People are always ready to accept something that exonerates their own government. Pakistans leaders are now the next ones to jump on that bandwagon to make sure the accusations are redirected.

The people of The United States accepted Al-Qaida’s involvement in the attacks on America without question. The news made sure everyone knew the majority of the hijackers were Saudia Arabian followers of Ossama bin Laden. A man who had close ties to the Bush family through his parents. Some how the American people let their patriotic hatred of bin Laden be morphed into a national hatred of Iraqi leader Hussein. The lies to the people led to a lemming like rush to settle Georgies grudge against the man and country who his daddy had been humiliated by in 1992. The drunk that now sits in the Oval Office and his war machine buddies took advantage of the situation. bin Laden is running loose while Americans are still paying dearly with lives and spending because of Bush’s lies. In a country where Ossama isn’t.bin Laden is expected to release a video today about conspiracies in Iraq. So much for the Bush threat tocapture him “Dead Or Alive”.In Baghdad a car bomb killed at least 11 in a market today. Blaming this on Al-Qaida is inevitable. Also proof that no matter how much progress is made the surge is NOT working and our men and women are fighting an endless civil war they have no business being involved in. The official count of US soldiers killed in Iraq reached 3900 Wednesday. Thats 3760 American lives lost there since Bush stood his pretentious ass on the deck of an aircraft carrier proclaiming Mission Accomplished. 2462 US soldiers lives lost since the January 2005 election the Bush Administration promised would end the need for American involvement. 28,711 US soldiers have officially been wounded. That does not count an estimated twenty thousand with brain injuries the Veterans Administration isn’t recognizing. It also doesn’t count the thousands of returning troops who weren’t physically injured but are suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder formerly known as shell shock.

Many are blaming the Bush administration for Bhutto’s death. They say our government pushed too hard too early for her return. Saying that Bushco threw her into the killers reach by making sure her return to Pakistan after years of exile was a highly charged campaign. I don’t know and haven’t spent enough time analyzing it to have formed an opinion yet. However, if the Cheney/Bush folks did indeed orchestrate her rise and support then there was some kind of back room deal.

After all Musharraf is an ally of our president. For now.

1 For Years I have wondered at the relationship between Pakistan’s Pervez Musharraf and the Bush administration. Since The World Trade Towers fell Pakistan has been an ally with us in the WOT. Despite atrocities toward women and the suppression of religious freedom the United States continues to give billions in aid to Pakistan. Much of that to their military, arming the militarist government even more.

We have seen what arming others can do to the threatening forces around the world. Giving aid to the Afghani’s to fight the Soviets came back to haunt us. Arming Iraq to defend from Iran has brought many casualties to our soldiers and the nations pocket book. Arming Pakistan will turn around and bite us in the end.

The assassination of opposition leader Benazir Bhutto today is a huge blow to human rights and freedom in the region. She had a very good chance of winning the upcoming election. After serving as the first female Prime Minister twice she fled Pakistan in exile. Returning in October she has faced violence but was so dedicated to stopping the terrorist rule in her homeland it was worth the risks to her.

The people supported her tremendously because of her resistance to the violent, sectarian military rule that Bush’s friend Musharraf has been meting out. Human rights was at the forefront of her campaign and womens rights were finally being discussed. She was calling for an end to violence against women which include beating, rape and “honor” killings. Her struggle to end religious persecution was a huge issue the majority of the people supported. Her chance of winning the election was almost 100% and threatened the powers that be. Maybe even the Bush family.

Somehow it seems this isn’t all it looks like on the surface. The nuclear armed country under the rule of a military leader with ties to the Bush administration brings up many questions that will forever remain unanswered. Musharraf isn’t all warm and cuddly with Israel and has the ability to throw nukes that far. There has been chatter about possible conspiracies with the governments who are allied in the WOT but those will be discounted. After all nobody knows all of the deals made in the high offices of world leaders. That would be bad for the populace,wouldn’t it? Secrets are necessary.

I’m real curious to see how the Whitehouse will treat this. I hope not with soldiers. We can’t afford to lose anymore of our young women and men in another world police action that has no resolution. Not another fight based on lies and fearmongering. Not another American life should be spent on another countries civil war.

No more. Please.