Bush: Death of Two Children Justify War on Terror

Today in his speech to the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, Bush made a big deal about how he won't be forced into using deadlines for troop withdrawals in Iraq. While I'm sure he will make good on his threat to veto any legislation that includes a deadline, his attempt to portray himself as the strong leader who is standing firm against the unreasonable demands of his detractors is a bit disingenuous. Consider the fact that the only reason that Bush finally came up with a somewhat reasonable, though ultimately questionable, plan to "win" in Iraq was because the Republicans were facing the 2006 election and needed to address the public's growing unease with the war's progress. Even though the Democrats won anyway and the plan he came up with wasn't exactly what the bi-partisan Iraq Study Group had in mind, it was a different plan than "stay the course" and Bush did respond to the political arm-twisting. He also got ride of Rumsfeld. He can't believably portray himself as standing firm against public opinion and political reality.

And incidentally while I suppose there is a possibility The Surge might have some success in keeping violence down in Iraq, the damage has already been done and I don't see how even General Petraus, who's probably as well-intentioned as anyone in the U.S. military, can make Iraq into a safe and peaceful country. It's become excruciatingly obvious that the U.S. does not have the ability to create a stable democracy in Iraq no matter how badly we may want to do so.

Also Bush made reference to a much publicized incident which occurred, I believe, on Sunday, March 17, where two children were allegedly used as "decoys" so that a car carrying a bomb could get through a U.S. Military checkpoint. According to unnamed eyewitnesses two adults ran from the car before it blew up but the children remained in the car and were killed. While there have been a few instances of children running from cars just before they exploded this is the first time children were reportedly in the car when the bomb was detonated. Today in his speech, Bush said in reference to this event: " I call it pure evil. And that evil that uses children in a terrorist attack in Iraq is the same evil that inspired and rejoiced in the attacks of September the 11th, 2001. And that evil must be defeated overseas, so we don't have to face them here again."

OK, I think that anyone in their right mind would agree that intentionally blowing up children is "pure evil", however, I think that the use of such a sensational event to help justify the Iraq war requires irrefutable proof that the bombing actually took place as reported.

Major General Michael Barbero of the Pentagon's Joint Staff reported that this "suicide bombing" took place in the Baghdad neighborhood of Azamiyah (Adhamiyah) and that a total of five were killed, seven injured. But according to the AP: "Two policemen, speaking on condition of anonymity because of security concerns, said the general was referring to a car bomb Sunday that killed eight Iraqis and wounded 28 others in the predominantly Shiite district of Shaab." There has been no further explanation of this discrepancy.

Also, there has been no confirmation, beyond the reports of unnamed eyewitnesses, that these children were in the car when it blew up. There has also been no information regarding their identities, ages, etc. But Americans hear: "Two children used as decoys in car bomb killed in blast" and the outrage is immediate (did you see fictional film "Wag the Dog" about the manufactured story of the the young Albanian war orphan?). It's ridiculous but I guess not really surprising that the president would use an unconfirmed event as a justification for his war on terrorism.

In addition, the implication by General Barbero that the children (if they were actually in the car) were blown up intentionally is questionable -- if the bombers haven't been found and the identity of the children is not known there is no way to know if it was intentional or not. Obviously the use children as decoys for the placement of a car bomb is beyond despicable even if the original plan called them to jump out of the car before the bomb was detonated but for some reason they didn't get out of the car in time. However some news outlets have suggested that this bombing is the start of a new trend in car bombs: the intentional killing of innocent children. There is no way to know that until more information is known about this particular incident or until, unfortunately, it happens again.


http://www.iraqwar.mirror-world.ru/article/121861

http://www.iraqslogger.com/index.php/post/2024/Iraqi_Police_Kids_Used_as_Decoys_in_Attack

Code Pink at Plame Hearing

Another sign that the Dems are in charge in Congress -- the Code Pinker allowed into the Plame hearing wearing a T-Shirt hand printed with "Impeach Bush Now". And not only allowed into the hearing room but allowed to stand in the back of the room in camera range so her message went out across the airwaves for at least 20 minutes. The NY Times has a picture:

http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/03/16/a-curious-sight-on-capitol-hill/