perfidy

Buckethead, I read that bleat too-- good stuff. However, I think it's possible make too much out of the assertion that it's 9/12/2001 for a long time to come. Last time I looked at the calendar, it was July 18.

I recognize the point Lileks is making, and I even agree with him somewhat. Things are different now, and they always will be. The river only flows in one direction. I saw the news-recycled bits of Tony Blair's speech, and it stirred me. What a great speaker! But there comes a point when the bloody shirt has been waved once too often, and for me that point is coming soon. I have serious questions about our government's honesty, motives, and state of mind, and the ongoing needs of the libervasion of Iraq are not an excuse from clearing the air.

From a President who promised no more Clintonian hair-splitting (and no nation-building), we have gotten both. I'm in favor of advancing the cause of democracy in Iraq, but I'm also in favor of finding out what the actual story is. Although many claim them to be, these actions are not mutually exclusive. The fact that we are now actively involved in fighting terrorists does not imply a vacation from accountability and simple straightforwardness. We seem to be entering a phase of the bickering where the following happens:

Curious Critic (possibly traitor): So did you know the uranium line was shaky when you used it in the State of the Union? 

Administration flack: We lowered taxes! 

CC(pt): Well, when did you know the uranium line was unreliable? 

Af: Perscription drugs! Education! 

CC(pt): Who okayed that line in the SOTU? 

Af: Well, that depends on what your definition of "in" is. 

CC(pt): I don't mean to sound like an a-hole here, but things aren't super-great right now what with the job market and all, and my kid was supposed to be home from Iraq three months ago. Also, my paycheck doesn't really look any smaller than it was. What gives? 

Af: We're at WAR here, people!

Tony Blair's speech was beautiful, a marvel of modern oratory and composition. But talk is talk, and I'm waiting to see what actually happens (and, for that matter, what actually happened.) I'm not a knee-jerk Bush hater, but over the last six or eight months I've started to get that feeling where you look around the poker table, and you can't tell who the sucker is. 

[moreover] 1:30 PM: Everything else aside, Lileks is right on about Tony Blair. What a class act. Unreconstructed socialist or not, he's a good person to have in charge right now. 

[moreover] 1:45 PM: One thing our President is very good at is doublespeak. "Clean Air Act," my foot.