BLOOD AND SAND. . .

        The American people want war.
       The defeats of Democraps and the election of Repugnicans; the enormous vote of confidence in the Bush ministry---er, administration---all adds up to, as the late Marvin Gaye sang. . .
       Let's get it on.
       Yes, it seems that the Amerigun---I mean, American (Freudian slip)---people are in the mood to annihilate pretty much any person east of Israel with brownish skin and guttural phonics. Never mind the details. An A-rab is an A-rab.
       It doesn't matter what the rest of the world wants. It doesn't matter what secret deals the Bush administration has made with Syria, France, Russia, China, and on and on---to secure support, or at least tacit support, for the Iraq invasion.
       It doesn't matter that maniac Saddam Hussein has not been linked to the 9/11 attacks. It doesn't matter that the CIA, FBI, and perhaps the FFA say that Saddam is less of a threat today than ten years ago. It doesn't matter that the likes of Reagan era Secretary of the Navy James Webb oppose attacking Iraq, fearing grave long-term consequences.
       Doesn't matter that invading Iraq was in the Bush-Cheney- Wolfowitz plan long before the coup---I mean, election---that put Cheney---I mean, Bush---into the presidency. Doesn't matter that it's all part of something called "Pax Americana," which more or less calls for turning the Middle East into the Midwest.
       Doesn't matter that "Pax Americana" essentially seeks to put Uncle Sam in charge of the world, wielding a big nuclear stick.
       Maybe it's time to get rid of Old Glory and just bring back "Don't Tread on Me."Like Mammy Yokum, the American People has spoken! Let's' Iraq and rolllll!
       And, well, who can blame "us?" The U.S. was horribly assaulted by about a dozen suicidal guys with box cutters, all with brown skin and guttural phonics, and there are plenty more out there. I'd like a little revenge, too. I didn't think it would involve sending 100,000 troops into Iraq, killing 20-30,000 people, setting up a puppet leader, and letting megacorporations splash in the blood. Oh, well, oil's well that ends well!
       But wait---I've fallen for it again. This isn't vengeance, or justice---the administration planned this long before the WTC fell, as the Rumsfeld/Cheney/Wolfowitz/Jeb Bush-commissioned Project for the New American Century report (download it here) shows. But so what, right? Popular desire for vengence is a happy coincidence for President Bushcheney. The American people want blood, and they want it to soak Arab sands. They want those "smart" bombs to really smart! Who the hell are A-rabs to tell them they can't drive cars the size of locomotives, anyway?
       Drop the Big One? That might be in the offing, too. About a year ago, the administration sought to de-stigmatize nuclear weapons(!), suggesting that "bunker-busters" and "mini-nukes" would be boffo for flushing terrorists from underground catacombs. Heck-fire, The Bomb ain't so bad. . .and these are just little bitty Big Ones. After a column in which I suggested that the use of nuclear weapons might, oh, encourage other countries to use them, and that it's just really rather. . .insane. . .I was deluged with snarling e-mail suggesting that little Big Ones should be dropped right on my little house! (Most, however, were content to lobby for using them right away on the entire Middle East---oh yes, and Africa, too, just because nothing good ever seems to happen there, either.)
       A hundred billion bucks or two for a war? Well, why not? As long as we're deficit-spending, and preparing to grease the wheels of multi-nationals with Iraqi oil, why not go whole hog? Besides, Bushcheney is cracking down on bankruptcy laws, in order to prosecute small businesspeople who louse up and go broke. And don't forget the money we can make from gambling with Social Security! And. . .we can always jack up the price of all that Iraqi oil we're going to get!
       Many, of course, blame the Repugnicans for the current crisis---er, crises. Nay, I say, blame the Democraps. First, the extremist Left rendered the party impotent with its embrace of looney- tunes political correctness, Jesse Jackson, etc., and then Wild Bill Clinton ushered in the era of "centrism" (read: imitate the Repugnicans.) Instead of attacking Bushcheney's many rather glaring flaws, from shilling on behalf of robberbaron corporations like Enron, to cynically exploiting fear in order to bankroll the coming Iraq-and-Roll, the Democraps kept mum. They kept mum for fear of losing their jobs, for not looking like anti-terrorist team players.
       Funny thing happened on the way---they lost their jobs, anyway! "Let's roll," said Trent Lott, Senate majority-leader-to- be. Yup. Right over Tom Daschle's pink tie, soft voice, and nicey-poo compliments for Bushcheney.
       So here come de ultra-right-wing judges! And here come the permanent---permanent---tax breaks for the rich, the abolition of abortion rights, trashing of environmental protections that interfere with corporate profiteering, massive government secrecy, de-regulating regulatory agencies, Social Security Bingo, no health care, more drug company tyranny, reparation of church and state, lots of neat wars to watch on TV, and oodles of extremely angry terrorists.
       Better buckle up, kids! I'm dreaming of a blight Christmas. Santa Claus is bringing Uncle Sam lots of Iraqis for the holidays! As we hang the tinsel and sing "Silent Night," it's going to be a little bit noisy in the vicinity of Bethlehem.

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