Dissent, Disgust, and a Tsunami

Ann Wright's Dissent: Voices of Conscience acknowledges the efforts of numerous courageous individuals speaking out against the atrocities of the current administration in the White House and its dark reach across the globe. She mentions Craig Murray, who leaked documents revealing horrific human rights abuses by coalition ally Uzbekistan. Many officials resigned in the run up to the Iraq war, including Ambassador John Brady Kiesling and Rand Beers who noted the administration's obstinacy before the invasion of Iraq, reinforcing Bob Woodward's State of Denial regarding the sheer arrogance and incompetence of the Bush administration, fortified by Woodward's follow on Broken Government.

Wright mentions Bunnatine Greenhouse, who blew the lid off a massive government contracting scandal, military officials like General Eric Shinseki (ENTIRELY vindicated when the overrule of his judgment produced the current fiasco), and many others who demonstrated the courage to voice their convictions. Wright notes: From desk jockeys to high-ranking diplomats, these patriotic men and women share one common trait: a willingness to stand up and speak truth to power. By exposing policies and actions that run counter to the best interests of the nation and its people, they elucidate why dissent is crucial to a thriving democracy.

We also have sheer incompetence. The Coleen Rowley story briefly grabbed a few headlines, showing the unconscionable inability of the national security apparatus to effectively follow pre 911 leads in a politicized environment. The nitty gritty details of her documents are reinforced by the analysis and interpretation of Richard Clarke in both his 2004 Against All Enemies and as well as the more recent Your Government Failed You.

We also have Rove's politicization of the justice department as described in Rove's gestapo executed New Mexico US Attorney David Iglesias's In Justice: Inside the Scandal That Rocked the Bush Administration which is the tip of the berg.
The administration has hi-jacked the Republican party, and naturally, we have Republicans speaking out, from prior EPA Head Christy Todd-Whitman's It's My Party Too (all but declares the party takeover by du Fuhrer Eggplant and his jack booted thugs) and Lawrence Wilkerson's They Stole My Party to Paul O’Neill's The Price of Loyalty. Dissent of any kind is grounds for any retaliation, as Joe Wilson writes in The Politics of Truth. Bush/Cheney will go as far as the treason of leaking the identities of CIA operatives (a death sentence), an act perpetrated against Wilson's wife, Valeria Plame. Former top Bush political advisor Matthew Dowd discusses why a party once deeply loyal to U.S. President George W. Bush is now coming apart at the seams.

Greg Thielmann, in charge of analyzing the Iraqi weapons threat for Powell's own intelligence bureau, has flat out stated that the administration deliberately misled the world about weapons in Iraq. David Kay reinforced Thielmann's assertions and recently added that the chest thumping about Iran's nuclear threat is equally ludicrous. David Kay was replaced by Charles Duelfer, credited with the The Duelfer Report. Still no weapons.

Jay Garner wanted to quickly hand power over to Iraqis after the overthrow of Saddam, holding elections within a few months. The White House didn't like this, so they replaced him with Paul Bremer, more trained as a chef than anything else, the man blamed for the disastrous dismantling the Iraqi army and the firing of numerous school teachers and other officials (a blunder of untold proportions). Paul has written My Year in Iraq.

Paul D. Eaton, in charge of training the Iraqi military from 2003 to 2004, was calling for Rumsfeld's resignation long before it occurred. Now, General Anthony Zinni, author of The Battle for Peace and A General Speaks Out, considered by some as a possible Obama VP candidate, adds to the growing chorus against the administration's ineptitude and failure to understand anything about anything.

Others speaking out include Sibel Edmonds, an Iranian woman with the courage to note the deliberate cover-up of 911 investigation evidence (to protect Saudis), Karen Kwiatkowski (check that one out for a warm fuzzy), John Batiste, and Andrew Wilkie of Australia.

Turning to the religious charade, David Kuo's Tempting Faith and John Danforth's Faith in Politics each portray deep concerns about the GOP’s manipulation of religion. Fortifying the views expressed by John DiIulio. Danforth expresses dismay at his party for straying from traditional Republican principles to pursue an agenda of "wedge" issues exploiting the religious right.

If the center does not hold, everything falls apart.

Senate GOP Retirements (so far):
Wayne Allard (R) of Colorado
Larry Craig (R) of Idaho
Chuck Hagel (R) of Nebraska
Pete Domenici (R) of New Mexico
John Warner (R) of Virginia

Senate Leader Trent Lott (R) and Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert(R) have resigned. Democrats won both special elections to replace them.

Twenty-five House Republicans are retiring in 2008.