This appeared today in my local paper, the Sierra Sun. It was written by a local and I want to share it with you. Not blockquoted due to length. I've highlighted a couple of my favorites.
Jennifer Montgomery
August 30, 2005
"I'm the commander - see, I don't need to explain - I do not need to explain why I say things. That's the interesting thing about being the president. Maybe somebody needs to explain to me why they say something, but I don't feel like I owe anybody an explanation."
- President Bush, Nov. 19, 2002
In light of the dramatically falling support for the President and his war, maybe it's time to start explaining. Here are 20 questions to start.
1) Mr. President, who is the mastermind responsible for 9-11?
2) Mr. President, where is he now?
3) Mr. President, you've compared the war in Iraq to WWI and WWII. Will you compare it to Vietnam, as well, or will you leave that comparison only for war hero Republican Senators to make?
4) Mr. President, if the war in Iraq is like WWII, why haven't taxes been increased to pay for the war, oil, gas and food rationing instituted, and troop strength increased to fight the war?
5) Mr. President, when you compared this war in Iraq to WWI and WWII, you did not specify whether our role in Iraq is similar to the Allied or the Axis viewpoint. Are we like the Axis, who invaded Poland, Austria, and Czechoslovakia, or are we like the Allies, who fought the Axis after their invasions?
6) Mr. President, in light of statements by the intelligence community and the Pentagon that terrorists in Iraq are now getting training and experience in Iraq and then leaving to attack other countries and train terrorists there, I have to ask, do you ever talk to your intelligence community and your Pentagon? Do you listen to them?
7) Mr. President, you say that we must stay the course in Iraq to finish what we started and honor the memory of the fallen. Are you aware that this rationalization was given 30 years ago as a reason why we should stay in Vietnam?
8) Mr. President, while our troops are being kept in Iraq, is there anything to keep the terrorists there?
9) Mr. President, the 1,864 US Soldiers killed in Iraq, the influx of foreign terrorists into Iraq and the increase of terrorist activity in Iraq since the invasion would seem to indicate that the terrorists are taking the fight to us, and not the other way around. Do you think that's the case?
10) Mr. President, if the Iraq war couldn't keep terrorists out of London, Egypt, and Jordan, what makes you think it will keep them out of the United States?
11) Mr. President, you've compared the War on Terror to WWII. But by the time we had been involved in WWII this long, Hitler had killed himself, Tojo had surrendered, and the Allies had won. In the current War on Terror, Bin Laden is a free man, the Taliban is resurgent in Afghanistan due to our troop withdrawal there, and terrorists are gaining experience in Iraq that they are taking to other countries. Do you have any comment on that?
12) Mr. President, can you explain how fallen soldiers are honored by a continued insistence on causing the injury and death of their comrades-in-arms? (Hint, it's the first rule of hole digging: When you find yourself in a hole, stop digging.)
13) Mr. President, in a recent speech in Salt Lake City, you said that "the only way to defend our citizens where we live is to go after the terrorists where they live." In light of terror attacks in Bali, Egypt, England, and Jordan, by citizens of those countries, are you proposing we invade those countries?
14) Mr. President, you said that we should go after terrorists where they live. Seventeen of the 19 9-11 hijackers came from Saudi Arabia, Osama bin Laden is a native of ... which country?
15) Mr. President, you said that we are building allies in Afghanistan and Iraq by continuing to stay there and fight. Do we expect people whose families have died because of us to become our allies?
16) Mr. President, if Iraq becomes an Islamic state with close economic and military ties to Iran, will we continue to be allied with them?
17) Mr. President, if the Iraqis affirm a Constitution denying women their rights and enshrining Sharia law, will we continue to support them?
18) Mr. President, why won't you meet with Cindy?
19) Mr. President, what is the "Noble Cause"?
20) Mr. President, How do you sleep at night?
I don't know about you, but I'd love to get some answers.
Jennifer Montgomery is a Donner Summit resident. "My Turn" is a space for Sierra Sun readers to submit guest columns that are between 500 and 850 words. Send "My Turn" columns to editor@sierrasun.com
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