Something Feral

Digging up the flower-beds.


Thursday, September 4, 2008

Mad-Libs, International-Incident Edition

You say "international incident", we say "foreign policy":
In news likely to stoke more anger, intelligence officials said a missile strike was suspected in a blast Thursday that killed at least four people in North Waziristan, part of the tribal belt where Osama bin Laden and his deputy are thought to be hiding. Previous such strikes have been blamed on the U.S.

The ground assault, with troops helicoptered in, occurred in adjacent South Waziristan early Wednesday. Officials said at least 15 people died, including women and children. The Foreign Ministry said no militant leaders were killed and there was no sign the attackers detained anyone.

U.S. officials declined public comment.

The State Department should nominate a seasoned diplomat with domestic experience in such areas, like the estimable Mr. Dennis J. Richards:
“We wouldn’t be comfortable discussing the internal investigation intelligence,” Richards said. “We can say comfortably that over 1,100 search warrants counter-terrorist operations were executed last year and 580 to date this year and that, with such a high volume and such a fast-paced environment, it is understandable that mistakes could happen.”

The catch: Richards isn't a diplomat, per se. The above refers to a similar breaking and entering officially sanctioned by the War on Terror/Drugs/____________ (Noun), wherein the offending parties had the wrong address, inflicted mass damage and injury in the commission of said breaking and entering, and ultimately evade any modicum of responsibility for their actions.

When the differences in the training, equipment, deployment, actions and ultimate personal responsibility between the civilian police and the military abroad are negligible, and, indeed, demonstrate a veritable parity on every level, it is time to do some deep and solemn thinking about the nature of our leadership in this nation.

This is not constrained to the presidential election; far too much of the power reserved for the people has been usurped in a most vile and pernicious way by every branch sworn to uphold the Constitution, and we owe it to ourselves and to our children to compel them to answer for it.

No comments: