Memorial Day 2007

Several news items over the past few days make this Memorial Day sadder than usual. Sorry, no humor or satire today, just an overwhelming sense of deep irony.

News Item #1

In a speech at the Coast Guard Academy graduation ceremonies, President George W. Bush announced that the Al-Qaeda forces in Iraq are stronger than ever. He uses this little factoid -- that everyone else realized months ago -- to justify sending more Americans to fight the war on terror. The fact that Al-Qaeda is stronger today due to an invasion and occupation on which he insisted escapes his sense of reality.

News Item #2

As if on cue -- twenty-four hours later than the President's speech -- a Senate subcommittee declassifies documents which show the Bush administration was warned in 2003 that an invasion of Iraq would strengthen Al-Qaeda's position. Obviously the administration chose to ignore this warning and invaded Iraq anyway. Normally this news would be reason for liberals -- and anyone else who opposed the war from Day One -- to gloat. Unfortunately, gloating right now would be too painful because of...

News Item #3

We reach this Memorial Day with over 3400 lives to remember, lost in the invasion and occupation of Iraq. The conflict is not over, the mission is not accomplished, and the casualty toll will continue to climb until the Bush administration comes to its senses. The irony of all these events added together make this Memorial Day the most bittersweet in recent memory.