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HOLLYWOOD AND THE CIA — Film historian Ed Rampell details Hollywood’s entangled relationship with the CIA and the Pentagon; HOUSES OF THE DEAD: Nancy Kurshan exposes the cruel human rights offenses taking place inside America’s vast gulag of Control Unit Prisons; BROTHERHOOD OF SUMMER: David Macaray charts the history of the most powerful union in the US: the Baseball Players Association; TAR SANDS COME TO AMERICA: Steve Horn explains how the Keystone Pipeline debates have diverted attention from Big Oil’s other plans to transport Alberta’s oil into the US. PLUS: Jeffrey St. Clair on CONSTITUTIONAL ENTROPY; Mike Whitney on HOW THE BANKS TARGETED BLACKS; Chris Floyd on THE RISE OF BRITAIN’S TEA PARTY; Kristin Kolb on THE NEEDLE AND THE DAMAGE DONE; Kim Nicolini on the FILMS OF WILLIAM FRIEDKIN; and Lee Ballinger on POETS VS. THE ONE PERCENT.

October 26, 2006

Are We Sure Barney Still Supports This War?

The Blood of October

by MISSY COMLEY BEATTIE

This morning, I awakened to the news that five more US troops were just killed in Iraq, bringing the total this month to 96. October has been deathly cruel to Americans and to Iraqis.

Yesterday, during George Bush’s news conference, the president did not say "stay the course" or "we will not step down until the Iraqis step up." Instead, he spoke of "benchmarks." Over and over he used the term, leaving me to question what standards he’ll exercise to measure his continued failures. The other word Bush repeated was "believe." He said it 21 times. "I believe." Sounds quite Biblical as well as Karl Rovian. Of course, Karl is the manlike agnostic who tells George to convince his base of evangelicals that he (Bush) really, really, really believes.

According to Bob Woodward in a 60 Minutes interview conducted by Mike Wallace, the president has stated to Republicans that he will not withdraw from Iraq even if "Barney and Laura are the only ones who support me." From the number of e-mails I’ve received from the "disagreeables," those people who are reading my articles and asking me in Sean Hannityesque fervor why I hate America, I have to admit that several more among the animal kingdom, in addition to Barney-the-dog and Laura-the-wife, remain loyal in buttressing George. They really, really, really believe in Bush and the way he is "fighting them over there so we don’t have to fight them over here."

Mr. Fixit, James Baker, III, the man who has historically shored up George, is talking huge changes in Iraq. He sees the writing in blood that’s all over the wall. But Bush will not waver from his "stay the course" even though he is no longer articulating it this way. No. He will be resolute-until after the midterm elections. To change now would be to admit that he’s been wrong.

Tragically, by the time the votes are counted, many more troops will have died. Many more Iraqis will have perished as well. But Bush can maintain his determined, tough-guy image and, then, blame politics for his failures of epic proportion.

Because the man always must point the finger away from himself.

Missy Beattie lives in New York City. She’s written for National Public Radio and Nashville Life Magazine. An outspoken critic of the Bush Administration and the war in Iraq, she’s a member of Gold Star Families for Peace. She completed a novel last year, but since the death of her nephew, Marine Lance Cpl. Chase J. Comley, in Iraq on August 6,’05, she has been writing political articles. She can be reached at: Missybeat@aol.com