December 16, 2004

Medal of What?!

FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla. – “Widespread mismanagement” is just the start of what the UN Security Council’s monitoring board of Iraqi development alleges. The U.S. relied too heavily on no-bid contracts, the board said, awarded primarily to one subsidiary of one Houston-based company; a company the current vice president’s most recent civilian job title was CEO. It was only time until there were international inquiries over U.S. management of post-war Iraq.

No shit! It’s about time!

The International Advisory and Monitoring Board of the Development Fund for Iraq also asserts a lack of metering of just how much oil is pumped from Iraqi wells, The New York Times reported Wednesday. Kind of like random guy pouring sugar into his coffee counting, 1… 2… 3… that’s about 20,000 barrels. What the hell kind of crap is that? I can remember way back when the U.S. government told its constituency that Iraqi oil would go to pay for its country’s rebuilding. The American taxpayer wouldn’t pay for much ($68 billion). Who is going to miss a few extra (thousand) barrels of oil while they hawk it to the market? What's more, who is going to stop them?

Nestled at the top of the second column of this UN watchdog story in The Times is nothing less than a reference to a story reporting the presentation of three Presidential Medals of Freedom. They went to men who were key in building the case for, prosecuting and managing the war against and occupation of Iraq. No shit. Go back if you have it. Page A13 of Wednesday’s Times and you’ll see exactly what I’m talking about.

Truth is too good to make this shit up.

Army Gen. Tommy Franks (ret.), former director of central intelligence George Tenet and L. Paul Bremer all received the Medal of Freedom the day the other report came out. It’s either great planning on the part of the UN, or shitting timing on the part of The White House. And it’s a great catch on the part of the national page editor at The Times.

I’ll give one thing to President Bush. Gen. Franks likely deserves every accolade bestowed upon him. Those of you who know me, and who have read my tirades before know I’m far from anti-military. But Tenet and Bremer?

I simply think it’s an attempt to hide in plain sight, really. It’s a feint left and a cut right. See the writing on the wall about an international investigation and make all your deputies heroes. Can’t dispute a guy with a Medal of Freedom, can you? That’s just what the Bushies want you to think.

- Rich