I spent a lot of time in Louisiana. I did my training there and I was a junior faculty member at LSU-Shreveport. I have many friends in the New Orleans area. I pray for them and all of those good people affected by the powerful storm. May God give them strength.
Thoughtful political observers clearly discussed the problems with entering Iraq. George Bush, the greater, did not invade Iraq during the Gulf War because as he stated in his memoir there were HUGE problem with invading Iraq. Republicans laughed at those of us who knew that defeating Iraq was not the major issue - controlling Iraq was the problem. The Bush administration flexed their muscles and did not plan for the aftermath. Now, our troops are paying for their mistakes. Because we invaded with a force that was not large enough to seal the borders of Iraq terrorists flooded into the country. We do not have enough troops to keep the peace this is why we move from Mosul to Tikrit to Najaf putting out fires. If we pull out now Iraq will become the breeding ground for terrorists, we truly need to increase troop strength to get control of the country. We need fight the insurgents as we should have from the start. We must have several Green Zones that are for the Iraqis. These are places where they are safe. They can live, shop and do business in these Green Zones. These Green Zones would have electricity and gasoline like we do in the states. The Zones would slowly expand to incorporate more and more Iraqis. As the Iraqis see the benefits of peace and coorporation more will be willing to join with us and not the insurgents. What are your thoughts?
I began thinking about what President Bush said about our need for an energy policy, a comprehensive energy policy. Let’s review. We had an Oil Crisis in the late 1970’s. Jimmy Carter was in office. He started a conservation policy. He installed solar panels on the White House didn’t he? He increased emission standards. Then America had 17 years of Republican presidents and 8 years of a Democratic pres. What policy did the Reagan and Bush, the greater, put forward? (Besides keep gas prices low and mine more and drill more.) Early August, both houses of Congress passed an energy bill that seems to me to be more of the same. Where was the comprehensive energy policy we were promised? Moneys to upgrade the electrical grid - where were they?
It is amazing that one mother is able to do what none of the democratic politicians were able to do, isn’t it? She got the public interested in the anti-war movement. She has gotten Rush Limbaugh to denounce her and then retract his words…sort of. She has gotten Republicans worried. Bush was sympathic in his speech over a week ago. Now, he is on the attack. This week he told the veterans of foreign wars that she doesn’t speak for all veterans families - trying to marginalize her views. Well, it is clear that she is not the only mother how feels that her son died for a less than noble cause. Your thoughts of Camp Casey…
Errington C. Thompson, MD, is a surgeon, scholar, fulltime sports fan and part-time political activist. He is active in a number of community projects and initiatives. Through medicine, he strives to improve the physical health of all he treats...
