Military Justice and Collateral Hell

Please don't make me agree with Fidel Castro. When the supposed top terrorist in Iraq, Al-Zarqaawi, was killed by our bombs dropped on the house he was in, Castro went moralist on us. "A barbarity, he should have been tried in court," said Fidelissimo.

Well, ya. Innocent until proven guilty. Ask for a surrender before knocking them off. We're Americans.

But we went ahead with military justice. Bush and Rummy dropped two 500 pound bombs on that house and killed Bad Al and a few others, including a woman and child. We use that nice military term spoken of by Timothy McVieh: "collateral damage." It means innocent life caught in the middle of the action. They might as well put "so what" in front of the term.

We've changed, haven't you noticed? You saw what President I-feel-your-pain Clinton did to the Branch Davidians at Waco. Before that we shot down Randy Weaver's innocent wife and son in the woods of Idaho.

About three years ago, our CIA unleashed a predator drone plane on a road in Yemen to gun down a suspected terrorist. The suspect was killed, along with an American friend about whom they knew very little. Not a suspect, the American was collateral damage and dead. So what?

You remember Shock & Awe. An hour or two prior to that act of war, CIA boss George "Slam Dunk" Tenet reported to President Bush that Saddam was in a cafe. so we bombed the place hoping to get it all over before it started. Bush must have figured that with the madman dictator struck dead while dining, the people of Iraq would have made out just fine. So our bombs destroyed the place, but Saddam wasn't even there. Some innocent adults and kids were killed. Collateral damage, you know. So what?

The undeclared war got going pretty well and we found the house where Saddam's budding bad boy sons were hiding. Without announcing: "Surrender, you're surrounded," we attacked by air and infantry. Saddam's sons were shot down in the same room and we also erased a guy under the bed. Oops. That was a fourteen-year-old boy - Saddam's grandson.

How far are we from bombing apartments and houses in Los Angeles or Toledo if suspects are believed to be hiding there? If our intelligence is faulty and identifies the wrong target, innocent people in the vicinity are punished.

Justice. Think about justice.
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Thoughts While Jaywalking

* Aren't we proud of Utah Congressman Jim Matheson, who was the only representative in the House who called for a vote on whether the law makers should get a raise. All the other royal members wanted to sail on through without a ripple or wave. Matheson stood alone. And he will decline the increase. Jim Matheson of Utah.....he's a Democrat. A Democrat!

* The winning jockeys at America's big three horse races (Belmont, Kentucky Derby, Preakness) all wore number eights on their backs. Folks, that's no accident.

* President Bush visited Iraq yesterday. He reassured all that we'll stay until the "mission is accomplished."

* The illegal immigrants send billions of dollars home to Mexico. That's admirable, but it's also harmful to the host country unless the dollars return in exchange for goods and services. That is the question.

Help Wanted

Volunteers to recruit volunteers for Volunteers of America.

Meetings & Events

Free Radicals support group meets daily in the conference room of Kayenta Towers at midnight, prompt.

Shoplifters Anonymous will meet in the lunch room at Wal-Mart South, Saturday at noon.

Make a note: Dr. Ira Longterm, the illustrious economist, will speak at Cox Auditorium on the topic - Raising the Limit On Your Household Debt.

Twenty-Years-From-Now News

The Statue of Liberty is missing. The once revered monument of our history was last seen yesterday, or was it the day before? FBI and New York police say that they will look into the matter soon. The museum piece had served as a tribute to a discarded national value and virtue.

The administration has added FEMA Director and CIA Director to the list of jobs Americans won't do.

President Jeb Bush visited Iraq yesterday. He reassured all that we'll stay until the mission is accomplished.


IT'S ALL SO SIMPLE.