[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Mary Lyon

David Petraeus has spoken again. And somehow I feel like I did listening over the years to friends of mine whose dreams were just sure to come true someday, and whose ships were just bound to come in. They were, after all, promised this – over and over and over.

For some of them it was the assurance of that great job off in the distance, if they only played their cards right and put up with a series of indignities and delays. For others it was a married lover who dawdled for years, insisting the divorce was just around the corner, followed by a long‐awaited “happily ever after.”

Time passed. The coveted job was never attained. Some other excuse or twist of fate or competitor or company upheaval always got in the way. The journey down the aisle never happened either. There was always some reason, a good reason for sure, why it couldn’t. After awhile, with each of my disappointed friends, cynicism started to set in. The seemingly never‐ending disappointment became utterly corrosive. Along with the broken hearts and dashed dreams came a grievously violated trust as the reality set in: the carrot will always be dangled just out of reach – and you’ll never quite reach it.

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Bob Mulholland
California DNC Member
Campaign Advisor
California Democratic Party

This week marks the 5th anniversary of Bush Jr.’s invasion of Iraq when he sent our military in with too few troops and equipment and no occupation or political or exit plans.

One irony of this week – McCain and Cheney “visit” Iraq (with massive protection) while American military deaths are about to hit 4,000.

And McCain is so confused about all the lies (like Saddam Hussein was involved with 9/11) he and Bush Jr. have told over the years that on this trip McCain said that the Shia Iranian government is arming and training the Sunni Al-Qaeda. Another U.S. Senator had to correct him. Actually many wealthy Saudis are financing Al Qaeda and others in Iraq to kill Americans, while Iran is arming the Shias to kill Americans. Maybe McCain is in early stages of Dementia or Alzheimer’s.

We may never know what General David Petraeus (Commander in Iraq) really thinks about his Commander – Bush Jr. - and the Iraq war.

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Bob Mulholland
Campaign Advisor,
California Democratic Party

General David Petraeus will issue a report in September claiming that the “Surge” (which in late 2006, Bush Jr. had led us to believe was just a temporary increase in troops) is “working” in some areas because it has reduced violence. Sure! Petraeus knows his report means little in the BIG scheme of things, but he is under orders from Karl Rove to spin, spin, spin!

In reality, the Surge is nothing but a smokescreen. The real issue, after almost five years in Iraq, is, when will our U.S. troops be redeployed out of Iraq?

It’s time to take the training wheels off the elected Iraqi government – who (despite this September deadline) are taking a vacation for the entire month of August to go somewhere cool (perhaps Paris or London), because it’s just “too hot in Baghdad!”