Coward of the County

So let us begin anew—remembering on both sides
that civility is not a sign of weakness, and sincerity is
always subject to proof. Let us never negotiate out of fear.
But let us never fear to negotiate
--John F. Kennedy

Somebody once wrote:
"Hell is the impossibility of reason."
That's what this place feels like. Hell.
--Platoon (1986)
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Cops and robbers, Cowboys and Indians. If she didn't get to play in the schoolyard, she is making up for lost time now. Everyone gets to play in Georgie Bush's playhouse:

"Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice mocked anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr as a coward yesterday, hours after the radical leader threatened to declare war unless U.S. and Iraqi forces end a military crackdown on his followers (Rice frames al-Sadr as Coward.)"

Ranger remembers 9-11 and the immediate aftermath. Both George W. Bush and Dick Cheney availed themselves of Cold War bunkers, holing up in "undisclosed locations" to protect themselves from airplane hijackers. Of course, both these sniveling jerks are heroes in Condoleeza Rice's book. That makes her one confused woman.

Now she calls al-Sadr a coward. Is this the State Department equivalent of putting panties on his head and sexually humiliating him? Is this a diplomatic initiative? New State Department etiquette?

Reuters reported yesterday, "China must stop cursing the Dalai Lama and talk: U.S." Right. Do as we say, not as we do. Works well with children -- why not apply to the rest of the world?

"Public vilification of the Dalai Lama will not help defuse the situation," [Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte] said of China's angry tide of statements since protests erupted across Tibet in March."

"Through outreach and genuine dialogue, China and the Dalai Lama. . . can begin to bridge differences, explore the meaning of genuine autonomy and address long-standing grievances," he said. "

Sounds like the Deputy needs to advise the Secretary.

The U.S. claims it wants to facilitate consensus in Iraq but words and actions indicate otherwise.

--by Jim and Lisa