Originally Posted December 2006 "It's A Wonderful Life for Some"

I have actually tried to read the Iraq Study Group report (I at least wanted to "out do" congress' reading of the intelligence reports leading us into war with Iraq). I have made a good deal of progress. I wanted to read it because I was so excited when I heard first the leaked and then the official recommendations. Here I thought is the reality check we have been waiting for. I can stop experiencing the cognitive dissonance, that envelopes me when I bounce back and forth between the alternative realities of Tony Snow, Air America, The Times, the Post, the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the BBC etc etc etc .. . I thought that finally someone is really telling it like it is and now we can finally get some traction on our efforts to get out of there. (Iraq)

But then as I was reading the report I started to realize…this is a sales (“Snow”) job. A classic case of appease the masses by affirming our good sense and “superior intelligence” by stating the obvious in the hope that it will suffice enough to buy more time? Time for what I am not certain. Time to funnel a few billion more dollars to Halliburton?

In the days following my reading the report I kept thinking about the classic holiday movie, It's a Wonderful Life, specifically the scene where the befuddled George Bailey is sitting in front of Mr. Potter, puffing on a fine cigar as he (Potter) has just offered “the bright young man…the best house in town…trips to New York and Paris and a 5 year contract”. Of course George quickly comes to his senses and proclaims: ”You sit here and spin your schemes …well the world doesn’t revolve around you Mr Potter!” You know the scene. Well I think Mr. Potter has just offered the American public the illusion of a chance to step out of this “blight” all the while “staying the course” to nowhere.

You know; It’s a Wonderful Life could really be the story of George Bush. Think about it. In the end the deluded George Bailey thinks that the world is "perfect”, but Potter still runs the show. His military hero brother may raise a toast to the richest (smartest?) man in town, while his doe eyed wife stands by his side. But in the end, …George’s roof will always leak.

Well the deluded George Bush still thinks that he is the smartest, most principled guy in town. But Iraq has become “Potter’s Ville” and in spite of reality he prefers to listen to his guardian angel. He saw Iraq last week for a few minutes but before he could get a swig of eggnog down he was crying out: “Get me back Clarence ( or was it Cheney)…I want to go back”…back to the days of Mission Accomplished…back to the days of Shock and Awe”

Now after listening to the talking heads this weekend, even the leading Democrats. I have concluded that just like George Bailey, George Bush appears to be once again choosing an alternative reality……while Potter remains in charge…

And of course the real ultimate grotesque sadness here is that “every time a bell a ring…a US soldier gets his/her wings”