For a couple of weeks, conservatives and their friends in the MSM have been stretching and contorting themselves trying to tie the persons and "culture of life" philosophies of President Bush and Pope John Paull II (with Fox's Neil Cavuto and Bill O'Reilly, as well as Rush Limbaugh actually stretching the pope's vehement opposition to the Iraq war as "not so strong" ("human failure," "illegal," "immoral" not strong enough for you guys...?).
Well now, there really is a link between the Vatican and the White House (besides their mutual experience of hero worship on the part of the press): Both "administrations" have demonstrated a tendency to promote failure.
In Bush's case, the key failure was the intelligence leading up to both the 9/11 attacks and the Iraq war, all of which has since been completely discredited. For their failures, Bush administration neocon hawks have, to a man and woman, received, not scorn, but promotions!
Former National Security Advisor Condi Rice: "I think it was entitled, 'Bin Laden determined to attack inside the United States.'" Result: Promoted to secretary of state.
Defense Undersecretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz: "The Iraq war will be paid for by Iraq's oil exports ... 200,000 troops not needed..." Result: Nominated to lead World Bank
Former CIA Chief George Tenet: "Iraq WMD intel a 'slam dunk.'" Result: Received Medal of Freedom in 2004, along with fellow failures Gen. Tommy Franks and failed CPA administrator L. Paul Bremer, who presided over the descent of Iraq into a corruption-plagued money pit...
Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld: failures too numerous to mention, starting with reliance on Chalabi, no post-war planning to speak of. Result: Still on job. Offers to resign following Abu Ghraib scandal rejected.
Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, senior U.S. military official in Iraq: presided over Abu Ghraib scandal, including importing "torture" type tactics from Guantanamo Bay. Result: No reprimand or loss of position.
Former White House Counsel Alberto Gonzalez: Wrote infamous "terror memo" expanding the "stress means" U.S. military personnel can use on detainees ahead of the Gitmo and Abu Ghraib prison abuse scandals. Result: Promoted to attorney general.
And of course, the latest fail-up, John Bolton: failed in job of keeping a lid on spread of wmd and nukes, got kicked out of Korea talks, generally cheesed off the whole world and said the top few floors of the U.N. wouldn't be missed (I assume, if they were blown off...) Soon to become ambassador to the United Nations.
...and on and on (we haven't even discovered the professional heights to with Messrs. Feith and Cambone will soar once they retire comfortably from their posts at DOD).
And now, the Catholic Church has followed suit, taking one disgraced former Archbishop forced to resign from his diocese in Boston, and letting him perform a mass in Rome for the departed Pope, only now, he's a Cardinal...
<%
dim done
done = request.form("done")
if done = "" then
done = "No"
%>
Tell a friend
<%
Else
if request.form("done") = "Yes" then
'sets variables
dim email, sendmail
email = request.form("email")
Set sendmail = Server.CreateObject("CDONTS.NewMail")
'put the webmaster address here
sendmail.From = "webmaster@aspbasics.com"
'The mail is sent to the address entered in the previous page.
sendmail.To = email
'Enter the subject of your mail here
sendmail.Subject = "Check out this website"
'send a specific page or send a site url
dim url
'url = Request.ServerVariables("HTTP_REFERER")
url = "http://www.aspbasics.net"
'This is the content of the message.
sendmail.Body = "Site recommendation from a friend!" & _
vbCrlf & vbCrlf & "A friend has sent you this email and thought you would should check out this site." & _
vbCrlf & url & vbCrlf
'this sets mail priority.... 0=low 1=normal 2=high
sendmail.Importance = 1
sendmail.Send 'Send the email!
response.redirect Request.ServerVariables("HTTP_REFERER")
'Response.write ("Sent to ") & email
End if
End if
%>
"[T]he practice of arbitrary imprisonments, have been, in all ages, the favorite and most formidable instruments of tyranny.' Alexander Hamilton, Federalist No. 84, August, 1788
