Editorial: Buying the illegal war

The two most recent death announcements the US military (M-NF) made were "One Multi-National Division-Baghdad Soldier was killed and another wounded when an explosive-formed penetrator detonated on their patrol during combat operations in an eastern section of the Iraqi capital Sept. 22." and "A Task Force Lightning Soldier died in a vehicle accident in Diyala province on Saturday."



The announcements brought to 3798 the number of US service members killed in the illegal war since it started in March 2003.



The 3800 mark looms.



For those attempting to keep track, we noted the 3000 mark loomed on December 31, 2006. Later that same day, we'd come back to note that the 3,000 mark had been reached.



In the November 2006 elections, Democrats were put back in charge of both houses of Congress with a mandate to end the illegal war. The session of the 110th Congress started on January 3rd. On January 4th, the first announced death to take place after Dems were sworn in was made ("A Multi-National Division - Baghdad patrol was attacked by small arms fire, killing one Soldier in the western part of the Iraqi capital today.") and that took the number of US service members to die in the illegal war to 3006. His name was Charles D. Allen.



He is among the 793 US service members who have died since the Democrats took control of both houses of Congress. Over a fourth of the deaths have taken place after the Democrats were sworn in. This is no longer Bully Boy's illegal war.



The Democrats have bought into it.



The excuse that they are in the minority and don't have the power no longer cuts it. The campaign for 2008 ("Elect us to even greater majorities and then we'll do something!") rings false.



We can't, they insist, cut off funding the illegal war because we don't have the votes!



The reality is they have enough votes to filibuster and avoid sending anything to the Oval Office for Bully Boy's signature. But they refuse to use that power while insisting they have no power.



The 3800 mark will be reached shortly. The 3900 mark will follow and then the 4,000 mark. At what point will Democrats in Congress stop making excuses and use their power to end the illegal war?



A kid down the street shows up asking for a few bucks to mow your yard. You pay him/her and he/she cuts a few strips and then leaves. Are you going to give them money to mow your yard again?



No.



And you are the one who pays Congress.



As Ruth notes, they are the people's employees although they don't appear to keen to admit that.



They have done a lousy job. Instead of doing what they were elected to do, they have attempted to make 2007 about why you shouldn't vote Republican in 2008. They see the continued illegal war as a "winner" for them in 2008. They've have intentionally waited on the SCHIPS program so that they can use it for the 2008 election as well.



The kid mowing your yard needs to be mowing your yard, not off somewhere else building a resume for the next job.



Three months shy of 12 in control and what is there to show for it?



Nothing to brag about.



They'll continue to do that as long as they think they can get away with it. They need to be called out loudly. At this point, even if you think or say you are against the illegal war, if you're providing cover for the Democrats' refusal to end the illegal war, you're buying the Iraq War as well. So ring up the White House and tell Bully Boy to leave you a little space because you're crawling into bed with him and the Democratic leadership in Congress.