Bush has left Texas a few days early to go and oversee the recovery of Hurricane Katrina, and I have to say that he did the right thing. It is a small thing to go back a few days early, but it does speak to his commitment and compassion. And now with him gone, Cindy "the ringmaster" Sheehan is packing up her circus in Crawford too. She isn't going home though, she is vowing to continue the protest. But something she said as she was leaving struck me as very much a glimpse into her motives. A friend sent me an email about this, and with a quick search I found the article in question, from the Seattle Times: (hat tip to Sheri) http://tinyurl.com/7byu9 CRAWFORD, Texas: The woman who led an anti-war protest since Aug. 6 near President Bush's ranch said yesterday that she is glad Bush never showed up to discuss her son's death in Iraq, saying the president's absence "galvanized the peace movement." "If he'd met with me, then I would have gone home, and it would have ended there," Cindy Sheehan said. Her comments came as war protesters packed up their campsite near the ranch and prepared to leave yesterday for a three-week bus tour that will stop in 25 states. Buses on three routes will meet in Washington, D.C., for a Sept. 24 anti-war march. First of all, the comment about it ending there is utterly ridiculous. It would not have, any more then it ended the first time she met Bush in 2004. She, or one of her high power handlers would have a press statement released, detailing his indifference and refusal to listen to her, and her reluctant decision to continue the fight before the mud dried on his shoes. Second, Bush didn't galvinize a peace movement, any more then she did. She stepped onto the front of a well oiled, highly polished media machine, that had been created long before she arrived. She was nothing more then a new hood ornament. Third, her comments about being glad he didn't come out were not a surprise, she as much admitted this same thing on Tony Snow's radio show weeks ago, a fact the media must have missed. And if nothing else it proves what her true intention was not to meet with him, but to make enough noise to get the press to notice her and be inconvenient enough to make him stay away. For all her rhetoric and her signs crying *why*, it was all a joke, and she never cared about the answer. For her, the protest itself meant more then the reason behind it. But it still irritates me as it again, to me, shows how she cared less for her son's actual death then she did for the ammunition it gave her. And finally, it appears she did not serve her purpose very well. A recent poll found that 79% of people surveyed did not change their minds about the war, 10% are now pro war where they were against it and 9% now against when they were previously pro. In other words, a net gain of 1% in favor of the war. It isn't really a significant or meaningful number, except when compared to the claims of overwhelming support she and her followers claim. If she wants to call a 1% net loss of support galvinizing, well ok. Regardless, public opinion about her was 38% against, 35% for, and that mostly along party lines. Not a big surprise. So on she goes, on her bus tour...or so it seems. It seems a report from within her camp has uncovered the fact that she will not be on the tour for the most part, she will be off doing speaking engagements and interviews. And that just proves that she is just a figure head, and the protest itself drives on without her at the wheel, which is not surprising, as it shows who is really driving. By the way, read the report of what the inside of Cindy's protest really looked like here: http://tinyurl.com/e3uxb It was hardly the grassroots, simple tent meeting protest it appeared.

Ok, this is self reflecting, and non political. Sorry bout that. In the wake of Hurricane katrina, I am reminded about how shortsighted I really am sometimes. I am a fairly pragmatic person, and usually don't worry about weather, but recently I have been dwelling on missing the sunshine. Lets face it, Seattle is not the sunniest 'burb in the world. It rains periodically for no apparent reason. And some of those days I drive the interstates to work, and curse the idiot drivers who cannot handle a bit of water on the road. And I fondly recall where I grew up, where sunshine was more predominant. Now, watching New Orleans slowly be buried by flood waters and seeing the death toll rise, it reminds me that a little rain here mixed with overcast and some sunshine, well we are pretty damn lucky. No (well extremely rare) tornados, earthquakes happen but very rarely, no Hurricanes or intense tropical storms. Even the snowfall here is light and occasionally even in the coldest part of winter.

The Pacific Northwest is also a beautiful place to live, and the occasional rain keeps it green normally, and despite popular opinion, all the green here is not moss. No real point to this, this revelation won't save the world, lives won't be changed and I doubt I will lap out of bed tomorrow a new man. Its just something I need to remember a bit more often. In the same light, I turend 44 today, and I was feeling a bit middleaged and depressed. But....I am alive. Not everyone can make that claim can they? I have great friends, a good job and an awesome family. Really, it isn't so bad, and I should be a little more ready to count my blessings.

I am new to the concept of trolls, so having my first couple has been interesting. Normally some writers would ignore or delete them, but I am not so indifferent to them as yet. So here I will answer Anonymous. Here is his post, in full, with my extracted responses to follow.

At which point do you get to realize this war has been and continues to be an unmitigated disaster for America? A growing number of Republicans are being vocal about this now, but you� oooohhhh nooo. On you go, spouting the same mindless, unthinking rhetoric that got America into this mess in the first place. The war is already lost. Much as we would love it to be different, it isn�t. Better get used to it
1) We have created a terrorist superstate where it didn�t exist previously.
2) Iraq and Iran are increasingly forming an alliance where it didn�t exist previously.
3) Iraq is fast moving towards becoming an Islamic state where it wasn�t previously.
4) Oil prices are soaring
5) Oil security for the United States is greatly compromised.
6) More than 1,800 US troops and many times more Iraqi�s have died for absolutely nothing. Absolutely nothing.
7) The US is now the most heavily indebted country in the world, with 25% of all US treasuries owned by China. It�s time to put an end to your debacle in Iraq. We will secure nothing. The war was lost long ago.

Ok, first, I looked at my posts, and so far I have personally said little about the war. I have focused my comments on supporting the troops, and my comments about Cindy Sheehan were primarily addressed to her methods, her using her son and those who are using her protest to further partisan agenda, not to her protest in principle. In fact, I have openly stated several times that she has a right to protest anything she wants. So characterizing me as a war monger/lover is wrong. Also, consider this, my troll. The majority of people in the military hate war, they despise it, and they should, since it may cost them their lives. They, however, do it because they have decided it needs to be done, and that it is worth the cost. In World War II the men drafted then had no love of war, but many fought with enthusiasm because the cause was something they believed in. These people today show even more dedication and belief, because they didnt get compelled, they volunteered. A person who �loves� war would be close to a psychopath, in my opinion.

On to my response.

�At which point do you get to realize this war has been and continues to be an unmitigated disaster for America? A growing number of Republicans are being vocal about this now, but you� oooohhhh nooo. On you go, spouting the same mindless, unthinking rhetoric that got America into this mess in the first place. The war is already lost. Much as we would love it to be different, it isn�t. Better get used to it��

As I said, I have spouted nothing about the war, so your comment is cute, but off target. Also, the war is not lost, is not being lost and is not a disaster. This is scare tactics that ignore the realities. Go to a site like Debka.com, and read about the good things that happen that the main stream media ignores.

�1) We have created a terrorist superstate where it didn�t exist previously.�

False, Al Qaeda existed long ago. We didn�t create it.

�2) Iraq and Iran are increasingly forming an alliance where it didn�t exist previously.�

Really? And you figure this how? Iran may have allowed weapons in but that is in support of the insurgents (who are increasingly foreign), not the lawful government of Iraq. This comment is false.

�3) Iraq is fast moving towards becoming an Islamic state where it wasn�t previously.�

Saddam for all his secularism still maintained the fa�ade of being a Muslim state, and called for Muslims to defend him. So say it wasn�t one before is ignorant.

�4) Oil prices are soaring�

Having nothing to do with Iraq, that is to do with production and market manipulation. And actually this complaint continues to be a giggle for me, since people complained Bush wanted war to get cheap oil.

�5) Oil security for the United States is greatly compromised.�

We have always been vulnerable to this because of our dependency on foreign oil, the majority of which comes from places not called Iraq or Saudi Arabia. Maybe you were late in oil Class when they mention that Canada and Mexico are the two biggest importers, with Saudi Arabia in 3rd place. Look on the DOE pages (http://tinyurl.com/7ldt) and you will be surprised to find out we get only 16 percent of our oil from Saudi Arabia. Here, don�t strain yourself, this is a chart of the major oil importers for June 2005. Click on it for a larger view: You wanna complain about oil, I am with you, but check your facts.

�6) More than 1,800 US troops and many times more Iraqi�s have died for absolutely nothing. Absolutely nothing.�

You are so wrong, so pitifully wrong.

"7) The US is now the most heavily indebted country in the world, with 25% of all US treasuries owned by China."

I am no economist, so I don�t know if this is true or not. And the whole China thing, what is the point?

�It�s time to put an end to your debacle in Iraq. We will secure nothing. The war was lost long ago.�

Tell that to the soldiers like my friend Tristan or radio host Bryan Suits of KVI radio (KVI.Com) who just returned, and can tell stories of first hand experiences of people who�s lives were changed for the better by our futile and losing debacle. My friend, you are a victim of a campaign to make it look as bad as possible and ignore any actual benefit. And tell me, even if you are right, how will us leaving now help any of that? Will plunging Iraq into civil war and emboldening Al Qaeda terrorists with a victory help? For the record, I opposed going to war when we did, not because I did not think our cause was right, but because I felt we needed a stronger coalition. Obviously the President disagreed. Now that we are there, we have to see it through. Therefore, I support the troops now. I support the effort we have begun as being necessary, and being something that having begun it, we must finish it. If you disagree, fine. But please, do not categorize this as MY war. It is not. But as a veteran, these troops are MY troops, my brothers in arms. The bottom line is that I will defend them against any and all disrespect and dishonor, regardless if it is a parent, a politician or a fellow military member. In the case of Cindy Sheehan, she has chosen to dishonor her son�s service, and I have chosen to disagree with her.

Did you see this picture? http://tinyurl.com/cjctz It was from a photo diary on Cindy�s website, and also on Fox News. Cindy sitting pretty with her personal foot masseuse. Now I don�t want to focus too harshly on what is likely just a guy doing something nice, but it causes me to wonder who else she has in support there. I mean, we read about Camp Casey and hear about it, but we rarely see it, or the support staff that runs it. It, as I discovered is fairly extensive. They have doctors, lawyers, attorneys, mail sorters etc, some out of Crawford House, and some at the camp. And that's cool, when people believe in something, they want to support it. Good for them. But I had heard mention of other support, things like media management and consultants, people screening the press etc...So I wondered who they are, who supports her with money and advice and political management. Let's be honest, it's a slick operation down there, with press reports, and interviews ans such. So I wondered who supports her and ABC7 in San Francisco kindly provided the answer (hat tip to Mike F). So here is a list of who is now standing behind her protest.

I always enjoy an article that tickles two of my pet peeves at a time. This one sure does: Cindy Sheehan and Media Bias. (I am also posting a note from Drudge on how far the protesters will go, at the end of this blog) First up, we have this article at Worldnet: http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=45938 (the website includes a video link) In it, Cindy is quoted as saying:

So they are freedom fighters, despite the fact they kill far more of their own people then Americans. Now to be fair, she isn't the first, and obviously wont be the last to say this. But it still is an ironic position, as you will see. The article goes on to point out, the remarks were made to a CBS reporter during an interview, and yet magically never made the news:

She also made one of the most disrespectful comments I have heard, in my opinion as a vet:

Attention Camp Casey, reality is coming and it wants to talk to you. By reality I mean the reality that your position is not the only one protected by the Absolute Moral Authority of having lost a child in the war.

Bush Backers Amass to Counter 'Peace Mom' . Aug 22 10:57 PM US/Eastern

http://www.breitbart.com/

By KATHLEEN HENNESSEY Associated Press Writer VACAVILLE, Calif. A caravan proclaiming support for U.S. troops began a tour through California on Monday, stopping in the hometown of Cindy Sheehan, the anti-war mother who gained national prominence during a vigil outside President Bush's Texas ranch. Conservative activists and military families embarked on the tour they call "You don't speak for me, Cindy!" They planned rallies in several California cities before heading to Crawford, Texas. About 30 Bush supporters staged a rally outside the offices of the Vacaville Reporter newspaper. "It's time to lay down the anger. We need to continue to uphold those people over there, to uphold those men and women with their boots on the ground," said Deborah Johns of the Northern California Marine Moms, who helped organize the caravan, which is sponsored by Move America Forward, a Bay Area-based group. Sheehan began a protest vigil Aug. 6 on the road leading to Bush's ranch, an act that has encouraged anti-war activists to join her and prompted peace vigils throughout the country. Sheehan's 24-year-old son, Army Spc. Casey Sheehan, was killed last year in Iraq. A verbal confrontation erupted when the caravan arrived in Sacramento and was met by anti-war protesters chanting "Bring them home." Sheehan supporter Dan Elliott, 71, confronted caravan members by waving a sign reading "Death is not support" and heckling Johns as she addressed the crowd. "You are ruining the morale over there," responded Greg Parkinson, a Bush supporter.

Some caravan members called the anti-war protesters communists and said they were "aiding and abetting the enemy." Those comments enraged Sheehan supporter Dee Ann Heath, who said she has two sons serving in Iraq and another preparing to leave. "I don't support the war, but I support my sons," she said. "I simply want them to come home."

In Vacaville, Toni Colip, 50, said her son, David, went to high school with Casey Sheehan and is now in the Marines, although not in Iraq. She said her son opposes Sheehan's activities and has asked her to support his military service even if he is injured or killed. "He said, 'Don't dishonor me, don't walk on my grave,'" Colip said. The pro-Bush caravan plans to join fellow supporters who have set up their own camp in downtown Crawford as a reaction to the Sheehan- inspired vigil. Bush was in Salt Lake City on Monday, where he spoke to a national veterans group to rally support for the war. Sheehan vowed to remain in Texas until Bush agreed to meet with her or until his monthlong vacation ended Sept. 3, but she flew to Los Angeles last week after her 74-year-old mother had a stroke. She is expected to return to Texas in a few days. Several of those in the caravan said they understood Sheehan's anger but disagreed with her protest.

"This is not the way to honor her son," said Lori Judy, 49, of Vacaville, whose son, Tim, served in Iraq.

Already in place in Crawford, and mentioned above, is Fort Qualls:

By ANGELA K. BROWN, Associated Press Writer Sun Aug 21,12:49 PM ET http://news.yahoo.com/news

A patriotic camp with a "God Bless Our President!" banner sprung up downtown Saturday, countering the anti-war demonstration started by a fallen soldier's mother two weeks ago near President Bush's ranch. The camp is named "Fort Qualls," in memory of Marine Lance Cpl. Louis Wayne Qualls, 20, who died in Iraq last fall. "If I have to sacrifice my whole family for the sake of our country and world, other countries that want freedom, I'll do that," said the soldier's father, Gary Qualls, a friend of the local business owner who started the pro-Bush camp. He said his 16-year-old son now wants to enlist, and he supports that decision. Qualls' frustration with the anti-war demonstrators erupted last week when he removed a cross bearing his son's name that was among hundreds the group had put up along the road to Bush's ranch. Qualls called the protesters' views disrespectful to soldiers, and said he had to yank out two more crosses after protesters kept replacing them. Cindy Sheehan, whose 24-year-old son, Army Spc. Casey Sheehan, died last year in Iraq, started the anti-war demonstration along the roadside on Aug. 6. "Camp Casey" has since grown to about 100 core participants, and hundreds more from across the nation have visited. Sheehan vowed to remain there until Bush agreed to meet with her or until his monthlong vacation ended, but she flew to Los Angeles last week after her 74-year-old mother had a stroke. Her mother has some paralysis but is in good spirits, and if she improves, Sheehan may return to Texas in a few days, some demonstrators said. In her absence, the rest of the group will keep camping out for the unlikely chance to question the president about the war that has claimed the lives of about 1,850 U.S. soldiers.

Bush has said he sympathizes with Sheehan but won't change his schedule to meet with her. She and other families met with Bush about two months after Casey Sheehan died, before she became a vocal opponent of the war. Large counter-protests were held in a ditch near Sheehan's site a week after she arrived, and since then, a few Bush supporters have stood in the sun holding signs for several hours each day. Bill Johnson, a local gift shop owner who created "Fort Qualls," said he wanted to offer a larger, more convenient place for Bush supporters to gather. He and others at "Fort Qualls" have asked for a debate with those at the Crawford Peace House, which is helping Sheehan. It's unclear if that will happen. But a member of Gold Star Families for Peace, co-founded by Sheehan and comprised of relatives of fallen soldiers, said her group would not participate. "We're asking for a meeting with the president, period," said Michelle DeFord, whose 37-year-old son, Sgt. David W. Johnson, was in the Army National Guard from Oregon when he was killed in Iraq last fall. "We don't want to debate with people who don't understand our point of view."

Bush has said he sympathizes with Sheehan but won't change his schedule to meet with her. She and other families met with Bush about two months after Casey Sheehan died, before she became a vocal opponent of the war. Large counter-protests were held in a ditch near Sheehan's site a week after she arrived, and since then, a few Bush supporters have stood in the sun holding signs for several hours each day. Bill Johnson, a local gift shop owner who created "Fort Qualls," said he wanted to offer a larger, more convenient place for Bush supporters to gather. He and others at "Fort Qualls" have asked for a debate with those at the Crawford Peace House, which is helping Sheehan. It's unclear if that will happen. But a member of Gold Star Families for Peace, co-founded by Sheehan and comprised of relatives of fallen soldiers, said her group would not participate. "We're asking for a meeting with the president, period," said Michelle DeFord, whose 37-year-old son, Sgt. David W. Johnson, was in the Army National Guard from Oregon when he was killed in Iraq last fall. "We don't want to debate with people who don't understand our point of view."

I don't think anyone doesn't know who Diane Feinstein is, the Senator from California. What many people may not know is a small event recently that has an ironic resonance from her past history. We start here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-5224366,00.html

San Francisco Shuns Retired USS Iowa Sunday August 21, 2005 6:01 PM SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - The USS Iowa joined in battles from World War II to Korea to the Persian Gulf. It carried President Franklin Roosevelt home from the Teheran conference of allied leaders, and four decades later, suffered one of the nation's most deadly military accidents. Veterans groups and history buffs had hoped that tourists in San Francisco could walk the same teak decks where sailors dodged Japanese machine-gun fire and fired 16-inch guns that helped win battles across the South Pacific. Instead, it appears that the retired battleship is headed about 80 miles inland, to Stockton, a gritty agricultural port town on the San Joaquin River and home of California's annual asparagus festival. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., a former San Francisco mayor, helped secure $3 million to tow the Iowa from Rhode Island to the Bay Area in 2001 in hopes of making touristy Fisherman's Wharf its new home.

But city supervisors voted 8-3 last month to oppose taking in the ship, citing local opposition to the Iraq war and the military's stance on gays, among other things. "If I was going to commit any kind of money in recognition of war, then it should be toward peace, given what our war is in Iraq right now,'' Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi said. Feinstein called it a "very petty decision.'' "This isn't the San Francisco that I've known and loved and grew up in and was born in,'' Feinstein said.

Stop there. Ok, San Francisco is a lot of things but in the last few decades, it has become increasingly more hostile to the military. It's true, The City has a long military tradition. I marched in an Armed Forces day parade down Market Street in 1984, and I can vividly recall the pride in some places and protests in others. In part, some of that is understandable. The military's history of not allowing gays to serve openly is an obviously unpopular opinion. In the late 80's Ms Feinstein, then Mayor of San Francisco was courting the USS Missouri to a homeport basing there. I can recall, as I was stationed not far away, the hostility to that in the general population and the anti nuke sentiments. The Missouri instead went to San Diego. In 1989 in the lead up to Desert Storm San Francisco made no Military friends when it declared itself a sanctuary city for deserters trying to avoid deployment. And in the recent conflict, San Francisco has been very vocal in its anti war sentiments. When you add it up, the council voting to reject this matter isn't much of a surprise at all. The City has been heading there for years, partially under Dianne's leadership.

This is an article from World Net Daily, about the growing backlash against Sheehan. The interesting thing to note is her use of names on the crosses to make them more poignant has backlashed as that has offended the familes of some of those fallen heroes.

*** http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=45826 CAMPED OUT IN CRAWFORD Backlash! War moms attack Cindy Sheehan Parents of American fighters in Iraq say protester doesn't speak for them By Joe Kovacs The continued focus by the nation's media on Cindy Sheehan, the so-called "Peace Mom" who's demanding a second meeting with President Bush in the wake of her son's death, is sparking a backlash from parents of other American servicemen and women in Iraq. One Texas family of a fallen Marine became so enraged with Sheehan's use of their son's name on a protest cross, they drove from the town of Spicewood to Crawford to remove it. "I went there and had Matthew's name taken off of there," said Matt Matula, whose son, a 20-year-old Marine, was killed by hostile fire last year. "It's fine for people to grieve their own way. It aggravates me to see them using other people's names to further their cause." "He's not a victim, he's a hero," he told KXAN-TV, "and I think that everybody that's serving our country [are] heroes." Cpl. Matthew Matula, whose wife, Julie, was pregnant when he was killed in action, had planned on bringing his wife and baby back from his base in Southern California to Texas to get a ranch and build a house. He earned a host of decorations, including the Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, Presidential Unit Citation, National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Operation Iraqi Freedom Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and Sea Service Deployment Ribbon. His younger brother youngest son just recently joined the military and is also heading to Iraq. "Matthew was very proud of being a Marine and proud of his unit and what they were doing," his mother, Toni, said. Her feelings are echoed by another war mom, Debbie from Indianapolis, who called radio host Rush Limbaugh today to say her own son was wounded in Iraq when his vehicle ran over a land mine twice in one day, and he's now serving his second tour of duty. "I would never dishonor his actions by doing what this woman is doing," she tearfully said, referring to Cindy Sheehan. "What she's doing is not only dishonoring her son, she's dishonoring mine. ... [Casey Sheehan] didn't die for nothing, he died in the United States Armed Forces.There's nothing more honorable than that. These kids volunteered, they were not yanked from their cradle by an evil government to send them someplace they didn't want to go ... My son knew what was in store for him, and my son stepped up to the plate." Lee Miller, who has a long list of family members in the service, wrote the China Daily newspaper to blast Mrs. Sheehan, while at the same time heaping praise on her son, Casey. "He is a better person then you will ever be. So go home and honor his name instead of dragging it in the dirt. Make a difference instead of trying to be in the limelight. You're making an a-- out of yourself. I know your pain. I have been down that path � it hurts, but don't blame someone for a choice a person makes when it doesn't work out. Build a bridge and get over it. Your son was proud of what he did, so be proud of him." The backlash has led to the creation of the "You Don't Speak for Me, Cindy" tour, a caravan of military family members who plan to converge on Crawford for a rally Aug. 27. The event is being promoted by MoveAmericaForward, and is led by Deborah Johns of Northern California Marine Moms, whose son, William, is a Marine serving in Iraq. "I am deeply sorry for Ms. Sheehan's loss; however, Ms. Sheehan's actions are only causing pain to those of us who have loved ones serving in the war against terrorism," Johns said. "We understand the need to fight the terrorists overseas rather than face attack here at home. We understand that it was the terrorists led by al-Qaida in Iraq who are responsible for the deaths of U.S. service members, including Casey Sheehan." Johns is now starring in a new television commercial she produced. "William is helping to bring about freedom, and people are realizing that freedom is a gift," she says in the spot. "He supports what we're doing over there." The backlash is not going unnoticed by Cindy Sheehan. "The right wingers are e-mailing me and spewing filth about me on the radio and on the television saying that I am dishonoring my son's memory," she writes. "The right wingers are really having a field day with me. It hurts me really badly, but I am willing to put up with the cr--, if it ends the war a minute sooner than it would have." She's also disputes allegations her anti-war protest is all about her. "I was just the spark the universe chose for some reason to spark this off, because, like I said, the movement was already there." As WorldNetDaily previously reported, Sheehan met with President Bush in June of last year, and even posted a photo of herself being kissed by the commander in chief on her website designed to honor her son. The photos of Bush have since been surgically removed from the site.