Submitted by pabrams, Aug 27, 2007 14:51

I am a long admirer, supporter and even contributor to President Clinton's policies and causes. At the opening of his Presidential Library, a wonderful ceremony that was marred by torrential rains, the President added his own cloud when asked aloud whether he was the "only person in the country who thought that George Bush and John Kerry were both able and honorable men". OK, both Bushes were there, and it seemed polite---but, he seemed to forget that when George W. hosted the obligatory unveiling of President Clinton's official White House portrait, the only positive remark he made about Clinton was, "he was optimistic".

But, now Mr. Clinton must, finally, be inhaling. Congratulating Bush on speaking to the North Koreans, or participating with Iraq and Iran in regional talks, is like congratulating a truant child who has skipped school all year for his attendance record when he shows up on the last day. If President Clinton believes that his encouraging Bush will lead to more of this rational foreign policy, he is mistaken. The reason Bush has done what he has done is that he has so mangled foreign policy that he has no options. We are too weak.

Finally, and most disappointingly, Clinton exonerates Bush from all of his lying, ideological belief and incompetence with the notion that we were all traumatized by 9/11 so that any idiocy is excused. What these people have done to our country---coldly, deliberately, using 9/11 as an excuse to bludgeon our Constitution, our people, our press and even some allies into blind obedience---is, Mr. President, inexcusable.

These were not "honest" mistakes. Prior to 9/11, they passed tax cuts for the wealthy knowing full well that it would result in gaping deficits, but lying about it to the American people. And, the country moved to deficit PRIOR to 9/11. After 9/11, i.e., on 9/12, they uncorked the Project for a New American Century doctrine of forcible removal of regimes we did not like in the middle east, and immediately started planning for the invasion of Iraq---and we know incontrovertibly that Cheney repeatedly lied about how easy the war would be because he had said the exact opposite just a few years before, and 9/11 changed nothing about that. In fact, on 9/23/01, Cheney told Russert on MTP, "Iraq is contained".

No, there is no excuse, Mr President, for their actions. Not holding them accountable is not the way to learn from our disastrous experience with this crowd. That does not mean you need to level ad hominem attacks, but excusing their policy choices because of the "trauma of 9/11" prevents the needed lessons from being learned, and the retards the adoption of protections so this NEVER happens again.

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