George Bush

This is a journal drawing I did after the 9/11 attacks and in the early days of the buildup to the invasion of Iraq. It was done at a time when anyone who dissented was treated as an anti-American apologist for terrorists. (Someone actually called me this in response to a letter I wrote expressing the need for intelligent, well thought out actions, not all out war.)

Anyway, it is GWB. I was trying to decide while listening to all of his lies whether he most resembled a rat, weasel, or snake. I think any of these comparisons only demonize the poor animals referenced, and obfuscate the truth, that he could only be one kind of animal, human.

I submitted the piece to an online show at Drawger and they accepted it. The entire show can be seen here: Drawger: Portraits of a President.

War in Iraq

I have been thinking about the war in Iraq lately, but, who hasn't?

I keep hearing reports about the Iraqi government needing to "Step up to the plate" and "Take a stronger role."

What Iraqui government? The one our military dismantled when we invaded the country? The one that was set up by the US? It is understandable to hear the Bush cronies spew out BS about the Iraqui government needing to take a more active role, but when I hear the Democrats and the news people using the same terms, I want to vomit. This is a country that had apparently no connection to the September 2001 attack on the World Trade Center or Pentagon, had a government that was supported by Bush Sr. and Reagan, even after the leader ordered and the military carried out the murder of his own people, but that was ok with those presidents because he was, "on our side in the war against Iran." (Iran being another country we supported with arm's sales) This was a country, that was also considered an enemy of the people who we thought were responsible for attacking us. So, why did we invade them?

What I was thinking was this: Basically, we got into a war, or an invasion of the wrong country, and now, after destroying its infrastructure, economy, and killing many of its people, we don't want to be there. The president made a mistake, and the Iraquis and our soldiers suffer for this mistake. So, the question is, who is paying, will pay for this mistake?

If we leave, it will most likely lead to bloodshed. If we stay, the bloodshed will still be there, and will have new blood on our hands on a daily basis. So, who is going to pay, who should pay, for the folly of an administration that thinks it is OK to spy on its own people, thinks that its staff has some kind of immunity from the legal system, and continues to spew out lies and slogans and buzzwords to perpetuate an agenda that is very dangerous to us all?

Bill, 8.12.2007