On Veteran's Day I shudder at the rhetoric of our president (not elected by me), as he turns a blind voice to our past "mistakes" of the past when he threatens outlaw regimes that seek and possess the tools of mass murder. Who bully or ignore the voices of the international community? Who are the only ones to have actually used the ulitmate weapon of mass destruction and, while keeping their own, seek to thwart others from developing the same technology (and thus having a tiny fraction of the destructive force that our nation holds? not to mention our conventional weaponry)? Who have been cited by Amnesty International for actions which are contrary to their own Constitution? And while an American could never be guilty of a war crime by definition, it turns out that we can sue terrorists in civil court it turns out. Absurdity is alive and sick and well. Here's more from FindLaw on the ICC issue.

Look in the mirror W. It's your own fucking mirror, but the rest of this country (should) belong to all of us.

NOT IN OUR NAME is a new anti-war group, which I know little about, except that they got the name right. That's exactly how I feel. Except also powerless to stop it at this juncture. GWB and cronies have waged an effective domestic campaign, though a somewhat sloppy one in international quarters, but they've gotten enough sign-off from the UN and even a partisan group of millionaires (i.e. Congress) that they can now put the ask for forgiveness not permission doctrine in effect for any atrocities to follow.

I work for the state these days, so I have today off. And I give thanks and pay tribute to all the veterans, whether war time or not, for their sacrifice and strife. I don't necessarily feel so generous toward the men who have ordered them about.