Mindless

President Bush is fond of justifying his management of the Iraq war by saying, “I listen to my commanders.” That’s ridiculous from the Commander in Chief.

Similarly, I found the “General Betray us,” move on.org ad not only offensive, but mindless, and wrote as much.

The popular media has degenerated into irrelevance. Any opportunity there might be for intelligent discourse is lost when Sean Hannity can’t get past Al Gore’s private jet in a discussion of global warming. Likewise, Alan Combes excuses any attack on the military because “those boat guys did it to Kerry.” Dancing with the Stars is far more intellectually stimulating.

The real world is gray, not black and white, and though many may agree, few seem to understand what that implies. It means that rhetorically boiling a debate on health care in the US down to the pejorative phrase “socialized medicine,” is mindless. Similarly, a contrived presentation of Cuba as a medical nirvana is mindless – and worse. Somewhere in the middle of all that, there’s a place for intelligent discussion, but I’ll be damned if I can find it.

About that Bush statement. Anyone with a modicum of sense knows there are good generals and bad. “Just listening” to them begs the question, doesn’t it?

Is he listening to a McClellan or a Grant? Publius Quinctilius Varus or Arminius? Constable of France Charles d’Albret or Henry V?

We don’t know, and neither does he. The whole faulty line of reasoning passes the buck downward to subordinates, doesn’t it?