Damn the World Problems, Bush Begins Vacation

So, the Middle East is on the edge of exploding into full regional conflict. Iraq teeters on the knife edge of civil war. There are potential crisis points all over the world. Condi has been shown to be about as diplomatically inept as Bolton at the U.N. So far, Cindy Sheehan is proving to be a better peace negotiator in the region. Come on, Clinton may have had sex with Monica Lewinsky, but at least he didn’t make her Secretary of State. And then there is Rummy. What was that at the Armed Services Committee Hearings? Some sort of psychobabble rant where he asks himself questions and tries to convince himself he is not a lying SOB? So what does the President do? Head to Crawford. There is brush to clear, after all. On his first day back at the ranch, he took a call from Kofi Annan, asked Condi to come down for the weekend, and hit the brush. You would think in Texas that he could find some poor sap to do it for him for 5.15 an hour.

I can hear the retorts now, “He deserves a vacation!” I couldn’t agree with you more, although I would suggest a permanent one. Look at it in this context. How many average Americans have to cancel or trim their vacations this year because of energy or health care costs? How many of the soldiers and reservists in Iraq that have had their tour of duty extended in Iraq would love to come home to their families and do somethings around their house? Hell, even British Prime Minister Blair saw the writing on the wall this time and put off his summer break. Leaders all over the world are waiting for the Bush Administration to do something. They hope it is positive, they fear it will be reckless. But what does he do? Heads to Crawford.

I don’t think that it is asking too much of our President to request he leaves his vacation until after he comes out with a coherent policy regarding Iraq and Lebanon. That he puts the concerns of the country over the brush. But wait a minute, you say-he is taking a shorter vacation. Only so that he can go on the campaign trail to try to hold on to the Republican majorities in Congress. How brave of him.