Significant progress

The President (God, those words still trigger a wave of nausea every time I utter them) and his loyal minions have been relentless in telling us that real progress has been, is being, and will be made in Iraq, and that it is only a pessimistic and treasonous "left-wing press" which keeps us from hearing the truth.

Wonder how they'll spin this news. From Sunday's NYT:

In a troubling sign for the American-financed rebuilding program in Iraq, inspectors for a federal oversight agency have found that in a sampling of eight projects that the United States had declared successes, seven were no longer operating as designed because of plumbing and electrical failures, lack of proper maintenance, apparent looting and expensive equipment that lay idle.

The United States has previously admitted, sometimes under pressure from federal inspectors, that some of its reconstruction projects have been abandoned, delayed or poorly constructed. But this is the first time inspectors have found that projects officially declared a success - in some cases, as little as six months before the latest inspections - were no longer working properly.

I guess my favorite line from the article - especially in light of the recent McCain "stroll" through a Baghdad marketplace - has got to be this:

Officials at the oversight agency, the Office of the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction, said they had made an effort to sample different regions and various types of projects, but that they were constrained from taking a true random sample in part because many projects were in areas too unsafe to visit.

So the question, it seems to me, is "How many more lies are we willing to swallow, America?" Take a look at just a partial list of disproven things King George and friends have sworn were true - if you can stomach it.

Tales of "significant progress" toward eventual "victory" in Iraq? A lie.

Weapons of mass destruction? A lie.

Imminent threat of attack? A lie.

Saddam connected with 9/11? A lie.

Mission accomplished? A lie.

Greeted as liberators? A lie.

Oil revenue will pay for the war? A lie.

We don't torture? A lie.

The insurgency is in its last throes? A lie.

We had no way of imagining a terrorist attack involving commercial airliners? A lie.

There is no domestic wiretapping without a warrant? A lie.

We'll do "whatever it takes" to rebuild New Orleans? A lie.

I'm a uniter, not a divider? A lie.

We're securing America's ports and borders? A lie.

I swear to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States? A lie.

In fact, it's virtually impossible to come up with an instance during the Bush Administration wherein its members have actually told us the truth. About anything. How is it possible, then, that 75 percent of Republicans still pledge their unwavering loyalty to this cabal of corruption and deceit?!

Yet these liars still insist that we heed their advice - and their advice only - on the best way to move forward? Based on what? Their unblemished record of truth-telling and successful prognostication so far?! If these guys were bookies, we'd have had them whacked three years ago.

And puh-leez, don't tell me even one more time about Clinton's "lie" under oath about receiving a hummer (the eco-friendly type, mind you). Not only are the consequences of the two disparate untruths like apples and oranges, but the "Clinton did it, too" excuse is so lame as to be beneath contempt.

It's time to realize, once and for all, that the only way we can achieve "significant progress" in Iraq - and here at home - is to remove this Administration from power. Immediately. Because we have no reason to expect that the next 20 months will be driven by anything other than more White House deception. And I, for one, can no longer pledge allegiance to a nation willing to be "led" by proven liars.

Can you?