REPUBLICAN PATRIOTISM
The Rev. Dana Prom Smith, S.T.D., Ph.D. (8/1/07)

As the Democrats wait for the Republicans to come to their senses and vote to withdraw from Iraq, the death toll of Americans continues to rise. One wonders how much of our blood needs to be shed before their political considerations are satisfied. If there were ever a group with blood on their hands, it is Senators Lugar from Indiana, Warner from Virginia, and Kyl and McCain from Arizona. All along they have cried “patriotism” in support of Bush’s Iraqi War. Now, the tables have been turned. Is it patriotic to shed the blood of young American men and women to support of their partisan political loyalty?

They should know better than to linger in their support of Bush’s Iraqi War. If they do, they have betrayed our youth in the armed forces and the nation. If they don’t, they should all be impeached on the grounds of incompetence and their ability to fulfill their duties. As Dr. Samuel Johnson is reported to have said, “Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel.”

They all wail about the possible tragic consequences of withdrawing from Iraq. Threatening dire consequences is always the last ditch of politicians who can’t think of anything else to say when their policies have failed. No one knows what the consequences will be, and believing the politicians who got us into Bush’s Iraqi War about the consequences is like believing a snake oil salesman. They have no credit. We do know that staying in Iraqi is unacceptable.

Copyright (c) Dana Prom Smith 2007