Live Blogging the President's Iraq War 5 Year Anniversary Address

I don't mean to sound cynical, if that's how this comes off. I watched/liveblogged the address on CNN yesterday, and I was rather impressed by it. I think "the Boss" genuinely has a heart to see this thing through, for "freedom's" sake. More on that later:

10:00a "Boss" steps up to the mic, after a run-of-the-mill butt kissing by some deputy something or other, looking fabulous as always.
10:00a Not so funny joke, and SERIOUS TIME.
10:01a We know the invasion was successful, that's not the issue at hand. Though, during said invasion, troops did uncover and disband children's prisons and torture chambers (not named Mahmudiyah, Haditha, Abu Gharib, etc.) So, that was good.
10:06a "The Surge 2" coming to Theatres December 2008. Well, just one theatre.
10:07a Horras = Horrors if you don't speak "Boss."
10:07a This speech is littered with forced, yet delayed applause from an audience that doesn't seem to know what's going on. And, apparently, "Coast-men" is what we're calling members of the Coast Gaurd now.
10:09a Propagandily speaking; It's a good thing that Saddam's troops were so ruthless and bad-guy like. Although, their using women and children as human shields doesn't change the fact that it was still our bullets that killed those women and children.
10:11a I miss having a tangible enemy. I think Stephen Colbert said it best, talking to Sen. George McGovern, former US Presidential candidate and WWII vet, "You guys were so lucky to have World War II - It had Nazis in it. It was so obviously the right war."
10:12a Today's catch phrase; "because we acted." Or, better yet; McCain/Rumsfeld 2008 "Because We Acted"
10:12a I wonder if a year ago, he actually admitted that the war effort was faltering, as he just did. I would guess not.
10:14a He referenced the 90,000 concerned local citizens protecting their communities. We call them insurgents out here, George.
10:15a Mossle is also known as Mosul
10:15a Inevitability really is a hard word, its okay. Sound it out.
10:17a "Osama bin Laden once said 'When people see a strong horse and a weak horse, by nature; they will take the strong horse.' By defeating Al-Qaeda in Iraq, we will show the world that Al-Qaeda is the weak horse." (pause... applause)Aww shoot, son. He straight told those fools. You just some weak-horse bustas, Al-Qaeda. Neigh, neigh, b*thces!
10:21a Hogeminy?
10:23a First 9/11 reference at 23 minutes.
10:25a Guarantee a movie will be made about Sgt. William "Spanky" Gibson.
10:25a "The Iraqis are where we were 232 years ago as a nation. Now they are starting a new nation." 232 years ago, we were rebelling against an imperialistic superpower that was imposing their laws and their government on us...
10:27a He throws the word "freedom" around a bit too liberally, pun intended. Don't terrorists terrorize us because they love their version of "freedom"? It seems presumptuous to rely on such a subjective, vague concept as "freedom" to justify something as crucial as a war. Maybe I'm too picky.

Conclusion:
That was extremely Democrat-like of me. Wow. My apologies. But, "The Boss" made some important concessions, and showed enough humility for me to listen and appreciate his beliefs. But, we've been hearing all about what's been going right in Iraq since we charged triumphantly in 5 years ago. So, its all kind of thin, I would say. Either way, good talk, Boss.

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