2008 Woodie Awards
Meter still running
War with Iran is not inevitable, learn from past mistakes
By: Mike Ellis
Issue date: 10/31/07 Section: Voices
- Page 1 of 1
I don't know how I'm going to convince them this time.
I got a parking ticket Tuesday. When I went out to feed the meter there was a parking ticket on my windshield and the red violation thingy hadn't come up yet. There was a minute left on my meter, yet the ticket was marked for 13 minutes earlier.
I called up the phone number and was told I wouldn't have a ticket if there was still time on the meter.
I have a lot of parking tickets, so I'm not as credible as the parking meter guy. I can fill out an appeal form and then it's my word against the parking officer. Guess who's probably going to win?
So I can empathize with President George Bush. He's catching some flack after his administration has been beating the war drums for Iran. Many people say it reminds them of Iraq's buildup in late 2002 to early 2003.
He's going to need more evidence than I have. Last time, his administration's "slam-dunk" case turned out to be pretty weak and I have a feeling it's going to be a little harder for them this time.
And that's why I never complained about my tickets before, so if something like this happened I'd have a chance of people believing me.
It's the old crying-wolf thing.
A credible group of the Bush administration now writes in their books that they were the only dissenting voices on the Iraq war.
Alan Greenspan, George Tenant and Colin Powell are among those who have come clean (or at least their version of clean) saying they pooh-poohed the war before it happened.
Those dissenting voices are now gone, for better or worse.
Will people believe Bush even if there is a credible case to be made for war in Iran? I'm going to be a doubter for some time and doubt I'm the only one.
Iran is not going anywhere.
I don't know if war, or a ratcheting up of rhetoric, is the correct response. I do know war with a major power is never an easy endeavor and militarily the United States is not in a strong position. That is very likely a reason Iran is pushing their nuclear program. They say it is peaceful, that is not very believable.
Both sides can be misleading at the same time. We are only likely to be able to call out the BS for our own side. But the meter is still running on negotiations and diplomacy.
It is now America's job to critically examine Bush's case for "World War III" before we become the WWIII generation. That is no easy or simple task and should not be treated lightly by citizens, media or government. Or by our generation, who would be on the front line if a draft is required.
Pretend they gave you a ticket you know you shouldn't pay for.
Because war is something none of us need to be paying for if the meter is still going.
news2@cm-life.com
I got a parking ticket Tuesday. When I went out to feed the meter there was a parking ticket on my windshield and the red violation thingy hadn't come up yet. There was a minute left on my meter, yet the ticket was marked for 13 minutes earlier.
I called up the phone number and was told I wouldn't have a ticket if there was still time on the meter.
I have a lot of parking tickets, so I'm not as credible as the parking meter guy. I can fill out an appeal form and then it's my word against the parking officer. Guess who's probably going to win?
So I can empathize with President George Bush. He's catching some flack after his administration has been beating the war drums for Iran. Many people say it reminds them of Iraq's buildup in late 2002 to early 2003.
He's going to need more evidence than I have. Last time, his administration's "slam-dunk" case turned out to be pretty weak and I have a feeling it's going to be a little harder for them this time.
And that's why I never complained about my tickets before, so if something like this happened I'd have a chance of people believing me.
It's the old crying-wolf thing.
A credible group of the Bush administration now writes in their books that they were the only dissenting voices on the Iraq war.
Alan Greenspan, George Tenant and Colin Powell are among those who have come clean (or at least their version of clean) saying they pooh-poohed the war before it happened.
Those dissenting voices are now gone, for better or worse.
Will people believe Bush even if there is a credible case to be made for war in Iran? I'm going to be a doubter for some time and doubt I'm the only one.
Iran is not going anywhere.
I don't know if war, or a ratcheting up of rhetoric, is the correct response. I do know war with a major power is never an easy endeavor and militarily the United States is not in a strong position. That is very likely a reason Iran is pushing their nuclear program. They say it is peaceful, that is not very believable.
Both sides can be misleading at the same time. We are only likely to be able to call out the BS for our own side. But the meter is still running on negotiations and diplomacy.
It is now America's job to critically examine Bush's case for "World War III" before we become the WWIII generation. That is no easy or simple task and should not be treated lightly by citizens, media or government. Or by our generation, who would be on the front line if a draft is required.
Pretend they gave you a ticket you know you shouldn't pay for.
Because war is something none of us need to be paying for if the meter is still going.
news2@cm-life.com
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