usaBay: Dispute: Item not as described

Well, I have watched the President's speech.

Actually, I watched his Army Recruitment infomercial .

First, let's get the obvious gripes out of the way. Bush, stop exploiting 9-11 to cover your ass every time you fuck up. That well is drier than any of your Arbusto ones. Also, when you want to take your case to the American People, how about not appearing in front of an audience of uniformed soldiers? The Troops We All Support are duty bound to applaud you right or wrong.

If you had any balls, you'd take your case to the majority of Americans who don't approve of what you're doing. You don't have to convince the military. You need to convince me and all the people who think like me.

Or you ought to at least seem like you want to.

In watching the newstainment coverage of the speech there is a lot of reporting that 61% of The American People don't think you even have a plan for Iraq...that you are "making it up as you go along." Gotta admit, that deserves some coverage. Polls also show that only 34% of Americans think we are winning the war. An understandable consclusion when you consider that major combat operations were declared by you to be at an end two years ago, and I guess you can't be "winning" a war that is supposed to be over.

Another interesting poll being covered is that although the President is adamant about not setting a timetable for troop withdrawl, 51% of Americans say they want one. Gotta love the people cheering the President's strong stand and devotion to democracy even when he's pretty much saying, "Fuck what the majority of Americans think, I'm doing what I want. They had their chance, but they re-elected me anyway."

So, why aren't the newstainment channels (who are so liberal, dangit!) devoting about 61% of their coverage to criticism of the President if 61% of us are critical of the President?

I saw a lot more interviews with dead soldier's widows agreeing with the President than dead soldier's widows who want to know why their husbands died when nothing the President has said about Iraq has turned out to be true.

Not the reasons for the invasion. Not the WMD. Not the threat posed by Saddam Hussein. Not the connection to 9-11. Not the cost of the war. Not the reaction of the Iraqi people. Not the connection to terrorism and the training of terrorists. Not the projected cost in human life (Coalition and civilian). Not the degree of international support. Not the postive impact of opening Iraq's oil markets. Not the strength of the insurgency. Nothing.

Nothing.

To me "Soldier's widow outraged over Administration misrepresentation of war" is a much more important story than "Widow supports President in spite of faulty justification for war."

Let's put it in a way the average American can understand. Say you're a shopper on eBay. Imagine you saw this auction:

Description: War
Strike a blow against the criminals of 9-11, protect the American Homeland, and bring democratic freedoms to an oppressed people. Limited engagement invasion with shocking and awesome power. Limited casualties both civilian and military. Destroy terror, protect civilization. Easy victory. Guarenteed love and adoration of a liberated people. Help make sure people die where you don't know anyone, instead of here in the USA!

All shipping costs included. No refunds, returns, or exchanges. Ask all questions before you bid.

Starting Bid:$50 billion*
Buy it Now cost: $60 billion.*

*Numbers taken from low and high end predicitons of Budget Director Mitch Daniels [Forbes 4/11/03, W. Post 3/28/03, NY Times 1/2/03, respectively]

You say, "Holy Crap! Love! Adoration! Shock! Awe! Revenge for September 11th! Count me in!"

Then you click that Buy It Now button without a second's thought.

Then, not only is your credit card debited for $150 billion more than the agreed upon amount, you are continuously debited at a rate of $9 billion a month with no end in sight!

Thank goodness you don't actually have to look at any of the hundred thousand or so dead bodies you bought. At least that part of the item description turned out to be true.

Is this the transaction you agreed to?

Has it reduced Terror or promoted it? Iraq didn't become a center for terrorists until after we invaded. Now we're there in force and we can't seem to do anything about it. We lose an average of 2 soldiers a day. While Bush was making his speech an Iraqi lawmaker and two more US soldiers were killed.

At least 12,000 Iraqi civilians killed...though the number is estimated to be far far more than that. 16,000 militants and insurgents killed. 1,735 US soldiers killed. Over $200 billion tax dollars spent.

Bush, the seller, says it is worth it. That, in effect, you got a good deal. What do you think?

I'm filing a dispute. You should too. This seller deserves a negative feedback rating, because he's just going to keep ripping people off for as long as he can get away with it.