Another huge embarrassment for democracy?

This is from an Associated Press story relating what the President has said about critics of his handling the war in Iraq.

But he termed irresponsible the "partisan critics who claim that we acted in Iraq because of oil or because of Israel or because we misled the American people," as well as "defeatists who refuse to see that anything is right." With that description, Bush lumped the many Democrats who have accused him of twisting prewar intelligence with the few people, mostly outside the mainstream, who have raised the issues of oil and Israel.

Bush argued that irresponsible discussion harms the morale of troops overseas, emboldens the insurgents they are fighting and sets a bad example for Iraqis trying to establish a democratic government.

So thankfully it's up to the most partisan President in memory, who has shown an inhuman aversion to humbleness and reflection that a Hollywood hack scriptwriter wouldn't try to pass along as realistic to arbitrarily judge the "irresponsibility" of comments criticizing his handling of a war. Does he even understand the blackhole like density of the irony inherent in his argument? The complicit silencing of criticism in the face of authority is what we're in Iraq to fight agaist right? Because he has said it ain't oil, Israel or phantom weapons of mass destruction (unless they're under some other dinner table somewhere).

Mr. President in a true democracy not only do you defend those in your miniscule minority railing against the MAN, but you should equally defend the right of THE MAN to shout in a united voice against you. Defend that and then you're defending democracy.

This is a war in which more than 2,000 American soldiers have died, an untold number of Iraqis have died (because trying to ascertain that information might give the insurgents comfort), thousands still lack electricity, plumbing, adequate food and drinkable water or jobs or hope. Given the administrations disdain for attaching any significance to round numbers like 2,000, I suggest that the media start banner headlining evevy soldier's death.

I wasn't gonna write tonight, Mr. President, but thanks, I guess for sparking my first amendment neurons.

MikeF