Rudy Giuliani----My Take

If there is only one person America should be fearful of having as its next President, it's Republican Rudy Giuliani. The term "Bush-Cheney lite" has been used often in this campaign, but let me assure you that Rudy is certainly not "Bush-Cheney lite". He is Bush-Cheney on steroids.

Rudy Giuliani is the most unqualified candidate to be President from either side of the isle. What exactly did this man do anyway? All he is known for is 9/11, but even that record is not as great as Rudy wants people to believe. Rudy wants to be seen as the hero of America; as "America's Mayor", but the fact is that Rudy is truly neither. If anything, Rudy can be blamed for some of the casualties on 9/11 for his failure to properly prepare for what many knew was an almost certain future attack. In 1994, it was determined that the FDNY's radios were faulty and failed to work properly under rough conditions. Knowing this problem and receiving many complaints from firefighters prior to 9/11, Rudy failed to equip the FDNY with working radios. Those brave first-responders were consequently unable to hear the call to evacuate the WTC and were buried under the rubble when the buildings collapsed. Rudy is also to blame for the illnesses of hundreds of 9/11 clean up workers who were not provided with the proper protective gear while working at Ground Zero. America's Mayor? The hero of 9/11? I think not.

And now that Rudy is running for President, he is looking to even further exploit his supposed heroism on 9/11 for political gain. If you ask me, it is absolutely sickening for Rudy to try to and succeed in making political gain off of the tragedy that was 9/11. Rudy Giuliani wasn't the hero. The first responders who went selflessly into harm's way to save lives are the heroes, as are those who stayed at Ground Zero searching for survivors. I even challenge the claim that Rudy is responsible for "uniting the city and the country on 9/11". Al Sharpton was absolutely correct when he said, "You didn't bring us together, our pain brought us together and our decency brought us together. We would have come together if Bozo was the mayor." The disgust for Rudy is even more evident when you go where people know him best-----New York City itself. Rudy can say what he wants, but the citizens of NYC, who were there pre-9/11, there on 9/11, and there today, want the country to know something---Rudy is a fraud: "Giuliani has exaggerated the role he played after the terrorist attacks, casting himself as a hero for political gain." Perhaps still what is the most disturbing fact is the personal gain that Rudy has earned from "cashing in" on his fame gained on 9/11. On 9/11, Rudy was worth about $2 million. But since that tragedy, Rudy is worth more than 30 times that amount with most of that money being made from speaking appearances concerning 9/11 as well as other 9/11 related events. Now maybe its just me, but if Rudy really cared about those affected by 9/11, wouldn't he have donated most of that money to the 9/11 relief fund or to the families who lost loved ones? But no, Rudy used and continues to use the tragedy of 9/11 for his own gain, thinking nothing of the people who were actually affected.

When you look at his foreign policy, Rudy is even more of a neoconservative warmonger than Bush and Cheney. Giuliani practically lights up whenever he is asked about Iran and gets to respond that he is ready to attack if necessary and that he would not talk to Irani leaders. The fact is though, that if you refuse to negotiate and talk with Iran, then you leave yourself no option but war. And to make Rudy's policy towards Iran even more radical, he has said that he is not sure if conventional weapons would be enough. I can understand saying that nothing should be taken off the table, but Rudy makes it sound as if he looks forward to getting his hands on the U.S.'s nukes and blowing Iran apart.

Giuliani has also been Bush's biggest supporter concerning the Iraq War. Just a few days ago, Rudy said that he thinks President Bush handled the war perfectly and that he would have acted the same way. To say that it was handled without a single flaw is ridiculous and outrageous. Even avid war supporters like John McCain have criticized Bush's handling of the war.

The final thing that irks me about Rudy is his sudden change of position on key issues. As Mayor, Rudy was an unequivocal pro-choice politician, but now that he is running for President, Giuliani says that he would appoint pro-life judges to the Supreme Court who would ultimately like to overturn Roe v. Wade. Giuliani can't have it both ways---he either supports a women's right to privacy or he doesn't. It's the same case with Rudy's immigration policy. While Mayor, he was a strong advocate for sanctuary cities, but now he says that he wants an immediate end to illegal immigration and wants harsh punishments for undocumented workers. Another perfect example of Rudy straddling the line is his stance on gun control. While Mayor he was strongly pro-gun control, but now he says that he fully supports every individual's right to own a weapon. As far as I'm concerned, this "wishy-washy" stance on issues is even worse and more annoying than Romney's flip-flopping. At least when you flip-flop you end up with just a single position, but Rudy is trying to have his cake and eat it too.

So if there ever was a candidate that Democrats, and for that matter sane Republicans, need to stand up to, its Rudy Giuliani. America doesn't need a President who uses tragic events for personal and political gain. America doesn't need a President who would rather nuke a country than negotiate for peace. America doesn't need a President who can't admit when he was wrong. America doesn't need Rudy Giuliani.

Photo credit: Phelan M Ebenhack/AP

New Reports Paint Bad Picture

There are two new reports out concerning the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.  The war in Afghanistan is in its 6th year and the war in Iraq has been going on for almost 5 years and neither report paints a favorable picture.

 

The Washington Post reported that strategic goals that the Bush administration set out for 2007 in Afghanistan have not been met according to a White House assessment.  Individual battles with the Taliban have been successful, but the Taliban has had unchallenged expansion into new territory.  The U.S. military and intelligence have sharp differences as to where the war is going.

 

2007 has been the deadliest year for U.S. forces in Afghanistan.  The U.S. and NATO forces clear an area out and hold on to it  for a while only for it to be taken back by the Taliban.  The war is being fought in no man's land.  The Reagan-Bush administration armed the Taliban to fight the Soviet occupation and now the Taliban is fighting the U.S. and NATO occupation.  After 6 years there is still no one who can tell the American people how the war will turn out and how many more Americans will lose their lives in an unstable country in an unstable part of the world.

 

Meanwhile, the Associated Press reports Al-Hakim, leader of the Supreme Islamic Iraq Council, said that the U.S. has not backed up claims that Iran is fueling violence in Iraq.  Al-Hakim spent years in exile in Iran and is considered close to Iran's leaders.  Al-Hakim is also thought to be Iraq's most influential Shiite politician.

 

I wrote in several past commentaries that however and whenever this war ends, Iraq and Iran will be allies.  The Shiite majority in both countries will stand together.  It is past time to bring our troops home.  One more American death will be too many.  Saddam is long gone, there were no WMD, and we are not fighting the people who are responsible for the tragic events of 9-11.  The new leaders of Australia and Poland have it right.  Both parties in Congress have to get their act together and end the Iraq war as well as work on a solution for the growing violence in Afghanistan.