No one seems to be writing opinion pieces quite the way I would, so I decided to do it myself.

The name? Taverns are places where one goes to discuss the interesting events and things in the world, so this is my tavern.

I will offer my views on politics, economics, and whatever else strikes my fancy.
I will occasionally publish the entire article from another journal for purposes of causing discussion.

Going on 1,000 Dead American Soldiers in Iraq. For What??

Nine hundred plus American soldiers have now died in Iraq. That is very nearly a third of the deaths in 9-ll, and Iraq HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH 9-11!

Yet, allegedly, 9-11 is the reason we unilaterally invaded Iraq. That and the now clearly false weapons of mass destruction. Later, of course, when those excuses were being shown to be lies, we also were told it was to remove Saddam and to bring democracy to Iraq.

Removing Saddam isn't enough. There were worse dictators, and dictators more dangerous to the US. For example, Iran had and has greater Nuclear threat.

As for democracy, democracy in Iraq is extremely unlikely any time soon and we aren't going to bring it with the US Army or Marine Corps.

In essence, there was no rational reason for invading Iraq.

So why is Bush getting Americans killed for no reason? The number of deaths will reach a thousand sometime in September at the current rate of deaths. The severely wounded are probable four times that number.

I am retired military. These people are my brothers and sisters in arms. Their deaths do nothing to protect our nation.

Bush is to blame.

Iraq is Bush's war. It has no meaning for America, no purpose, it is nothing more than merely an increasing casualty rate. But it does meet the needs of right wing Republican demagogues for an issue to allow their control of our government to continue.

Sadly, now that we are there in Iraq, we can't leave without creating a failed state like that in Afghanistan that led to 9-11.

The inaction and stupidity of Reagan and Bush 41 caused the problems of 9-11. The Republican Congress with accusations of "Wag the Dog" prevented Clinton from taking any effective action to change things. Since 9-11, the actions of Bush 43 have made those problems much worse than they were.

We are in a downward spiral with conservatives and Republicans in charge. They have no way of stopping the disaster they have created, and in fact they benefit form those very problems they have created. The problems they have created can only get worse.

Only changing the administration in November can make a change in the disaster that has been created by this administration and allowed to grow.

We need to get rid of Bush. Fast.