A Christmas Nightmare

On a lighter note, a friend sends this along, in keeping with the season.

A Christmas Nightmare, 2003
by Catherine McGuire

T’was the night before Christmas and all through the House,
Those seeking re-election were starting to grouse,
“Bush told us he‘d live by what the U.N had said,
but now we’re stuck in deep Iraq sh*t instead!
We can’t back out now, the die has been cast,
but who knows how long this quagmire will last?
Can’t we get this thing done? Can’t we sneak ‘round old Bush?”
Then sudd’nly the House Speaker rose and said, “Shush!”

For out in the halls there rose such a clamor --
it was Mr. Joe Public, who said with a stammer,
“We want you to know, ‘fore you do something rash,
that we realize this whole war has been too slapdash.
We voters ain’t dumb or indifferent, you know;
you’ve been weasel-waffling from the git-go.
We’re stuck in Iraq for at least a few years,
so ’fess up to your goofs, or forget your careers.”

The House Speaker shuddered and spoke up right quick,
“I’ve got an idea that seems pretty slick;
Form inquiry panels, but all “classified” --
And Mr. Joe Public won‘t know if we lied;
‘cause we‘ll blame it on Daschle , on Chirac, on Blix and,
on Tenet, on Stupid*, on Donald .... on Nixon!
We’ve done it before -- shredding docs, blanking tapes --
we can spindoc this mess, make all look ship-shape.
Just look like we‘re trying; we won’t take the fall -
White-wash away, wash away, wash away all!”

As dry chads in Floridian hurricanes fly,
so up swept the families of soldiers to cry,
“Our loved ones spend Christmas in armor this year.
Now your reasons for risking their lives isn’t clear:
even patriots are worried- just what are you hiding?
Do we really have verified cause for our fighting?”

And meanwhile our allies have gone through the roof -
“There’s been public opinion rigging -- here’s proof!
None of the weapons you named has been found,
None of the motives you claimed have been sound.
We think the whole Bush camp are extremists and wrongful,
Second only in danger to the crazy Kim Jong-il,
If you start with pre-emption, just where will it end?
you’re heading right into the chasm, my friend.”

Yet when Rummy ‘fessed up to an annual cost
of near ninety billion to replace what was lost
by our billion-bomb pummelling of Tikrit and Bagdad,
did the Senate or House have the guts to get mad?
No! They trimmed all the watchdogs, turned blinds eyes to the perks,
did their best to keep all public eyes from their work,
and with each so-called patriot holding his nose,
they gave Bush his billions, and voted to close.

That old saying ‘bout sausage and laws comes to mind,
we are queasy from watching what goes into the grind;
From the pious protests to the quotes grandiose,
this spectacle has left most of us comatose.
From the blustering press to the arguments oral,
One thing is for sure -- just don’t look for the moral.

There’s not much point in this lengthy epistle,
except that this farce doesn’t rate our dismissal.
One thing we must ask, ‘fore they sweep this from sight --
Are we safe in our beds? Can we sleep well at night?

(Note: You are welcome to share this, but not to sell it.)