Hillary Clinton is dead to me

This article is written in response to a recent quote by Hillary Rodham Clinton:

“The American military has succeeded. It is the Iraqi government, which has failed to make the tough decisions that are important for their own people,” the New York senator said from the podium, earning jeers from some members of the audience.

Clinton needs to be smacked over the head with a hammer of accountability

No one blames the U.S. military for failures in Iraq and Americans are sick of hearing politicians exploit 9/11 and “the troops” to gain power. It’s sad that after all we’ve been through as a nation, Hillary Clinton is ready to let President Bush off the hook for his mistakes. She has all but continued along the same line of rhetoric that made Bush infamous.

Who calls the military a failure and who goes around blaming the troops over Iraq instability and poor policy decisions? Americans want is to be reassured that they will not have another President Bush on their hands in 2008. Liberals, progressives, and even some conservatives are ready to change course in Iraq. Americans want a leader that has the courage to stand up to the corruption that has held our government hostage for many years now.

Before Clinton can be that kind of leader, she needs to accept responsibility for her mistakes. She was complicit in the scandals that have plagued the Bush administration. Hillary stood along-side Bush as war propaganda was at its peak. Democrats and Republicans are right to call her out on the issue and it’s going to destroy her if she doesn’t own up to it.

For Clinton, it may have been a calculated decision to support Bush, but it was a poor decision. She made the wrong move in 2002 and continues to stand her ground five years later. It’s 2007 and Seventy percent of Americans are sick of Iraq and want the troops to come home. The propaganda and war bandwagon continues to roll and Clinton should be ashamed for not taking a decisive stand on the Iraq issue.

Clinton needs a dose of reality, maybe some perspective snap her out of it.

We all know that voting against the Iraq War would have been political suicide in 2004. I can forgive Hillary Clinton for encouraging Bush’s error-prone and deceptive leadership. What I cannot forgive is Hillary not owning up to her mistakes and she’s going to pay for this pig-headed move in Iowa and New Hampshire.

Remember this? It’s something America will “Never Forget…”

70% of Americans want and deserve better leadership than they’ve received with President Bush at the helm. Our leaders need to find courage to fight “flip-flopper” flinging crowds and not forsake principles for votes. John Kerry was smoked by Swift Boat propaganda and Clinton will be next if she’s not careful.

Americans are intelligent enough to forgive you for a political mistake, but I don’t know that we have the stomach to vote for another promoter of war. Political strategy requires more than triangulating to achieve some illusory representation of a perfect presidential candidate. Nobody is perfect Hillary, make this election about who you are and not what you think Americans want you to be. If Clinton chooses to ignore this advice, I guarantee you she’ll fail to secure the Democratic nomination.

Barack Obama’s character outshines Clinton in public, he reminds me of Bill Clinton and his uncanny ability to connect with people. Can Hillary’s leadership overcome the charm, I don’t know, but it’s not going to work if she doesn’t relent on the Iraq War issue. Hillary Clinton needs to show Americans that she’ll fight and carry out the will of the people. So far, I’m not impressed; I smell ‘politics as usual’ and I’m looking for something more. It may seem cliche, but Americans want real change and nothing about Hillary Clinton inspires America to follow her lead.

This is a legitimate concern:

War-time Rhetoric and Patriotism

Blaming the Iraqi government is foolish, because the U.S. forced the dysfunctional government on Iraq and even Sunni’s boycotted for a while, which made it more of a symbolic election than a legitimate one. Contrary to popular rhetoric that we’ve brought Democracy to a grateful Iraqi nation, it wasn’t until recently that the Sunni tribe had lifted that boycott to participate in the elections. Iraqis perceive Americans as invaders seeking to control them and their country, people who wage war on Islam because of intolerance. To some degree they are correct in their assessment.

Consider the following:

1. Iraq is the reason that Bush is a lame-duck President, now.
2. Iraq is the reason he is trying to play nice now and working on bi-partisan legislation, which Republicans are resisting mightily!
3. Iraq is why Bush has lost confidence of our nation and his own party.
4. Iraq is why many people ousted the Republican majority in 2006. People want heart, courage, and good leadership, not bickering leaders that can’t work with one another to solve our problems.

Hillary Clinton should fire her campaign strategist

Clinton’s political agenda that will ensure that President Bush gets away with violating our laws, constitution, and ruining the America that I loved growing up in (Ronald Reagan, Bush Sr. and Bill Clinton).

The last thing we need right now is having to deal with fear and terrorism that is promoted by our own government.

Hillary Clinton said:

“It is the Iraqi government which has failed to make the tough decisions that are important for their own people”

Tell that to this guy who lost his head amidst all the chaos and corruption

1. Is it the Iraqi people’s fault that we killed their dictator?
2. Is it the Iraqi’s fault that we promised liberty and can’t deliver?
3. How many lives and how many trillions are we going to fork over?
4. How long are we willing to continue this war and can we even afford it?
5. After 9/11 we lashed out and pushed an illegal war, do you care?

Hillary Clinton:

Go ahead and wag your finger and tell Iraq it is their government’s fault for reckless policy decisions and for electing incompetent fools.

It’ll cost you the 2008 election, I guarantee it.

We love our military and troops, but don’t use and abuse them as a tool for political gain, it’s just despicable behavior and too many politicians use it as a matter of course.
Americans loathe the half truths that have become the Washington mantra. We want a leader who is strong and honest. Clinton needs to start thinking like a leader if she really wants to convince the American people that she’s the right person for the job.

You broke my heart, Hillary Clinton.

Clinton Supports On-Going U.S. Role In Iraq

While participating in a Tuesday forum sponsored by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, Clinton reiterated her support for leaving troops in Iraq after the timetable for troop withdrawal.

She said the troops will help prevent al Qaeda from gaining a staging ground, look after the treatment of the Kurds, guard against the influence of Iran and train Iraqi forces if the Iraqi government “gets its act together.”

Congratulations Hillary, you may now join the ranks of the super “patriots.” If you ever come back to earth, maybe you’d be interested in a little history lesson: “Iraq is burning, will America go for broke?  I guess it doesn’t matter, because there is nothing that you can’t solve by resorting to triangulation and fear that’ll help win over the needed supporters.

Fred Soto is an Attorney and Entrepreneur from the Silicon Valley.
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