Kitty Kelley: Why aren't the Bush daughters in Iraq?

[kskiska]

WHEN I WAS a little girl in a convent school, the nuns impressed on me the power of setting a good example. These beloved teachers are no longer around to instruct the president and his family, so I recommend that the Bushes learn from Mark Twain, who said: "Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest."

My suggestion comes after the White House announcement earlier this month that Jenna Bush, one of the president's twin daughters, is writing a book on her all-expenses-paid trip to Panama, where she worked for a few weeks as an intern for UNICEF. Jenna Bush is quoted as saying she will donate her earnings from her book to UNICEF, a commendable gesture, considering her father's net worth of $20 million. But while the 25-year-old makes the rounds of TV talk shows this fall in a White House limousine, dozens of her contemporaries will be arriving home from Iraq in wooden boxes. In Britain, Prince Harry is insisting on going off to Iraq — even as his country is reducing its troop commitment.

(snip)

The president tells us Iraq is a "noble" war, but his wife, his children and his nieces and nephews are not listening. None has enlisted in the armed services, and none seems to be paying attention to the sacrifices of military families. Until Jenna's trip to Panama, the presidential daughters performed community service only when mandated by a court after they were cited for underage drinking. Since then they have surfaced in public during lavish presidential trips with their parents, bar-hopping outings in Georgetown and champagne-popping art openings in New York.

The first lady, so often lauded for her love of literacy, has not been seen in the reading rooms of veterans' hospitals. The president's sister, Doro, publicly picketed Al Gore's last days in the vice president's mansion as he awaited the Supreme Court's decision on the Florida recount of 2000. Yet she has been strangely absent from publicly supporting her brother's war.

The presidential nieces and nephews also have missed the memo on setting a good public example. Ashley Bush — the youngest daughter of the president's brother, Neil, and Neil's ex-wife, Sharon — was presented to Manhattan society at the 52nd Annual International Debutantes Ball at the Waldorf Astoria. Her older sister, Lauren, a runway model, told London's Evening Standard that she is a student ambassador for the United Nations World Food Program, but she would not lobby her uncle for U.S. funds. Her cousin, Billy Bush, chronicles the lives of celebrities on "Access Hollywood."

more…
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-kelley19mar19,0,3371377,print.story?coll=la-opinion-center

[BOSSHOG]

1. kindasleezy says its WORTH the sacrifice

Ya think all the worthless cowardly chickenhawks in this country would be getting themselves a whole mess of that worth.

[Skittles]

3. YES

oh wait BOSSHOG - serving your country is for AVERAGE FOLK, LIKE YOU AND ME :o

[Faygo Kid]

2. I know many here don't like this argument, but it rings true

I am sick and tired of these neocon warmongers sending other peoples' children to die in this insane war. Are there any relatives of any of them - Bush, Cheney, Perle, Wolfowitz, Kristol, Limbaugh, Feith, Rice, et al - any at all sent to the meat grinder? Kitty Kelley is right, and I appreciate her speaking out about a topic that many avoid.

Frank Rich had a couple good observations about Barbara Bush the elder, with her trashy comments about Katrina victims and not ruining her "beautiful mind" worrying about war deaths. She raised a brood of vipers. George the elder was a man who didn't get it, but he was nowhere near the venal man his son became. Thanks, Mom.

[TheBaldyMan]

4. Don't forget other Bush progeny, Pierce is old enough to enlist

In fact, i think there is a regular passle of Bush babies that could don a uniform and serve their country.

[antonialee839]

5. I'm almost positive I saw an interview with that little snot

where he was all for the war. Quite the little cheerleader, just like shrub, whom he eerily resembles.

[TheBaldyMan]

6. he was defending the ports buyout by a non-US company

I saw it as well, Swamp Rat did a brilliant animation of him using stills from the interview.