The essence of slander is that it is an untrue defamation. It is by now obvious that the first casualty of the Bush presidency is the goddess of truth, butchered on the altar of expediency by Carl and the gang. Their skill at disseminating misinformation is legendary as is their ruthlessness in slandering anyone who disagrees with their policies or perceptions. One on their practices in deceit has now found its way into the language as a new verb, "swiftboating."

Currently, as their mantra "Stay the Course" has taken some heavy hits from evaluation of contrary evidence and rational thinking, they have ginned up another slogan, perjorative in nature, to infer timidity and cowardice to those who would disagree, i.e. "cut and run." It is
virtually impossible to watch the tv these days without encountering the image of Carl Rove, narrowing his eyes and suggesting that those people who would "cut and run" are disloyal to the country and theaten the very existence of this republic. Of course "cut and run" and it's
innuendo apply to everyone who advances an opinion with respect to how to bring about a withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq. Since the right of open debate and dissent died shortly after the death of truth, such disagreement can only be evidence of cowardice and treason.No longer content to just demonize their critics, the gang now " traitorizes" them.

Thus it is that a decorated marine with combat experience such as congressman John Murtha, who urges a planned withdrawal is called a coward and a traitor on the floor of the House of Representatives by one of the party's character assassins. This individual later confessed that she didn't know Murtha was a combat marine and she had been put up to making the charges by others in the administration. The RNC is planning a swiftboating to disrupt Murtha's reelection
campaign.

President Bush has vowed that we will stay in Iraq as long as he is President, leaving the questions of when and how American troops will be withdrawn as a problem for his successor to wrestle with.The critical thing that is being overlooked in this war of rhetoric is that the American military no longer have any tactical objective. They are now merely what is called "a force in being," being daily killed by two's and three's, their lives being cut down by roadside bombs while they patrol up and down the roadways without any real tactical destination. A compelling comparison is that of the hapless marine force stationed in Lebanon during the Reagan years with no mission except to "show the flag," to act as sitting ducks, under orders not to load their guns, less it be taken as a sign of hostility. In this appalling posture a
truck bomb entered their compound unopposed and killed some 250 of them. The orders that left these Marines in such a helpless posture came from Reagan's Secretary of Defense, Casper Weinberger, another armchair general.

Marines learned long ago that a tactical retreat is not a defeat. The annals of the Marine Corps during the Korean War demonstrated that the ability of Marines to conduct themselves in a fighting retreat saved men and equipment who were able to fight again. The Marine Corps most
decorated General "Chesty" Puller, then a colonel in command of the 1st Marines, was awarded his 5th Navy Cross for his heroic actions in making the retreat from the invading Chinese, a fighting tactical withdrawal rather than a disaster , demonstrates that retreat is not a "cut and run."

One might inquire from Mr. Rove where he acquired all his military expertise and what he was doing during the Vietnam years, while his boss was keeping the skies of Alabama free of commie MIG's ? The appalling aspect of all of this is that no rational discussion with the loyal opposition takes place. Better to call them traitors and cowards than to expose the emptiness of the "stay the course" approach and risk loosing seats in the next election. Meanwhile American losses
continue to mount. Thus it is appropriate to refer to the era as "Slandergate."