Whether or not the American military strikes Iraq today, Wednesday 12-16-98, Bill Clinton has pulled his most massive ' wag the dog ' campaign ever. Just the possibility of US airstrikes has wiped the current coverage of impeachment vote intentions, off the media scene. This ' jerking the public's chain ' is disgraceful either way. Now that we have struck ( I have always supported blowing things up in Iraq ), it will add to the cost of raising Bill Clinton's image!

Some liberal Democrat Congress members seem to be complicit in the choreographed attempt to confuse. Steve Rothman ( D ), a real Clinton apologist joined Tom Brokaw on MSNBC, to make a few negative comments about the impeachment procedure. Robert Wexler got some digs in on the Republicans, with night views of Baghdad in the back ground. He put his foot in his mouth, citing the peace agreements in Northern Ireland and the Mideast as Clinton victories . I guess he hasn't bothered to check to the body counts at those two locations of late!

Scott Ritter, now a media analyst, pointed out the Iraqis probably have moved any sensitive material from known target locations. This would really bring into question, the actual amount of damage resulting from any such attacks. Ritter characterized the strikes as being " punitive " in nature. He has got that right.

I heard it being reported ( prior to the attack ), that Trent Lott has voiced NO SUPPORT for strikes on Iraq, at this time! Many legislators have begun to come out and denounce Clinton's timing, saying " it smells ". Some have chosen to comment that they think the policy is wise, but if the attacks are brief and ineffectual, they will question Clinton's motivation.

Tony Blair scooped Clinton, in making a public announcement of the attack. Or, is Blair helping take the edge off of Clinton's apparent ' wag the dog ' routine, by making this media announcement? It has only been proceeded by a Whitehouse press secretary declaration of an attack on Iraq in progress. Blair obviously cited the same old story, of Iraqi non-compliance with UNSCOM weapons inspections, as the reason for the strikes today.

This is disgraceful, Bill Clinton has done the only thing left to stop the impeachment vote. An on going military action, will most certainly cause the House of Representitives to delay the debate and vote. This very suspect use of our military is the action of a dictator and not a president. The last time our miltary forces were used as a media tool, an aspirin factory and some tents were destroyed. Remember, this prior attack was done, the same week as his Grand Jury appearence and his failed pseudo attack/apology speech. How can you not question the motivation behind this strike happening, at this time? Look, it is the day before the impeachment vote, man. This can't be over looked and/or denied!

Clinton finally gets to take the spotlight. Acting like a bad junior high school history teacher, he started with a short lesson on UNSCOM, Saddam Hussein and Iraq. Clinton claimed the attacks were targetting Iraqi nuclear and other miltary sites. Clinton did make a great case for bombing Iraq, using many particular examples. The case he failed to make, was why today. He only offered the timing of Richard Butler's unfavorable report on Iraq and the Muslim month of Ramadon, as a reason for the timing. Hey, wasn't it six weeks ago, that Clinton called back an attack already in the air?

- Bongo ( What did I say about watching out for this, the day before the impeachment vote, huh? )