Commander in Chief

For George Bush

With that aw shucks crooked grin

  And that little Texas Swagger

 You were commander in chief

   You had no room to stagger

 

 You sent us to Iraq half cocked

     We had to do your bidding

 You sold fear of mass destruction

    Turns out you were kidding

 

    Another spectacular Victory

  Just like Daddy's desert storm

       Only with a little catch

      This time s**t went wrong

 

You had no plan and didn't expect

  the mayhem when it happened

     eye for eye tooth for tooth

          Desert law in action

 

    You grossly underestimated

    Desert people and their fury

     Sent us all to hell on earth

     You never seemed to worry

 

         You were the decider

       The head man at the top

    You were quick to start a war

       but couldn't make it stop

 

       Redeploy and Redeploy

           Wore us into sand

       Heroes widows orphans

          Lost to sacred land

 

     Friends I'll never see again

      With bodies ripped apart

     Home in flag draped coffins

       Breaks my warrior's heart

 

      Memories I never wanted

        Nightmares that rebound

      For all the valor and victory

      That sunk into the ground

 

      For all the tears of agony

       Every broken mother cried

  For all the pain and hopelessness

      When her young hero died

 

   This s**t's really hard to write

        My voice of indignation

 Those of us that fought your war

   Deserve a f*****g explanation

 

 

Author's Note

Fuck. I need a drink and a blowjob

Reviews

[Patricia B. Hepler]

My first reaction was, "Am I gonna cry?". Nope, didn't cry. I felt your brutal honesty, Baby R. Your ability to put words together and roar out the truth is awesome.
I especially liked the last verse..
~pat

[Baby Ricochet]

thank you for reviewing CIC Pat

[jacob erin-cilberto]

yes, yes, yes!

this is the truth...verbatim.

a good rant.

jacob

[Baby Ricochet]

Thank you for reviewing CIC Jacob

[Mia]

F**k! I read this and it makes me sad, and then I think about the fact that I don’t really know what war does to people. I read these poems yours (Hero’s by DrD) and I have no words worth saying...what could I possibly say to this. Nothing would sound sincere.

[Baby Ricochet]

thank you for reviewing CIC Mia

[Mia]

Thank you for writing it!

[Pax]

A sad truth in a well written poem...your frustration is felt throughout till the end of the poem... Great work!

[Baby Ricochet]

Thank you for reviewing CIC MR Pax

[RachelReaper]

Well written. I'm sorry.

[Baby Ricochet]

thank you for reviewing CIC Rachel

[That_Guy]

I'd buy you a drink any day Baby R. As for the Blowjob... I know some people. ;)

Powerful write man, I have friends and family serving right now as well as veterans. I'm preforming this Friday a little veterans day shindig too. That being said, great message and well said. W messed up..

[Baby Ricochet]

HA! Thanks for reviewing CIC bro

[KAOlmsted]

...Because it's dark in there. It's dark and it's cold and it's a scary a*s place to be when the only quilt you have is sewn together with the thread of deception, and there are more questions than answers. Say you get this explanation you seek...say we ALL get this explanation we seek...does it change anything? Where do we go when the sign at the end of the road says "We did it because...(insert explanation here)" Do we stop traveling at that point and accept our destination? No. We tear down the sign and forge a new road. Because the answers always lead to more questions. Always. And it changes...nothing. War is a necessary evil...he with the crooked grin and swagger did not invent it, but I understand your belief that he created your hell...and I would trade my own life for your ability to climb out of those depths of depression and slough off that dead skin your years in the desert burnt to your body, because it's dark in there, Baby...it's f*****g dark.

Your writing...is exceptional.

[Baby Ricochet]

Fiasco: The American Military Adventure in Iraq, Written by THomas E Ricks. If you weren't there it's an eye opener. If you were there it's infuriating. The Commander in Chief has a lot of autonomy and can make desicions without defuring to anyone. What that translates to is whatever decision the Commander in Chief makes has a direct impact as to what happens on the ground. CIvilians typically suck at running wars.

[Tai Ryens]

Should be spread far and wide to the community, and I would do so had I had the friends save for you and the below whom have already scanned through that would actually fully comprehend a poem such as this.

[Baby Ricochet]

Thank you for reviewing CIC Tai

[Kushal]

Yes. Yes. Yes.
Bush was an incompetent coward.
This poem needs to be highly publicised. This is the best poem I have read in this forum!

The question has been asked, and everyone wants the answer.

[Baby Ricochet]

Thank you for reviewing CIC Kushal

[Michael G.]

This is now your right to ask questions, and for explanations.

(Now, speaking in a calm, quiet voice.)

As one in uniform, you did as ordered. This is something not all civilians understand.
I once asked for and demanded personally, a direct order from an officer instead of coming down through the chain of command, as you know, they normally do. And I got that direct order from a very mad and angry officer (who placed me on report for insubordination, refusing a direct and lawful order, and several other very serious charges) because the order given potentially was a dangerous order to carry out and in my estimation, endangering the entire command. I never went to mast; and the charges were dropped. I was actually apologized to by the very same officer... as his (and my) superior expressed upon him how far off base his order actually was.
I went out on a limb by doing that. And I would have never done it if it might have gotten anyone else in trouble. And I did carry out the direct order as safely as could possibly be done and in the timely manner which was demanded at the time.
A lot of background here for a review, I know. Simply this, as you well know and understand.
Soldiers do as ordered... and we follow the chain of command.
As civilians we can question.
I would hope we can question while respecting the office, ...and respecting and honoring those of who gave the ultimate price.
My two cents, I guess, for what its worth.

The poem itself is well done, my friend.
A very good write, indeed.

[Baby Ricochet]

Our LT'S aid got his position cause he couldn't/wouldn't fire his weapon at the enemy. He got a lot of s**t for that including from me. Looking back I regret that. I wish I'd have talked to him about how he felt about what we were doing but at the same time I couldn't have had any doubts in my mind that would have made me hesitate to engage the enemy. I could have gotten myself or other Marines killed. If you've not been in that situation you just don't know what your missing

[Michael G.]

You're right, BR. You can't allow yourself any reason to hesitate. Glad I wasn't there. And glad you are out of there.

[Baby Ricochet]

Glad you made it out of the jungle Mr G.

[Michael G.]

Chris was a marine deep in the jungle. Doubt he had the long beard back then, though.

[Baby Ricochet]

Naa. Not within the grooming standard

[Michael G.]

lol. Keep writing, BR.