Dick Cheney: Bean Counter of Death

Of course, there were several lies, that we here at Rising Hegemon (or as we have never before called it but I will act like we have, "The RH") and dozens and dozens of blogs of all readership levels will be on. But one thing that may not be so discussed that struck me particularly bad was this...

[EDWARDS]:...You know, we‘ve taken 90 percent of the coalition causalities. American taxpayers have borne 90 percent of the costs of the effort in Iraq.

And we see the result of there not being a coalition: The first Gulf war cost America $5 billion. We‘re at $200 billion and counting.

John Kerry will never give up control over the security of the United States of America to any other country. We will not outsource our responsibility to keep this country safe.

IFILL: Mr. Vice President, you have 90 seconds to respond.

CHENEY: Well, Gwen, the 90 percent figure is just dead wrong. When you include the Iraqi security forces that have suffered casualties, as well as the allies, they‘ve taken almost 50 percent of the casualties in operations in Iraq, which leaves the U.S. with 50 percent, not 90 percent.

First, there is the obvious dishonesty of the fact that Edwards was talking about the "coalition" casualties as opposed to the global universe of casualties, of which the Iraqis outnumber everybody [need we talk about the number of Iraqi civilians killed Dicky boy?].

What really was disjointing about this conversation is the "bean counter" aspect of discussing casualties, parsing tragedy in such a cold, calculated way, made Cheney seem like a wealthy mortician counting up his inventory, a perception that suits him quite well. And all the while, the whole night, he was sitting their rubbing his hands together like Margaret Hamilton in the Wizard of Oz. Frightening really, since Bush looks like one of the flying monkeys.

It was particularly creepy!