Medals for making the world Freedomer

So here we have our (still) president Bush using some of his time as he runs out the clock to cement his "legacy."  That is, to give medals to some of the heroes of his term in office.

We know that he previously gave medals on Dec. 14, 2004, the president bestowed medals on George J. Tenet, the longtime director of central intelligence who built the case for going to war based in part on assessments that Iraq possessed deadly unconventional weapons; Gen. Tommy R. Franks, the overall commander of the invasion of Iraq; and L. Paul Bremer III, the chief civilian administrator of the American occupation of the country.

You know, those folks sure did deserve medals, mainly because those three really did a wonderful job helping us with the whole Iraq war thing.  Mission Accomplished and all that.

So now, there are a few more luminaries to add to the list. 

Gen. Peter Pace, who was denied a second term as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff a year ago because of the war in Iraq, will receive a Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian award, the White House announced on Wednesday. General Pace, a retired marine, is one of six medal recipients who will be honored by President Bush on June 19, the White House said. Two Democrats are among the six. Donna E. Shalala, president of the University of Miami in Florida and a former president of Hunter College who was secretary of health and human services under President Bill Clinton, is one.

The sixth recipient is Laurence H. Silberman, a senior federal appeals court judge who was co-chairman of a commission appointed by President Bush in 2004 to study failures in intelligence before the Iraq war. The commission’s report was The sixth recipient is Laurence H. Silberman, a senior federal appeals court judge who was co-chairman of a commission appointed by President Bush in 2004 to study failures in intelligence before the Iraq war. The commission’s report was highly critical of the American intelligence bureaucracy.

So we have another failed general who supported Bush's misguided policies getting this award.  Super.  But what really jumps out at me is the award to Silberman.  Note that he authored a report which was "highly critical of the American intelligence bureaucracy."  Also note that Bush previously awarded the same award to George Tenet, who headed said intelligence bureaucracy during the time in question.  You just gotta love Bush.  Of course, there are ulterior motives all around.  Bush gave the medal to Tenet in order to shut him up as the CIA was being blamed for the fiasco in Iraq.  And Silberman's report was used as cover for that deflection of responsibility on Bush's part.  See folks, it wasn't Bush's fault that we got in a war in Iraq... he had "faulty intelligence."  Of course we all know that is a lie.

Just as a side note, Donna Shalala, one of the only Democrats to get the award from Bush, is a pretty funny choice on his part.  She may have been in Clinton's cabinet, but she's had a pretty dubious history since.  She was embroiled in scandals at the University of Florida due to her extravagant lifestyle on the the University's dime.  She also was infamous for fighting the janitor's union at the school.  Nice for a supposed Democrat.  She most recently has been named in a mini-scandal regarding politicians getting favorable rate on mortgages from Countrywide Financial, a prime mover in the mortgage crisis.  Let's give that woman a medal!!