It makes my stomach hurt

There is something profoundly disturbing about this picture. I can't put my finger on it, I can't find the right word but immediately upon seeing it this morning I was deeply offended. I can't be sure if it's the look on Bush's face, the kiss, the way he has his arms around the soldiers or what but it disgusts me.




The gratitude of the commander-in chief

President Bush kissed Marine Lance Cpl. Marc Olson of Coal City, Ill., after talking with Olson and fellow Marine Lance Cpl. Patrick Pittman Jr., of Savannah, Ga., at the White House on Tuesday. Olson and Pittman were injured when a suicide bomber attacked their checkpoint in Ramadi, Iraq. Earlier Tuesday the president spoke to the Corps of Cadets at West Point, defending his doctrine of pre-emptive war and warning that the United States must remain willing to“take the fight to our enemies across the world.”Down to his waning days in office, Bush is trying to define his legacy. The president declared that today’s military is“stronger, more agile and better prepared”than the one he inherited in 2001. He urged President-elect Obama to“stay on the offensive”against Al-Qaida and other terrorist groups and said his administration had“laid a solid foundation”for meeting emerging threats around he world. The speech came six weeks before he is to leave office.

HARAZ N. GHANBARI • Associated Press