Oh, mrap.

So, you know how we can't pass a bill with a timetable for withdrawing from Iraq, because that's always attached to a funding bill for the troops, and that's why Biden has to just go ahead and vote for giving the troops more money even without the timetable, cause otherwise you're putting these guys' lives in danger? Even though that might seriously hurt his chances at being elected Presi-- ok, I can't even finish that sentence. Joe, you're totally going to win. I can't wait to see you at the next (28th!) debate, being all relevant and shit.

Anyway, you know? Well, turns out it doesn't even matter how much money they have, they just can't manage to get equipment anyway. See, according to our Secretary of Defense, what we really need are these armored vehicles (MRAP's) to protect against those IED's that are killing, like, everybody. As he points out, "I was initially told that once the vehicles were manufactured, it would take about 30 days to fit them out with all of the communications and other gear that the government puts into them, and then another 30 days to ship them by sea. I basically said that I didn't think that was acceptable...[T]he way I have put it to everyone is that you have to look outside the normal bureaucratic way of doing things. And so does industry, because lives are at stake. For every month we delay, scores of young Americans are going to die".

That, of course was on June 29th, a bit less than two months ago. So we should have gotten all these doohickies that will prevent SCORES of American deaths each month by now, right? Well, not so much. So why are we so fucking desperate to pass these funding bills that we can't just hold out a little bit more to get a veto-proof majority instead of just rolling right over to Bush and his utter failure of an administration that is still somehow managing to hold Congress in thrall to the point that they continue to greenlight this unbelievably unpopular war AND PASS FISA ON TOP OF THAT? Seriously, dudes, what the fuck was up with that?

Anyway, what I'm trying to say here is: next time, HillBama, it is not enough to just vote No at the last possible minute to the bill, without ever having said a word about how you were planning to vote. Maybe when this comes around again (and again, and again), you could try using some of your crazy Senate sway (Hill) or your unimpeachable anti-war charisma (Bama) to, I don't know, get some other waffling Senators on your side? Hmmm?

Also, Hillary's taking plenty (ok, some) shit for not being anti-war enough (just say it was a mistake already! We'll forgive you!), but Barack, this is supposed to be your thing! As you keep reminding us, you're the only one who's always voted against the war (even though you weren't, like, actually in the Senate when everybody first voted for it). So how 'bout you fucking act like you're against it, instead of like the typical timid Beltway politician you're supposed to be the antithesis of? If you actually want us out of this war, and you're not just using that position for political gain, don't wait til the last minute to check out how Hillary's gonna vote. Yell it out and maybe get 15 Republican Senators (15 more Republicans, I mean, shout-out to Hagel [R-Nebraska] and Smith [R-Oregon]) plus Joe "I swear I'm not a Republican" Lieberman to join you.

What, it could happen!