Bush: "Well, God didn't tell me about the hurricane when I was planning Iraq..."

So here is a classic example of why we have a National Guard. They are reserve soldiers to be called up in times of national emergency. Hurricane Katrina wipes out Louisiana and Mississippi. Millions displaced. Flooding, looting, lawlessness, imminent disease. Massive manpower needed instantly to help those displaced. This is when you call the National Guard.

The National Guard would be flown in from around the country. They go to work helping the living, securing property, and then they work to deal with the most immediate disasterous situations. Fixing levees for example.

Ours, unfortunately, is now the National Guard of Iraq. They're there doing all the things they're supposed to be doing here - along with dodging IEDs and snipers and shooting back.

Then there's the thing of the billions of dollars going to Iraq every single month rather then being used here for our own people. Not just emergencies like Katrina ($30 billion and counting) but schools and roads.

Then there's the thing of oil prices going over $70 a barrel - Bush was going to use Iraq's oil production to pay for reconstruction there. But that's so far off plan now, no one even mentions it. Oil was under $30 a barrel when he took office.

Anyone who tells you the war on terror hasn't been effective just isn't a Saudi oil sheikh.

(BTW: from Globalsecurity.org - "Since 1973 every upward spike in real oil prices has been followed by a jump in unemployment..." I'll bet Greenspan's sweating that little stat.)

Bush says he actually talks to God. If it's true, I reckon what he really ought to do is shut up and listen.