Slackie and others have nailed it already, with the clear and irrefutable observation that Bush's charm is a polished facet common to many sociopathic personalities. There are sufficient public examples of his sociopathic tendancies to render any private revelations to the contrary as specious. And indeed we see here that many of the private revelations actually serve to reinforce the notion, such as his absolute arrogance in believing he is never to be challenged or questioned yet everyone else most certainly should be.

At the risk of making an overly facile comparison, Bush has the essential personality hallmarks of a cult leader. Viewed from within his circle he is perceived as decisive, intelligent, charming, shrewd, and even visionary. Viewed from without his flaws become obvious, encompassing petulance, insecurity, inflexibility, spite, indifference to suffering, monomaniacism, and tyranny.

People talk of being lulled by his personality in much the same way they are charmed by cult leaders and other sociopaths. Naturally, it is human nature to rationalise this charming effect, so that one doesn't appear a dupe or a fool. So we get products like this, a book which in parts is no doubt accurate, but which is varnished with the self-deception of the author as he attempts to cloak his own duplicity in projection.

Other commentors have made this point already, but it needs to be repeated until it sinks in:

The plan to attack Iraq was a top priority since the first day of this administration.

Bush I already had such a stick up his ass about Iraq that he provoked them into a war with slant drilling, among other factors. The real reason as to why he needed the war I'm not clear on. Perhaps cleaning up the mess he and his cronies made when they propper up Saddam in the first place.

Whatever the reason, the plate was already set for Bush II when he set down to the table. 9/11 merely provided the cover, ably assisted by the racism and religious ignorance of Americans who were ready to hit any Islamic Arab regardless of nationality.

Regardless of whatever other activity this administration undertakes and attempts to lay at the feet of 9/11, the invasion of Iraq should be seen as distinct, not a product of 9/11, but rather excused there under.

Oh, and for the wingnuts who are trying yet again to lay blame on Clinton, fuck you and your partisan ignorance. Clinton and his staff stayed on top of the problem, and even warned your boy about the coming danger. Remember, the attack happened on YOUR WATCH, not ours. Wipe the shit out of your eyes and own up to it, instead of pissing and crying about it all the time.

Cornhole & Boner clearly believe they're still living in their salad days, watching TV on their rescued-from-the-curb couch and saying "Huh huh, this sucks". One can't really fault their reflexive opportunism in taking any chance to toss a sop to their constituents, so long as it doesn't also involve exercising intellect, risk, or principle.

Still, it's pretty awful that the only censure they can work themselves up to on 9/11 is one against free speech. I'd be appalled at them, if I thought that they were actual human beings.

I'd hate to miss out on the blatherings of cowards, sycophants and apologists we'd otherwise be spared. Clearly anonymity has done nothing but elevate the level of discourse around here by allowing neocon shills, APAIC trolls, and unaffiliated psychotics to continue their drive-by postings.

Well done.

The lowballed "died in Iraq" is the minimum number of American casualties you can lay at the feet of this disasterous occupation. I know of at least one death directly caused by this war that isn't counted in that figure. A couple who are friends of mine had their son return home from his duties in Iraq, and soon thereafter he fatally shot himself. He made it clear that his suicide was predicated by "the things he did in this war", things about which he could no longer live with himself. He left behind his pregnant wife and child.

This is a real, an actual, and a personal, loss. A loss created by this war and nothing else. You cannot spin this, though no doubt you craven keyboard warriors who hide behind aliases and risk nothing will try. Those of you who do so are less than human, and you never seem to realise that the Earth doesn't need to be cleansed of those you hate and fear, it needs to be cleansed of you.

Great job picking your battles on this one. Can't stand up to the Prez on the war, on FISA, on a litany of dozens of other important topics, yet you suddenly decide to stand strong on this one. Sure, Olson is a partisan shit and certainly someone we don't want as AG. But your tactic of choosing to oppose one specific person means the Prez just has to pick another, different partisan shit for the job. Then if you oppose that one, he gets to paint you as obstructionists who are going to balk at anyone he ponies up.

I swear to ghod, are you and the rest of the Democrats trying to fuck us over for good? Are you really this incapable of playing the damn game you've made a career out of? You seriously need to fire whoever you're getting your advice from. Because right now you're the town sherrif who's letting the black hats run amok while thinking it's a major victory that he's warned the school marm to stop showing her ankles.