Empty Gestures, Empty Promises from Empty Wig

Senator Elizabeth Dole, R-NC, has proven that she stinks at raising money for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, so she's giving diplomacy a try. Chances are, her lack of sincerity is going to cause her some troubles in her new endeavor.

The Charlotte Observer is running the story of Dole's Memorial Day trip to Iraq. She was the first member of Congress to meet with the new Iraqi Prime Minister. So, I'm guessing she gets a prize for being first? This is important to us, how? Why?

According to the article:

The Salisbury Republican, who sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said the two discussed a range of topics: keeping Iran out of Iraqi politics, getting Iraqis' more schools and more hours of electricity, and al-Maliki's delay in naming ministers of defense (over the army) and interior (over the police).

Great! So Senator Dole, who represents a state with one of the lowest rankings in education promises more schools to Iraq? Hellooooo, Liddy! What do we get? We have trailers parked outside most schools. There aren't enough text books or teachers. When are you going to sit down with Governor Easley and talk about more schools for the children of the people who put you in office?

Ah, but wait! It gets better.

Dole, the first woman to head the U.S. Transportation Department, also sat down at a Baghdad cafe to trade notes with three of the four women serving as ministers in the Iraqi Cabinet.

In a country where many Muslims oppose such leadership roles for women, the three ministers -- of human rights, housing and women's affairs -- told Dole they worried that the still-evolving Iraqi constitution could leave Iraqi women with few rights.

Unless amended, the constitution would allow Iraqi families to choose to apply Islamic law or civil law on such matters as divorce, property rights and inheritance -- key areas in the push for equality by Iraqi women.

"The women (ministers) felt that (allowing that choice) could be a burden on families," Dole said, "and that it would be better to just have one system: the ... civil law."

Riiiiiight. A Republican worried about women's rights, or better yet, civil rights. Now this is getting good. All this story needs is to start with , "Once upon and time" and you have your basic fairy tale.

Dole was so concerned about what she heard from the women that she reported their issues back to the Prime Minister. This oughta get interesting. I'm sensing an assassination attempt. I'm sure the fundamentalists (in Iraq) feel that four women cabinet members is far too many. But wasn't that nice of Liddy to act as go-between, because I'm sure that these women had no access whatsoever to the Prime Minister themselves...being a part of his cabinet and living in Iraq and all.

Maybe I shouldn't be too harsh on the old bat. I mean, at least she followed through on some promises to phone families of soldiers she flew with on the C-130 over to Iraq. I'm just wondering though....remember the unsolicited survey/fundraiser she mailed out a couple of months ago? You know, the one where she required that it be returned while giving no other option other than to send money back with the survey....yeah, that one. I'm just wondering....did she bill the soldiers for her minutes, or just charge them a flat fee?