The Trouble Lies In the Lack of Correlation Between Cause And Effect

Is it me, or is any one else getting tired of the President drawing correlations where there is no way to tell that there is a connection between cause and effect?

Certainly, if I shout at my children and they cry, it is I who caused the problem. But, if I close my car door and it starts to rain, does that mean I caused the rain?

Have a look at these bold correlations that have no justification or could ever demonstrate some kind of causal relationship as stipulated by the W at today's WestPoint graduation ceremony (proving once again that he will use just about anybody to make political statements):

In this new war, we have helped transform old adversaries into democratic allies. Just as an earlier generation of Americans helped change Germany and Japan from conquered adversaries into democratic allies, today a new generation of Americans is helping Iraq and Afghanistan recover from the ruins of tyranny. In Afghanistan, the terror camps have been shut down, women are working, boys and girls are going to school, and Afghans have chosen a president and a new parliament in free elections. In Iraq, the people defied the terrorists and cast their ballots in three free elections last year. And last week, Iraqis made history when they inaugurated the leaders of a new government of their choosing, under a constitution that they drafted and they approved. When the formation of this unity -- with the formation of this unity government, the world has seen the beginning of something new: a constitutional democracy in the heart of the Middle East. (Applause.) Difficult challenges remain in both Afghanistan and Iraq. But America is safer, and the world is more secure, because these two countries are now democracies -- and they are allies in the cause of freedom and peace. (Applause.)...

...We're still in the early stages of this struggle for freedom and, like those first years of the Cold War, we've seen setbacks, and challenges, and days that have tested America's resolve. Yet we've also seen days of victory and hope. We've seen people in Afghanistan voting for the first democratic parliament in a generation. We have seen jubilant Iraqis dancing in the streets, holding up ink-stained fingers, celebrating their freedom. We've seen people in Lebanon waving cedar flags and securing the liberty and independence of their land. We've seen people in Kyrgyzstan drive a corrupt regime from power and vote for democratic change. In the past four years alone, more than 110 million human beings across the world have joined the ranks of the free -- and this is only the beginning. (Applause.) The message has spread from Damascus to Tehran that the future belongs to freedom -- and we will not rest until the promise of liberty reaches every people and every nation. (Applause.)

Now the Class of 2006 will enter the great struggle -- and the final outcome depends on your leadership. The war began on my watch -- but it's going to end on your watch. (Applause.) Your generation will bring us victory in the war on terror. My call to you is this: Trust in the power of freedom, and be bold in freedom's defense. Show leadership and courage -- and not just on the battlefield. Take risk, try new things, and challenge the established way of doing things. Trust in your convictions, stay true to yourselves -- and one day the world will celebrate your achievements. (Applause.)

Indeed the war began on his watch, and so the terrorist strikes on Nine Eleven happened on his watch as well. But simply because you say it will end on this graduating class' watch, won't make it so. Nor do the actions in W's "War" on terror have any bearing on the developments in Kyrgyzstan. The list goes on.

The ultimate test is his statement, "But America is safer, and the world is more secure, because these two countries are now democracies -- and they are allies in the cause of freedom and peace." To W, I say, prove it. I certainly do NOT feel safer today. In fact, I feel less safe.

Moreover, when the balancing scales measure out the distribution of freedom, sure, there may be a miniscule amount freedom now in Iraq and Afghanistan, but on the home front, we have given up some of ours (illegal wire taps, phone records collected, etc...). Is that a fair trade?