Tyrants make themselves out to be fearless and all-powerful.

But they are really cowards.

For example:

• Virtually all of the neocon warmongers are chickenhawks who dodged service to their country

• When the mother of a dead soldier showed up at Bush’s ranch, he was too cowardly to even meet her

• Current Attorney General Mukasey – who is stomping on the rule of law and trying to prop up dictatorship as fast as he can – literally collapsed when a judge called him a “tyrant” at a public event

• Former AG Alberto Gonzales – who did the same as Mukasey – whines that he can’t find a job: “for some reason, I am portrayed as the one who is evil in formulating policies that people disagree with. I consider myself a casualty, one of the many casualties of the war on terror.”

• Hank Paulson – the financial dictator who unilaterally has decided who who is getting trillions in government bailouts, refuses to disclose the names to anyone (including to the Congressional oversight committee for the bailout or in response to media lawsuits), and who arbitrarily changed laws without the consent of Congress – is crying about not having enough tools to work with

• Mastermind of many nefarious crimes Karl Rove snivels that Bush-haters were responsible for ruining Bush’s reputation

• Former Navy Judge Advocate General Admiral John Hutson said of the Bush torture program: “Torture is the technique of choice of the . . . pseudo-tough.”

As R. Eddington wrote:

When I was a young boy, I was always taught “scratch a bully, find a coward”. And here we have not one but two cowards at the head of the current administration. One of which – when it was his turn to offer his military service to his country – ran and hid in the Texas Air National Guard (complete military records NOT available upon asking!) and another who got at least FIVE deferments so he wouldn’t have to bring his sorry behind to Vietnam.

Scratch a tyrant, find a coward.

On the other hand, real men stand up to tyrants.