Thursday, February 27, 2003

 
Bush, Peace and B.E.T.

In a preemptive strike to Dan Rather's interview with Saddam last night, Bush had the gall to break into my Simpson's reruns with yet a new load of lies, highlighted by a brand new rationale for invading Iraq. It's true. First it was terrorism, then WMD, then regime change, then revenge for poppy, then oil. Now it's -- You guessed it -- Peace! How compassionate! Bush is willing to destroy Saddam, slaughter Iraqi citizens and "assume" their oil all in the name of peace. What a hero.

"The United States and other nations are working on a road map for peace."

"America will seize every opportunity in pursuit of peace. And the end of the present regime in Iraq would create such an opportunity. "

"I've listened carefully, as people and leaders around the world have made known their desire for peace. All of us want peace."

"If we have to act, we will act to restrain the violent, and defend the cause of peace."

"Free people will set the course of history, and free people will keep the peace of the world."

And finally:

"The current Iraqi regime has shown the power of tyranny to spread discord and violence in the Middle East. A liberated Iraq can show the power of freedom to transform that vital region, by bringing hope and progress into the lives of millions. America's interests in security, and America's belief in liberty, both lead in the same direction: to a free and peaceful Iraq."

Wow! Bush has obviously looked at this issue from all sides and come to the conclusion that "liberating" Iraq will somehow transform the entire region into an oasis of democracy, freedom and human rights.

So I guess that means that the kingdoms within the region (including our best buddy Saudi Arabia, land of 4,000 princes) will simply forego their rule in lieu of Democracy. That's great.

Thank goodness Bush has assured us that there is absolutely zero chance of an even more pronounced anti-American backlash as a result of a Bush invasion. He assured us that there will be no negative consequences associated with his plans. Terrorism recruitment will decrease. American's and our culture will be embraced. Dictators, kings and other monarch's will fade peacefully into the background and the oil will run free like champagne at a Republican fundraiser. It all sounds so beautiful.

Too bad that the vast consensus regarding the outcome of an Iraq invasion actually includes greater violence, increased terror recruitment, hundreds of billions of dollars for occupation, no money left for homeland security, increased anti-American sentiment across the globe, a new generation of Iraqis targeting the US, a quashed resurgence of moderates in neighboring Iran, a new level of commitment to middle-eastern oil and dead Americans.

Even so, the quality of this speech wasn't really up to par with past speeches. Indeed, inside sources tell me that the speech went through many revisions, mostly due to the fact that George W. Bush himself wrote the first draft. Take this paragraph for example:

Final revision:

"We will also lead in carrying out the urgent and dangerous work of destroying chemical and biological weapons. We will provide security against those who try to spread chaos, or settle scores, or threaten the territorial integrity of Iraq. We will seek to protect Iraq's natural resources from sabotage by a dying regime, and ensure those resources are used for the benefit of the owners -- the Iraqi people."

Compare this to George's First Draft:

"Make no mistake about it, we will find chemical and biological weapons and when we do, you can bet we'll destroy em. And we won't accept chaos. No. Because chaos is unacceptable. And anyone who tries to spread chaos is also unacceptable. Cause it's all about chaos. Chaos and integrity. And these fur-ners will just have to respect our integrity regarding chaos. Hey, I guess maybe we are actually the fur-ners here (laughs). Doesn't matter. We will seek to protect Iraq's natural resources with the full force and support of the United States Military. We're not going to let those terrorists light up our oil like they did back when daddy went over there. And don't you worry, we'll ensure that the Iraqi oil is used for the benefit of the owners -- the American people."

Now, who says Dubya is a lying pig? Oh yeah, that was me. Anyway, maybe I was wrong. Bush seems to tell it exactly how he sees it just as his "first draft" testifies. It is actually his handlers that create the big, ugly facade of lies. Lousy scumbags, giving Dubya a bad name.

Anyway, there are a few interesting tid-bits in Dubya's speech that I should bring to your attention:

~ He made a point to say that "We are winning" the war on terror, surely in response to recent polls which show only 38% of Americans believe that the US and its allies are winning the war on terror.

~ Bush seems to have taken a U-turn in his stance against "nation building" that was highlighted during the 2000 campaign:

"Rebuilding Iraq will require a sustained commitment from many nations, including our own: we will remain in Iraq as long as necessary"

~ In one of the more disgraceful attempts to convince the world that Iraq should be invaded, Bush and Co. tie the fate of Israel-Palistine to the successful invasion of Iraq:

"For its part, the new government of Israel -- as the terror threat is removed and security improves -- will be expected to support the creation of a viable Palestinian state -- and to work as quickly as possible toward a final status agreement. As progress is made toward peace, settlement activity in the occupied territories must end. And the Arab states will be expected to meet their responsibilities to oppose terrorism, to support the emergence of a peaceful and democratic Palestine, and state clearly they will live in peace with Israel."

~ As is typical, Bush mustered a big ball of gall and once again suggested that, if the UN disagrees with him, then it should be eliminated:

"Another resolution is now before the Security Council. If the council responds to Iraq's defiance with more excuses and delays, if all its authority proves to be empty, the United Nations will be severely weakened as a source of stability and order. If the members rise to this moment, then the Council will fulfill its founding purpose."

Little did we know that the Security Council's "founding purpose" was to kiss Bush's ass.

~ Despite the facts that Bush has done nothing as of yet to strengthen the military and that Republicans constantly harangue Clinton for the "deterioration of our armed forces", Bush seems to finally admit that all of that was pure nonsense.

"The dangers are real, as our soldiers, and sailors, airmen, and Marines fully understand. Yet, no military has ever been better prepared to meet these challenges."

~ And then, for some reason, he seems to address the current state of America thusly:

"The work ahead is demanding. It will be difficult to help freedom take hold in a country that has known three decades of dictatorship, secret police, internal divisions, and war."

But wait, we've only been experiencing these conditions for a little over two years -- Oh wait, he's talking about Iraq. Sorry.

Enough.

After watching Bush lie through his teeth. I struggled to find something that would take my mind of of his self-flagellation. So, I flipped through the channels a bit until I came upon a "comedy highlights" show on BET (Black Entertainment Television). Much to my surprise and delight, The comedians were ripping into Bush, not like bozo-boy Leno who might make a quip about some meaningless Bush gaffe, but rather about how Bush stole the 2000 election. They exclaimed, "I hate that guy!" and called him a "cheater", a "liar" and a "thief". At one point, one of the comedians posed the question to an audience of thousands, "Who here voted for Bush?" Cameras panned across the largely African-American audience while not one hand was raised. The comedian followed-up, "Who wishes Clinton was back in office?" and the crowd went crazy, up on their feet and yelling at the top of their lungs. Why can't all the networks be like that?

Of course, Bush doesn't want to be outdone by comedians. So, in yet one more example of gross insensitivity, the first thing Bush did before addressing the incredibly serious, life and death issue of waging war, was to make a few cheap jokes. Hmmm. Reminds me of the time that Bush ridiculed the plea for life by death row inmate Karla Faye Tucker.

Everything is a joke to Bush -- at least when it comes to other people's death.

Oh well, I shouldn't blame him. Getting a cheap laugh is the only thing Bush does well. It's sort of his trademark. I know that when I think of George W. Bush, I can't help but think of him as a big, fat joke!

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posted by Thomas Ball 2:37 PM