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Thread: Bush is author of dark chapter for America

  1. #1
    AO Security for Non-Geeks tonybradley's Avatar
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    Bush is author of dark chapter for America

    Below is an article by Haroon Siddiqui which I think reflects much of what I think of Bush and, seemingly, what the world thinks of the Bush Cartel:


    CONOOR, India—Up here in the tea estates of Nilgiri Hills, where teak-floored bungalows with vast verandas offer spectacular vistas, one feels grateful for the distance from the ubiquitous American media and for the time and tranquility to think and reflect.

    As the year of the war on Iraq draws to a close, the larger perspective that emerges is clear: George W. Bush, a small man in a big job, has dragged America into one of its darkest chapters.

    He commands unprecedented military power, but his word carries little or no weight in much of the world.

    This odd equation remains unaltered by Saddam Hussein's capture, hyped in America but seen elsewhere as inevitable, given that Iraq is not an Afghanistan of a million caves. If anything, the video of his captivity exposed the Bush administration's desperate need to display a trophy catch.

    Bush's next declared mission, that of toppling Yasser Arafat, only reinforces the image of the president as a king who knows not the boundaries of his kingdom, nor the limits of his power. Or, as a captive of pro-Israeli hawks hell-bent on remaking the Middle East to Likud designs.

    While the president struts and smirks for the cameras in contrived situations — landing on an aircraft carrier to prematurely declare victory in Iraq or serving Thanksgiving turkey to soldiers in Baghdad — terrorism has increased under his watch. Not unlike the record rise in suicide bombings in Israel under Ariel Sharon.

    Bush's use of fear as a key tool of governing has turned the world's most powerful nation into its most paranoid, despite two invasions and an expenditure of nearly $200 billion (U.S.).

    The administration, invoking 9/11 and the murder of 2,900 innocents as its licence to wage unilateral wars, has so far killed about 10,000 innocents in Afghanistan and Iraq. That's a guesstimate, since America does not count the Afghans and Iraqis it kills in the process of "liberating" them.

    The gap between Bush's words and deeds gets bigger by the day, as does the disparity between his illusions and reality.

    His war on Iraq was waged on a pack of lies, shoving aside the United Nations when it refused to play its part in the sham exercise of rubberstamping a predetermined course.

    Just as he manipulated intelligence to tie Iraq to terrorism and portray its non-existent nuclear, biological and chemical weapons as a threat to America, Bush ignored the State Department's warnings of post-war troubles. He spoke instead of flowers greeting the U.S. liberators and oil revenues paying for the war and rebuilding of Iraq.

    He invoked democracy but ignored its expression abroad and suspended its principles at home.

    His war was universally opposed, even by the electorates of the governments that joined his "coalition of the willing" — Britain, Spain, Italy and Australia. His most enthusiastic allies were dictators and oppressors, the worst violators of human rights, who used the war on terrorism to stifle dissidents and kill secessionists.

    He keeps delaying direct elections in Iraq for fear that the majority Shiites would win and won't be the puppet he wants installed in his subject kingdom.

    His administration's violations of the Geneva Convention and the U.S. Constitution are not explained away by the need to cut corners to get at terrorists. Besides not catching any, his policies alienated the very groups whose help was crucial and also sapped the moral strength of his rhetoric and America's $240 million public-relations campaign in Muslim nations.

    American courts are reasserting, as they always do, albeit slowly, the rule of law.

    But the human and political damage is already done.

    Bush promised to avoid a clash of civilizations, but that's what he is widely perceived as presiding over. The anti-Arab, anti-Muslim and anti-Islamic discourse — often unapologetically racist — is supplied by Christian fundamentalists and pro-Israeli neo-conservatives, two key constituencies Bush dares not alienate.

    The mollycoddled Sharon is thus set to blithely ignore Bush's road map and steamroll over Palestinian lands and Palestinians' human rights in hopes of imposing his version of Israeli withdrawal from the occupied territories.

    But this will no more bring peace than his previous policies did.

    So long as the Israeli-Palestinian issue festers, anti-Americanism and, presumably, terrorism will keep growing. The link has been unmistakable.

    Surveying these geopolitical ruins, it is politically incorrect to blame the American public. But its gullibility is alarming. Even now, a majority believes that Saddam had a hand in 9/11. The Bush crowd knows only too well the usefulness of Saddam, a former ally now a demon.

    All of the above is self-evident, except to a majority of Americans and their apologists, including, sadly, some Canadians.

    The latter are still whining over Canada's decision to sit out the Iraq war, which history will record as Jean Chrétien's finest hour — something Paul Marin would do well to always remember.

    What of the future?

    Saddam's trial should be conducted, not as Bush wants, by the Iraqis he controls, but by the International Criminal Court.

    Saddam should be charged with crimes against humanity as well as war crimes — hundreds of thousands of Iraqis tortured, raped, mutilated, murdered; groups brutalized in Stalinesque campaigns: Kurds, Marsh Arabs and Shiites; neighbours Iran and Kuwait invaded, their civilians and properties destroyed.

    Iraq should be turned over to the United Nations.

    But since that's not likely, the United States should let the world body play as great a role as possible while keeping military control in American hands.

    That would help improve security for Iraqis and American soldiers alike. It would attract international help, especially from those, like France, Germany, Turkey, Pakistan and India, who do not want to be caught dead cavorting with Bush.

    Iraqi sovereignty belongs to Iraqis. They need to write their own constitution, elect their own leaders and make their own mistakes.

    They could not possibly do any worse than their occupiers, who have been lurching from crisis to crisis for the last eight months in a haze of incompetence and ignorance.

  2. #2
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    While I essentially agree with everything said here, this is a very poorly written essay. Its agressive and derogatory remarks are very reminscent of schoolyard name-calling. Essentially, he says "Bush sucks and he is a moron", throwing in a few big words and historical comparisons in a pathetic attempt to validate his argument.

    The author here does not present any arguments to his own, and therefore cannot defend against them. He does not present any other strategies which may have been used instead of invading Iraq, nor does he present a possible scenario which may or may not have occured had the US not invaded.

    This self-gratifying ego trip serves no higher purpose than venting his own steam. It will not convince any supporters of the Bush government or the Iraq War of his opinion. I am sure that most people agreeing with this point of view will find that this is a very well written paper. Conversely, people disagreeing with is will find it offensive and belligerent. Papers like this will do nothing to convince those with differing opinions of the validity of his argument.

    Arguments to his own opinions should have been presented here and subsequently defended. The fact that none are anywhere to be found suggest to me that the author has not considered any.

    Likewise, the Bush government failed to present alternative solutions to the problem in Iraq to the Amercan public before deciding unilaterally the will of an entire nation.

    Utill he realizes that his kind of thinking is what led the Buish government to develop the policies and take actions necessary for him to write this paper codemnning them, he will only serve to further the one fatal flaw that causes this problem: The inherent assumption that only your opinion is the correct one.
    Government is like fire - a handy servant, but a dangerous master - George Washington
    Government is not reason, it is not eloquence - it is force. - George Washington.

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    Here's my 2 cents if you really dont like Bush that much. Then maybe you should try running for President. Sound like a good idea ?
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  4. #4
    AO Security for Non-Geeks tonybradley's Avatar
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    Here's my 2 cents if you really dont like Bush that much. Then maybe you should try running for President. Sound like a good idea ?
    Great idea! Unfortunately the Constitution (or at least what is left of it) says you have to be at least 35 to run for President I believe. I am not old enough- maybe in 2008? :-)

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    If your president is it still legal to do things to interms with cigars r is that illegal now ?

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    It's all legal until you get caught

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    Senior Member OverdueSpy's Avatar
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    And "IF" you get caught, you can still get off Scott free, assuming that you can successfully argue what the definition of "IS" is.
    The mentally handicaped are persecuted in this great country, and I say rightfully so! These people are NUTS!!!!

  8. #8
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    O.K, I expect all your votes.

    As president I won't attack other countries. I won't declare war on terrorists. I won't declare war on obesity. Infact I won't declare war.

    I will give free popcorn to everyone who votes for me. Can I be president ?

  9. #9
    Senior Member RoadClosed's Avatar
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    Is that article about Bush or the hatred of Isreal? Or both? I can jump on the free popcorn ballot!

    My issues would be... butter or not buttered. You could answer that is buttered without ever saying it's buttered and I would believe it's not buttered and feel safe in getting my way when I didn't?

  10. #10
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    The butter

    Butter at the bottom waiting to be stirred.

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