May 19, 2008
George Bush has been at it again, giving out advice to Middle Eastern Governments. Bush put it this way yesterday at the Red Sea resort town of Sharm el Sheikh in Egypt: “Too often in the Middle East, politics has consisted of one leader in power and the opposition in jail,” He went on to say this: “The time has come for nations across the Middle East to abandon these practices and treat their people with the dignity and respect they deserve.”
Once again, as he has done countless times during his presidency, Bush demonstrated his ignorance of history.
He condemned the lack of democracy in the Middle East, but forgets that it was the United States and Britain that destroyed democracy in Iran in 1958. Churchill and Eisenhower with a little help from MI5 and the CIA, overthrew the democratically elected government of Mohammed Mossadegh.
Why?
Oil!
But that was then and this is now. Bush was speaking to an audience of diplomats and leaders, some of whom tittered and rolled their eyes at his pompous lecture, adorned by his boyish smirk.
“In our democracy, we would never punish a person for owning a Koran,” Mr. Bush said, neglecting to add that his own past rhetoric and the ranting of his right-wing allies have demonized Muslims, Arabs and indeed – anyone who does not support him.
Bush threatened, cajoled and warned his audience that America would look for other sources of energy. He failed to explain however, that his credibility on the energy issue in his own country approaches the vanishing point.
Bush is not only unrealistic when it comes to The Middle East, he must be short of speech-writers. He repeated certain passages word for word and telling his audience that his vision “is not a Jewish vision or a Muslim vision, not an American vision or an Arab vision; it is a universal vision.”
Mr. Bush did reserve some special praise for the Egyptian dictatorship, praising tourism and trade. And in fairness, he did crticize President Hosni Mubarak’s repression of political dissent. “Economic reform must be accompanied by political reform,” Mr. Bush said.
But don’t worry, he might have added – we’re not going to bomb Egypt, even if you – Hosni – are a cruel, undemocratic dictator.
Thanks for the column Jim. I wonder just how hypocritical one has to be when being critical of others for political dissent when one is totally supportive of Guantanamo. When he says International he really means he has God’s support on a Universal plan. Also if one disagree’s with the lack of support for the Palestinians then you are a “Hitler appeaser” or a “Terrorist”. When he was chastising certain countries for their lack of women’s rights did he consider that the illegal invasion of Iraq put woman’s rights back in time???? Way back. Same in Afghanistan. The Northern Alliance is much more cruel and backward to women than the Talliban was and much more corrupt. No, I think Bush should keep his mouth shut because of what you previously noted. He seems to have no knowledge of American history towards these countries and more and more American weapons are turning up to being used by groups he deems “terrorists” against American soldiers. Full circle. Who sells these weapons anyway? Probably the same company that wanted to move into Canada by buying out MDA. The definition of “insanity” is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. I do beleive this is where America is right now. My kids and I went to see “Iron Man” with Robert Downey jr and really enjoyed it.
It also made some good points about the weapons industry and how it’s profiting from all these Grade B movie names that L/A refers to from time to time. Human slaughter is what it really is. Something to discuss in an underwater restaurant in Dubai. Perhaps the next title could be something about women’s right’s as they merrily pollute the Tigris and Euphrates and surrounding lands with their DU bombs and fairy dust.
QUACK….Quak…..Quak….quk…….q…….
only for a lot longer. Really irritating.
Then comes the blessed silence.
This is what a lame duck sounds like, Jim.
And it didn’t sound any nicer when it was healthy.
Shouldn’t be taken seriously other than observing it won’t be with us much longer.
I was appalled and horrified – but heartened just a bit this morning by something I read. I won’t say anything about it except to put the link here.
http://morris.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/05/19/the-most-curious-thing/?scp=1&sq=errol%20&st=cse