Month: September 2007

While General Petraeus tries to persuade Americans the war in Iraq is being won, the Iraqi people themselves need no US general to help them make up their minds. A thorough and revealing poll of Iraqis organized by the BBC, ABC News, and the Japanese TV company, NHK, illustrates vividly the feelings of the Iraq people towards the invaders, their “surge”, and whether they should stay or go.

Anyone who has followed the Iraq bloggers during the war is better informed than most of the true situation in that country. One of the best was Riverbend of the blog, Baghdad Burning. She won awards for her writing, justifiably so, and then, quite suddenly it stopped on April 16th 2007 with a final post informing that she and her family had reluctantly decided to leave Iraq.

Nothing more was heard of Riverbend until just a few days ago, September 6th, when we learned she and her family finally managed to leave Iraq and had arrived safely in Syria.

Almost one in every six Iraqis have fled their homes since America, with the British trotting along behind, invaded that country in 2003. A total of over four million people.

Such figures are not part of General Petraeus’ report.

While we hear daily in the media of the dreadful losses to US troops in the country, and antiwar protesters harangue Congress to “bring the boys back home” to prevent further losses, hardly a soul cries out about the real reason America should get itself out of Iraq; the sheer hell-on-earth suffering it has caused to millions of innocent Iraqi men, women, and children.

If, the BBC/ABC/NHK poll figures are correct, and there seems little doubt they are, then between 70% – 80% of Iraqis believe all American forces should leave the country immediately. Given that George W Bush initially invaded to depose Saddam Hussein and “bring freedom and democracy” to Iraq, should America not then heed the democratic process? Iraqis have spoken, overwhelmingly, in favor of an American withdrawal.

Where is George W Bush’s democracy now?

Filed under: Oil or democracy?

“I, George W Bush, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim September 11th, 2007, as PATRIOT DAY………in witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this fourth day of September, in the year of our Lord two thousand seven…..”

It is fitting to remember the innocent lives lost to the antics of religious and political madmen six years ago today. Terrorism, just like any government-sponsored war or military incursion, takes its toll mainly of the innocents. They have no wish to be involved. They may even hold views sympathetic to those of the perpetrators. Their only aim is to live in peace with all around them, and are unable to grasp why others fail to display similar feelings.

George W Bush has declared today – PATRIOT DAY.

Webster’s definition of “PATRIOT” is:

“one who loves his or her country and supports its authority and interests.”

And what, you may ask, is wrong with that?

At first glance, probably not a lot, but what if the “authority” and “interests” within that country become at odds with the views of its populace, or the interests of other nations? Is it still “patriotic” to defend the authority of a government obviously out of step with its own people, or inflicting suffering on other innocent nations from misguided or illegal acts?

Adolf Hitler and 1930’s Germany were condemned by history for their nationalistic political regime, whose principles were encapsulated in the Nazi Party.

Webster’s definition of “NATIONALISM” is:

“a sense of national consciousness exalting one nation above all others and placing primary emphasis on promotion of its culture and interests as opposed to those of other nations or supranational groups.”

Is a nationalist the same as a patriot?

No. But there’s a very fine line separating the two. On which side of that line do you stand?

Today’s American administration is not patriotic, it is nationalist. Those members of the Project for the New American Century – including Vice President Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Paul Wolfowitz, Zalmay Khalilzad, I. Lewis Libby – are not patriotic. They are nationalists, just as surely as any member of the Nazi or Fascist governments of Germany and Italy pre-WW2.

Which side of the line are you on?

In the best traditions of George W Bush, his nomination of “Patriot Day” comes as no surprise. He could have chosen “Remembrance Day”, or simply, “9/11 Day”, but the chance to gain political points was just too unmissable. He, and his advisors, knew there were plenty of Americans still stirred enough by false pride to jump on the name as symbolic of the Great American Struggle for freedom and democracy for all, whether they want it, or not.

There’ll be plenty in this country saluting the flag; proclaiming America the greatest nation on earth; supporting, from the bottom of their hearts, the government and troops presently attempting to inflict “Americanism” on other sovereign nations…….

But, wait! Isn’t that “NATIONALISM”?

According to Webster’s definition, it is.

On which side of the line are you standing?

Filed under: Bedfellows

There are occasions when the sheer arrogance of America leaves one breathless. On Friday, a US District court ruled that Iran was responsible for the Hezbollah attack on an American Marines’ barracks in Beirut in 1983. The attack was horrific and left two hundred and forty-one marines dead. Iran was considered responsible because it allegedly supplied the equipment that Hezbollah used in the attack.

It’s all a little crazy when one considers the amount of arms and military equipment sold around the world by the US government and its dealers. Once again, the argument that whatever America does is legal and above board, but its enemies are guilty of terrorism for carrying out similar practices, seems to be the criteria of the US judicial system.

There is little doubt Iran supplied the materials. Neither is their doubt America supplied the Israeli arsenal that slaughtered hundreds of innocents in the Lebanese/Israeli war of 2006. Perhaps someone might care to argue there is a difference?

It is this hypocrisy that causes other countries throughout the world to regard the United States as a bigot and bully. “Do as we say, not as we do,” is the catchphrase regarding America that resounds around Planet Earth in the early 21st century.

Listen to Western politicians prostrating themselves and kissing the bared ass of Ms Liberty USA 2007, and one might be excused for assuming Europe and Australasia were firmly behind the US leadership. Perhaps their politicians are, but the people most definitely are not. Unfortunately for the politicos, the people are not fools to be ignored as ignorant peasants. Most are fully aware of the hypocrisy springing forth from the forked tongues of Brown, Howard, Sarkozy, and their like. Licking the boots of American presidents has become a European and Australasian pastime of Western politicians that the people of those nations will only tolerate for so long.

America was wrong on Iraq. It has been wrong in its approach to the conveniently named “war on terror”. The US has led the world into a morass of violence and antipathy towards innocent Muslims, innocent Iraqis, innocent Afghans, and even innocent Westerners, that is slowly turning this planet on its head.

George W Bush is a madman. The public know it. Many of the US populace know it. Those outside the US are well aware of it. The way their politicians are ignoring the fact, to the detriment of their peoples’ security and safety, is also well noted.

Listen to Osama bin Laden’s latest tape and it becomes evident the man is no more a terrorist than the American president, though equally as arrogant and mentally disturbed.

It is time the American people realized they are not the only inhabitants of Planet Earth. Neither are they the more important. To debate from a position of strength is fine; to bully from a position of strength, is simply bullying.

To dare to suggest Iran is responsible for paying $2.65 billion to American families of the 1983 Beirut bombing, because it dared to do what America does better than any other nation on earth, namely sell or supply arms to further its political interests, is the epitome of an arrogance many US citizens have not yet even begun to self-evaluate.

BBC report HERE.

Filed under: More US hypocrisy