When I began this blog in 2001, I was appalled by President Bush's headlong rush to an illegal war (we were not in fact under attack). As time wore on and Bush began his assault on the Constitution and any people bold enough to criticize, I believed that "the republic is endangered more by actions of our own government than by those of any terrorist." With the election of a high-minded, compassionate, intelligent man like Barack Obama, my fears have ceased.
"Honor them with peace, not war"
United for Peace
Sunday, December 14, 2003
Around noon today (Dec. 14) I heard the news that Saddam Hussein had been found hiding out in a spider hole under a farm house near Tikrit.
Baghdad celebrates Saddam capture
On CNN they dutifully showed images of people jumping up and down with joy. To me, the crowd did not look all that large-- you could pretty easily find as big a crowd to jump up and down at news that Gov. John Rowland of Connecticut had stepped down in his recent disgrace (he hasn't -- yet).
The crowd also appeared to be led by American-looking people who were jumping up and down in an exaggerated manner as if to demonstrate what they wanted the crowd to do. Would Americans stoop that low? You bet they would. This administration has gone well beyond the political art of the photo op to the machiavellian machinations of the photo lie.
They certainly weren't the first. President Reagan, visting Berlin in the early 1980s, arranged for anti-American slogans to be erased (by American troops) from the west side of the Berlin wall and replaced with feel-good We Love You Reagan graffiti. On TV, it was heartwarming.
Nevertheless, there are undoubtedly Iraquis who are glad to see this tyrant captured. A public trial is planned.
On the plus side, this gives some credence to Bush's stated goal of getting the guy. He seems to have skipped over his aim of nailing Osama bin Laden in favor of Hussein. Not sure why, whether there is any legitimate reason for having given up on Osama. You can't help thinking Hussein's bad behavior was an excuse to go into Iraq again and claim the territory in order to have a secure base in the middle east. It certainly wasn't consistent with international law to go after him.
I wonder if Bush considers it part of our 'Manifest Destiny' to Own a Piece of the middle eastern Rock.
Copyright © 2001-03 Pam Shorey
(except the specific sources credited in quotes)
Saddam nailed
Around noon today (Dec. 14) I heard the news that Saddam Hussein had been found hiding out in a spider hole under a farm house near Tikrit.
Baghdad celebrates Saddam capture
On CNN they dutifully showed images of people jumping up and down with joy. To me, the crowd did not look all that large-- you could pretty easily find as big a crowd to jump up and down at news that Gov. John Rowland of Connecticut had stepped down in his recent disgrace (he hasn't -- yet).
The crowd also appeared to be led by American-looking people who were jumping up and down in an exaggerated manner as if to demonstrate what they wanted the crowd to do. Would Americans stoop that low? You bet they would. This administration has gone well beyond the political art of the photo op to the machiavellian machinations of the photo lie.
They certainly weren't the first. President Reagan, visting Berlin in the early 1980s, arranged for anti-American slogans to be erased (by American troops) from the west side of the Berlin wall and replaced with feel-good We Love You Reagan graffiti. On TV, it was heartwarming.
Nevertheless, there are undoubtedly Iraquis who are glad to see this tyrant captured. A public trial is planned.
On the plus side, this gives some credence to Bush's stated goal of getting the guy. He seems to have skipped over his aim of nailing Osama bin Laden in favor of Hussein. Not sure why, whether there is any legitimate reason for having given up on Osama. You can't help thinking Hussein's bad behavior was an excuse to go into Iraq again and claim the territory in order to have a secure base in the middle east. It certainly wasn't consistent with international law to go after him.
I wonder if Bush considers it part of our 'Manifest Destiny' to Own a Piece of the middle eastern Rock.
Palema
1:19 PM
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Copyright © 2001-03 Pam Shorey
(except the specific sources credited in quotes)
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