Three years ago the president, in a Schwarzeneggeresque performance, complete with a crotch-hugging Top Gun costume, and a really boffo entrance on a bunting-draped carrier flight deck proclaimed to the world - "Mission Accomplished". Even at the time skeptics, unimpressed by the American media’s giddy delight with the glitz and glitter, soberly asked - "Just what mission is that, George?"
We now understand what the mission was; to launch America unabashedly on the road to dictatorial rule and perpetual warfare.
Just like dictators throughout history President Bush arrogates power to himself by instilling, then exploiting fear in the people. Then, like Dudley Do-Right, he presents himself as especially anointed to save the people from the dreaded, but unseen (indeed, invisible) archenemy - "terrorism!"
He has assumed powers specifically denied him by the constitution and international law, which by treaty obligation have the same authority as the constitution: spying on citizens in the absence of a court order, holding people incommunicado for years with no criminal charges, seizing people and spiriting them to foreign countries to be tortured, and the supreme crime against humanity - making an unprovoked war of aggression against a sovereign nation. In his arrogance he has even threatened nuclear war against Iran because he supposes that by and by they might want to develop a weapons capability on a par with that of nearby countries: India, Pakistan and Israel.
There was a time not too long ago when it would have been unthinkable that America could be universally regarded as an international pariah. Yet today, even our former closest allies are dismayed at what we have become - a rogue state bent on imposing its will on the whole world at any cost whether of treasure or lives.
Congratulations might be due, but no thanks will be forthcoming for accomplishing your mission, George.
Bob is a retired engineer and lives in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. He contributed significantly to the post-Challenger redesign of the solid rocket boosters for the space shuttle. He has taught engineering at several universities and was involved in the design of Offshore platforms. Since retiring his main activity has become writing directed at ridding America of its fascist president and the right-wing corporatism he represents.
The one thing that bothers me about bush bashing is that we give him too much credit for coming up with all the criminal actions of this administration.
The Cheney, Rove, Perl, Wolfowitz, Rumsfeld gang told him what to say, when to say it. He was the puppet man, the jokester, the idiot. Even with all the scurrilous actions he isn't nor has he ever been smart enough to come up with this stuff.
I want the whole gang to be dragged to the Hague for crimes against humanity. (Well that will never happen).
Now he sounds even dumber, if that's possible, because I think the gang of five have abandoned him to his own sociopath devises.
Let us not forget the great assistance from the media... without which we could have
saved a lot of brave men and women.
This quote tells it all... scary how relevant it is now.
"Naturally, the common people don't want war, but after all it is the leaders of the country that make policy, and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament or a communist dictatorship.
"Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. This is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in every country."
---Hermann Goering, speaking at the Nuremberg trials after World War II
by
Bam M. (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 26 comments)
on Monday, May 1, 2006 at 10:45:32 PM
