Since the removal of Saddam, this war - like other wars in our history - has been difficult. The mission of American troops in urban raids and desert patrols - fighting Saddam loyalists and foreign terrorists - has brought danger and suffering and loss. This loss has caused sorrow for our whole Nation - and it has led some to ask if we are creating more problems than we are solving.
[Since the removal of Saddam, this war, like other wars in our history, has been difficult. The mission of American troops in urban raids and desert patrols--fighting the Iraqi Resistance to our imperial conquest--has brought danger, suffering, and loss to the civilian population of Iraq and to American troops. This loss has caused sorrow for our whole Nation, and it has led some to seditiously ask if we are creating more problems than we are solving.]
That is an important question, and the answer depends on your view of the war on terror. If you think the terrorists would become peaceful if only America would stop provoking them, then it might make sense to leave them alone.
[That is an important question, and the answer depends on your view of the "War on Terror". If you think the terrorists would become peaceful if only America would stop provoking them, then it might make sense to leave them alone. However, if you really think hard, it makes more sense to believe they will become more peaceful if we keep provoking them.]
This is not the threat I see. I see a global terrorist movement that exploits Islam in the service of radical political aims - a vision in which books are burned, and women are oppressed, and all dissent is crushed. Terrorist operatives conduct their campaign of murder with a set of declared and specific goals - to de-moralize free nations, to drive us out of the Middle East, to spread an empire of fear across that region, and to wage a perpetual war against America and our friends. These terrorists view the world as a giant battlefield - and they seek to attack us wherever they can. This has attracted al Qaida to Iraq, where they are attempting to frighten and intimidate America into a policy of retreat.
[This is not the threat I see. I see a global terrorist movement that exploits Islam in the service of radical political aims, a vision not unlike that of the KKK, radical Christian Fundamentalists, abortion clinic bombers, and domestic terrorists who blow up federal buildings. "Terrorist" operatives conduct their campaign of murder with a set of declared and specific goals: to demoralize sovereign nations, to spread fear, and to wage perpetual war. Their campaign of murder parallels that of the US government perpetrated over the last 65 years in places like Dresden, Tokyo, Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Vietnam, and Nicaragua. Like my regime, the violent Islamic Fundamentalists view the world as a giant battlefield and seek to attack wherever they can, but they are motivated by a perverse ideology while we are motivated mostly by greed. I desperately want you to believe that all of the Resistance fighters in Iraq are members of al Qaida, and that all of those in the Middle East who oppose the United States devote most of their existence to hating and killing Americans. Unfortunately, this is a lie we have perpetrated to justify our own state terrorism.]
The terrorists do not merely object to American actions in Iraq and elsewhere - they object to our deepest values and our way of life. And if we were not fighting them in Iraq ... in Afghanistan, in Southeast Asia, and in other places, the terrorists would not be peaceful citizens - they would be on the offense, and headed our way.
[Those I label as "Terrorists" (with the implosion of the Soviet Union and the decreasing fear of "Communists", "Terrorists" are the new bogeyman to frighten Americans) do not merely object to neocolonial and state terrorism practiced by America in Iraq and elsewhere--they object to the American values of gross overconsumption, torture, rendition, corporate plunder of resources, exploitation of the working class, support of ruthless dictators (like Saddam and the Shah), and utter disdain for their language, culture, religion, and traditions. And if we were not fighting them in Iraq...in Afghanistan, in Southeast Asia, and in other places, the "Terrorists" would not be peaceful citizens--they would be on the offense, and headed our way. Yet one might ask the logical question, "Who in their right mind wouldn't be mad as hell at the United States and ready to attack us?" Perhaps if we ended our push to dominate the globe, the "Terrorists" would leave us alone since we are giving them numerous valid reasons to lash out at us. Then again, if we did that, how would those of us in the American aristocracy continue to increase our vast wealth? Such a dilemma. I am so glad I have you "commoners" to sacrifice your lives, children and resources.]
September 11th, 2001 required us to take every emerging threat to our country seriously, and it shattered the illusion that terrorists attack us only after we provoke them. On that day, we were not in Iraq, we were not in Afghanistan, but the terrorists attacked us anyway - and killed nearly 3,000 men, women, and children in our own country. My conviction comes down to this: We do not create terrorism by fighting the terrorists. We invite terrorism by ignoring them. And we will defeat the terrorists by capturing and killing them abroad, removing their safe havens, and strengthening new allies like Iraq and Afghanistan in the fight we share.
[September 11th, 2001 enabled us to convince you that you live under constant threat of attack and that you need to surrender your civil liberties to Big Brother in exchange for your security. We deceived you into believing that the "Terrorists" attacked us unprovoked, despite the fact that the US government has murdered millions of civilians over the years while calling them "collateral damage". We have also supported genocidal regimes like Israel. On 9/11, we were not in Iraq, we were not in Afghanistan, but the "Terrorists" attacked us anyway, and killed nearly 3,000 men, women and children in our own country. While that is a tragedy, it pales in comparison to the 3-5 million civilians we killed in Vietnam. Furthermore, most of those alleged to have perpetrated the 9/11 attack were from Saudi Arabia, where America strongly supports the ruthlessly oppressive House of Saud while giving lip service to spreading "freedom and liberty" in the Middle East. Yet we attacked Afghanistan and Iraq because we needed what we thought would be relatively easy targets to launch our own perpetual war. Now that we have invaded Afghanistan and Iraq, we have new allies in our "War on Terror", which could also be characterized as the "War on those Who Oppose US Global Domination". We will defeat the "Terrorists" by engaging in torture, rendition, imprisonment with no charges or trial, and creating puppet allies like Iraq and Afghanistan.]
This work has been especially difficult in Iraq - more difficult than we expected. Reconstruction efforts and the training of Iraqi Security Forces started more slowly than we hoped. We continue to see violence and suffering, caused by an enemy that is determined and brutal - unconstrained by conscience or the rules of war.
[This work has been especially difficult in Iraq--more difficult than we expected. Reconstruction efforts and the training of Iraqi Security Forces started more slowly than we hoped because of misuse of funds and incompetence by the US government and its corporate partners. We continue to see violence and suffering, caused by a US government which is determined and brutal--unconstrained by conscience or the rules of war.]
Some look at the challenges in Iraq, and conclude that the war is lost, and not worth another dime or another day. I don't believe that. Our military commanders do not believe that. Our troops in the field, who bear the burden and make the sacrifice, do not believe that America has lost. And not even the terrorists believe it. We know from their own communications that they feel a tightening noose - and fear the rise of a democratic Iraq.
[Some look at the challenges in Iraq, and conclude that the war is lost, and not worth another dime or another day. I don't believe that. It is well worth many more dimes and days to keep slopping my hog-like friends at the corporate troughs. Our military commanders do not believe that the war is lost, or at least if they do, they do not dare voice their opinion for fear of an "early retirement". Our troops in the field, who bear the burden and make the sacrifice, do not believe that America has lost, and even if they did, they could not come home without sharing a cell with Kevin Bendermen. And not even the "Terrorists" believe it. We know it from their own communications that they feel a tightening noose, which is why the Resistance is begging our people to come to the negotiating table. Thus far we have rebuffed their pleas, secure in the knowledge that we are days away from crushing them like ants.]
The terrorists will continue to have the coward's power to plant roadside bombs and recruit suicide bombers. And you will continue to see the grim results on the evening news. This proves that the war is difficult - it does not mean that we are losing. Behind the images of chaos that terrorists create for the cameras, we are making steady gains with a clear objective in view.
[This terrorist in the Oval Office will continue to have the coward's power to keep the United States embroiled in an ongoing invasion and occupation of Iraq. And you will continue to see few of the grim results on the evening news since the US "does not do body counts" and corporate interests dominate the mainstream media. As long as I have the power, and the media continues to propagate pleasant fictions to flourish in the fallow minds of many Americans, the United States will not lose. Behind the reality of the carnage and chaos our military is creating, America is making steady gains toward securing Iraqi oil and a foothold in the Middle East to continue its imperial expansion.]
[Since the removal of Saddam, this war, like other wars in our history, has been difficult. The mission of American troops in urban raids and desert patrols--fighting the Iraqi Resistance to our imperial conquest--has brought danger, suffering, and loss to the civilian population of Iraq and to American troops. This loss has caused sorrow for our whole Nation, and it has led some to seditiously ask if we are creating more problems than we are solving.]
That is an important question, and the answer depends on your view of the war on terror. If you think the terrorists would become peaceful if only America would stop provoking them, then it might make sense to leave them alone.
[That is an important question, and the answer depends on your view of the "War on Terror". If you think the terrorists would become peaceful if only America would stop provoking them, then it might make sense to leave them alone. However, if you really think hard, it makes more sense to believe they will become more peaceful if we keep provoking them.]
[This is not the threat I see. I see a global terrorist movement that exploits Islam in the service of radical political aims, a vision not unlike that of the KKK, radical Christian Fundamentalists, abortion clinic bombers, and domestic terrorists who blow up federal buildings. "Terrorist" operatives conduct their campaign of murder with a set of declared and specific goals: to demoralize sovereign nations, to spread fear, and to wage perpetual war. Their campaign of murder parallels that of the US government perpetrated over the last 65 years in places like Dresden, Tokyo, Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Vietnam, and Nicaragua. Like my regime, the violent Islamic Fundamentalists view the world as a giant battlefield and seek to attack wherever they can, but they are motivated by a perverse ideology while we are motivated mostly by greed. I desperately want you to believe that all of the Resistance fighters in Iraq are members of al Qaida, and that all of those in the Middle East who oppose the United States devote most of their existence to hating and killing Americans. Unfortunately, this is a lie we have perpetrated to justify our own state terrorism.]
The terrorists do not merely object to American actions in Iraq and elsewhere - they object to our deepest values and our way of life. And if we were not fighting them in Iraq ... in Afghanistan, in Southeast Asia, and in other places, the terrorists would not be peaceful citizens - they would be on the offense, and headed our way.
[Those I label as "Terrorists" (with the implosion of the Soviet Union and the decreasing fear of "Communists", "Terrorists" are the new bogeyman to frighten Americans) do not merely object to neocolonial and state terrorism practiced by America in Iraq and elsewhere--they object to the American values of gross overconsumption, torture, rendition, corporate plunder of resources, exploitation of the working class, support of ruthless dictators (like Saddam and the Shah), and utter disdain for their language, culture, religion, and traditions. And if we were not fighting them in Iraq...in Afghanistan, in Southeast Asia, and in other places, the "Terrorists" would not be peaceful citizens--they would be on the offense, and headed our way. Yet one might ask the logical question, "Who in their right mind wouldn't be mad as hell at the United States and ready to attack us?" Perhaps if we ended our push to dominate the globe, the "Terrorists" would leave us alone since we are giving them numerous valid reasons to lash out at us. Then again, if we did that, how would those of us in the American aristocracy continue to increase our vast wealth? Such a dilemma. I am so glad I have you "commoners" to sacrifice your lives, children and resources.]
September 11th, 2001 required us to take every emerging threat to our country seriously, and it shattered the illusion that terrorists attack us only after we provoke them. On that day, we were not in Iraq, we were not in Afghanistan, but the terrorists attacked us anyway - and killed nearly 3,000 men, women, and children in our own country. My conviction comes down to this: We do not create terrorism by fighting the terrorists. We invite terrorism by ignoring them. And we will defeat the terrorists by capturing and killing them abroad, removing their safe havens, and strengthening new allies like Iraq and Afghanistan in the fight we share.
[September 11th, 2001 enabled us to convince you that you live under constant threat of attack and that you need to surrender your civil liberties to Big Brother in exchange for your security. We deceived you into believing that the "Terrorists" attacked us unprovoked, despite the fact that the US government has murdered millions of civilians over the years while calling them "collateral damage". We have also supported genocidal regimes like Israel. On 9/11, we were not in Iraq, we were not in Afghanistan, but the "Terrorists" attacked us anyway, and killed nearly 3,000 men, women and children in our own country. While that is a tragedy, it pales in comparison to the 3-5 million civilians we killed in Vietnam. Furthermore, most of those alleged to have perpetrated the 9/11 attack were from Saudi Arabia, where America strongly supports the ruthlessly oppressive House of Saud while giving lip service to spreading "freedom and liberty" in the Middle East. Yet we attacked Afghanistan and Iraq because we needed what we thought would be relatively easy targets to launch our own perpetual war. Now that we have invaded Afghanistan and Iraq, we have new allies in our "War on Terror", which could also be characterized as the "War on those Who Oppose US Global Domination". We will defeat the "Terrorists" by engaging in torture, rendition, imprisonment with no charges or trial, and creating puppet allies like Iraq and Afghanistan.]
This work has been especially difficult in Iraq - more difficult than we expected. Reconstruction efforts and the training of Iraqi Security Forces started more slowly than we hoped. We continue to see violence and suffering, caused by an enemy that is determined and brutal - unconstrained by conscience or the rules of war.
[This work has been especially difficult in Iraq--more difficult than we expected. Reconstruction efforts and the training of Iraqi Security Forces started more slowly than we hoped because of misuse of funds and incompetence by the US government and its corporate partners. We continue to see violence and suffering, caused by a US government which is determined and brutal--unconstrained by conscience or the rules of war.]
Some look at the challenges in Iraq, and conclude that the war is lost, and not worth another dime or another day. I don't believe that. Our military commanders do not believe that. Our troops in the field, who bear the burden and make the sacrifice, do not believe that America has lost. And not even the terrorists believe it. We know from their own communications that they feel a tightening noose - and fear the rise of a democratic Iraq.
[Some look at the challenges in Iraq, and conclude that the war is lost, and not worth another dime or another day. I don't believe that. It is well worth many more dimes and days to keep slopping my hog-like friends at the corporate troughs. Our military commanders do not believe that the war is lost, or at least if they do, they do not dare voice their opinion for fear of an "early retirement". Our troops in the field, who bear the burden and make the sacrifice, do not believe that America has lost, and even if they did, they could not come home without sharing a cell with Kevin Bendermen. And not even the "Terrorists" believe it. We know it from their own communications that they feel a tightening noose, which is why the Resistance is begging our people to come to the negotiating table. Thus far we have rebuffed their pleas, secure in the knowledge that we are days away from crushing them like ants.]
The terrorists will continue to have the coward's power to plant roadside bombs and recruit suicide bombers. And you will continue to see the grim results on the evening news. This proves that the war is difficult - it does not mean that we are losing. Behind the images of chaos that terrorists create for the cameras, we are making steady gains with a clear objective in view.
[This terrorist in the Oval Office will continue to have the coward's power to keep the United States embroiled in an ongoing invasion and occupation of Iraq. And you will continue to see few of the grim results on the evening news since the US "does not do body counts" and corporate interests dominate the mainstream media. As long as I have the power, and the media continues to propagate pleasant fictions to flourish in the fallow minds of many Americans, the United States will not lose. Behind the reality of the carnage and chaos our military is creating, America is making steady gains toward securing Iraqi oil and a foothold in the Middle East to continue its imperial expansion.]
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