Wednesday, March 31, 2004
Bush-pere Fights The Power
Words fail me:
If you doubt that this is an actual story, as opposed to a spoof, here's the Reuters' link.
There is much to be said about the ex-President Bush's emotions, and I intend to say them.* But not today. Not on a day when this happened.
In fairness, Mr. Bush spoke yesterday, but the juxtaposition is still something of a cheap shot, I admit. Other possible cheap shots I could have taken but will refrain from can be found here, and here, and here, and here. Together, they suggest the train wreck toward which our occupation is steering the Iraqi people.
So, no cheap shots, but how about an expensive one? Not costly to me, of course; costly beyond any of the easy measures by which we ordinarily count up pluses and minuses to the Iraqis whose experience it describes. It's a story that also involves tears.
From Riverbend:
Read the whole thing to find out some part of what it means to be an occupied people.
But don't think it's meant, by me, as an attack on the US military. It isn't. Our military personnel on the ground in Iraq are also victims of the maddening internal contradictions of both President Bushs' Iraqi policies, also a subject I intend to address in the near future.*
An alternate title for this post - A Tale Of Two Sets of Tears?
For what it's worth, not much I know, I'm sorry, too, Riverbend, I'm so sorry...
*An apology: I've previously referred to coming installments on specific topics that have never been posted; that has been due almost entirely to technological problems associated with my initiation into the world of the DSL connection. Though the problem is not entirely solved, I should be able to maintain a more regular presence and will try to make good on this and previous promises.
An emotional former President George H.W. Bush on Tuesday defended his son's Iraq war and lashed out at White House critics.
It is "deeply offensive and contemptible" to hear "elites and intellectuals on the campaign trail" dismiss progress in Iraq since last year's overthrow of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein the elder Bush said in a speech to the National Petrochemical and Refiners Association annual convention.
"There is something ignorant in the way they dismiss the overthrow of a brutal dictator and the sowing of the seeds of basic human freedom in that troubled part of the world," he said.
The former president appeared to fight back tears as he complained about media coverage of the younger Bush that he called "something short of fair and balanced."
"It hurts an awful lot more when it's your son that is being criticized than when they used to get all over my case," said Bush, who has often complained about media coverage of both Bush presidencies.
(edit)
The former president, who waged the first Gulf War (news - web sites) against Saddam in 1991, described progress in Iraq as "a miracle."
"Iraq is moving forward in hope and not sliding back into despair and terrorism," he said.
If you doubt that this is an actual story, as opposed to a spoof, here's the Reuters' link.
There is much to be said about the ex-President Bush's emotions, and I intend to say them.* But not today. Not on a day when this happened.
In fairness, Mr. Bush spoke yesterday, but the juxtaposition is still something of a cheap shot, I admit. Other possible cheap shots I could have taken but will refrain from can be found here, and here, and here, and here. Together, they suggest the train wreck toward which our occupation is steering the Iraqi people.
So, no cheap shots, but how about an expensive one? Not costly to me, of course; costly beyond any of the easy measures by which we ordinarily count up pluses and minuses to the Iraqis whose experience it describes. It's a story that also involves tears.
From Riverbend:
At precisely 5 p.m., yesterday afternoon, my mother suddenly announced that we were going to go visit a friend of hers who had recently had a minor operation.
(edit)
Just as we were settling down, a figure sitting at the other end of the living room rose in a hurry. "Where are you going?!" cried out my mother's friend, Umm Hassen. She then turned to us and made a hasty introduction, "This is M.- she's a friend of the family… she's here to see Abu Hassen…"
(edit)
"How old are you,M. ?" My mother asked kindly. "Nineteen." Came the reply. "And are you studying? Which college are you in?" The girl blushed furiously as she explained that she was studying Arabic literature but postponed the year because… "Because she was detained by the Americans." Umm Hassen finished angrily, shaking her head. "She's here to see Abu Hassen because her mother and three brothers are still in prison."
Read the whole thing to find out some part of what it means to be an occupied people.
But don't think it's meant, by me, as an attack on the US military. It isn't. Our military personnel on the ground in Iraq are also victims of the maddening internal contradictions of both President Bushs' Iraqi policies, also a subject I intend to address in the near future.*
An alternate title for this post - A Tale Of Two Sets of Tears?
By the end of her tale, M. was crying silently and my mother and Umm Hassen were hastily wiping away tears. All I could do was repeat, "I'm so sorry... I'm really sorry..." and a lot of other useless words. She shook her head and waved away my words of sympathy, "It's ok- really- I'm one of the lucky ones... all they did was beat me."
For what it's worth, not much I know, I'm sorry, too, Riverbend, I'm so sorry...
*An apology: I've previously referred to coming installments on specific topics that have never been posted; that has been due almost entirely to technological problems associated with my initiation into the world of the DSL connection. Though the problem is not entirely solved, I should be able to maintain a more regular presence and will try to make good on this and previous promises.
