Well, happy St. Patrick's Day (also 1, 2, & 3)
Now, how does all that fit into the context of Constantly Amazed, Yet Never Surprised?
It reminds me of the wonderful interview conducted with George Bush by an Irish journalist (a real journalist, not a pre-packaged neocon shill providing soft, scripted questions). The interview begins 15:25 minutes into the program if you click on the link "entire show", but I encourage you to watch the whole thing.
Bush was so befuddled by some of these unscripted questions that he went loopy, behaving like a petulant child. It was simultaneously sad and amusing, though much less amusing as one realized this buffoon is the President of the United States. There was a time when American presidents were greeted like royalty over there. It is disheartening to recognize how much damage he has done to America's standing in the eyes of the rest of the world (and to those who say the rest of the world doesn't matter: please encourage Bush to continue his stated plan to go to Mars, and then go there, and please, take him with you).
St. Patrick drove the snakes out of Ireland... I wish it were as easy to drive the snakes out of the White House.
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14 comments:
I don't know buddy, I'm gonna have to have a good stiff drink before I watch this. I usually need some sort of stimulant to get me into an altered state before consuming any of his BS.
If I get to feeling masochistic, then I'll watch it. Then I'll be back to tell ya what I think. ;)
So Bill Clinton getting blow jobs in the Oval Office did not hurt Americas standing in the eyes of the world? Unbelievable.
Glen Dean, there is a HUGE difference between haveing an extramarital affair and waging an unnecessary and illegal war, invading country after country and crushing them because it is convenient to the energy industry's fortunes. Clinton's blow jobs cost no one their lives. Bush's neocon empiralist expansionism has cost many thousands of lives. I'll take a horndog over a mass-murderer any day. Besides, if Clinton's affair is the best the right can come up with (and so far it is), then that says an awful lot in Clinton's favor.
Yeah Glen, don't get me wrong, I don't agree with Clinton's "fun" in the office, though it's not like he is the first president to do that stuff. I'm not saying that makes it right, I'm just saying it seems like if you point fingers at Bush, the usual Republican response is "BUT CLINTON WAS DOING THAT INTERN!" Enough already, dead horse, big deal.
Besides, have you ever checked out the sex scandals in other nations? come on. Look, Clinton's screw up, (and it is a screw up, and I lost a lot of respect for the guy for it) is just something Republicans use to get your mind off the fact that they are railroading you big time, and everyone else... and the world... and I'm sure some puppies were probably harmed too.
Here is a little equation for folks out there:
BlowJob <> Stupid Invasion
Look, I'm a veteran from Gulf War Part I, and if memory serves me correctly so are you... can't remember though. Now, I wasn't crazy about daddy Bush, but as presidents go, the guy wasn't bad... and truthfully a second term by him wouldn't have bothered me.
Jr. on the other hand... Lucy, you got some splaining to do.
I was "ok" with the afghanistan thing... wasn't my style, but at least it made sense. After that?
"Arabs attacked us, let's attack Iraq!" (fyi, Saudi Arabian terrorists do not come from Iraq - lil fact some people seem to miss) Why attack Iraq? "WMD! WMD! WMD!" Ooops, wasn't any, did you say there were WMD? "Um... no... I meant, terrorists!!!" Well, we checked on that to, no link - sure, Saddam was a bastard, but the terrorists hated him just as much. "Um... LIBERTY! We are there to FREE people!"
Give me a break.
If you check the books, in 1938 Hitler gave his little speach about "self-determination" for Germans of Austria and Czechoslovakia - read "liberty!!!"... right around today back in that year, it began... the Czechs... then some other little countries, then Poland... etc, etc... Denmark in what, 2 hours?!? And think, he is remembered as one of the world's biggests putzs. I'm failing to see the difference here, invading a country with no valid purpose is um... bad.
With all respect, seriously... it was a BLOWJOB! Now can we move off of clinton, it's been a few years since he left.
(Sorry for the long post... stupid stuff get's me worked up sometimes)
Speaking of Clinton critiques, Michael Moore, of all people, devoted a whole chapter in "stupid white men" to harsh criticism of Clinton. So every president is worthy of criticism, and none of 'em are perfect (although Kennedy and Reagan competed for perfect hair). But in my opinion, Bush Jr is by far the worst ever.
Thanks, Why Not. I always suspected the rest of the world thought that whole episode was ridiculous :)
It's especially ironic since so many republican politicians here keep getting caught in various sex scandals of their own. But of course, its okay for them to do it.
Who said I cared about what those countries that were getting bribed by Saddam thought about us? I could care less, but if you want to talk about an embarrassment, Bubba's blowjobs were a lot worse than the United States freeing millions of people in Iraq from tyranny and setting off a wave of democracy across the middle east. Mass murderer? So every president who invades another country is a mass murderer? How about all of that mass murder Saddam committed? What about all of the mass murder in Cambodia after the American left got us out of Southeast Asia? What about what happened in Rwanda because Clinton and Crooked Kofi turned their back and allowed hundreds of thousands to be slaughtered. You people are slap, wacko crazy. Why are you so consumed with what the Western Europeans think of us?
Simon, thank you for your service to our country. I did not serve in that war. I joined for the purpose of serving, but when I got out of basic ,the war was over. My unit was getting ready to come home. You guys did an outstanding job over there. Thanks.
I guess it was wrong for us to invade the beaches of Normandy. It was wrong to invade Japanese occupied territory. It was wrong to invade Korea. Surely you think it was wrong for the Union to invade the Confederacy. Wrong, Wrong, Wrong. This all reminds me of a sign I saw a protest warrior holding up. It said "War has never solved anything, except for ending slavery, facsism, Nazism, and communism."
Glen, I hope it is apparent that I don't feel war is never a solution. I wish it weren't, but facing the cold hard facts, there are times when the only thing one can do is defend yourself. But I also don't feel that it is a decision one should make lightly. Maybe I am one of the few people left in this nation who truly is not black or white on these issues. I've said it a million times before, but I'll say it again, if your feelings are absolute crystal clear on some of these huge issues, chances are you haven't truly contemplated it.
Don't thank me for my service, you signed up to do the duty too my friend, just like everyone else in my family! (heck, my grandmother flew P-38s from the factories in WWII!) And it is not like my life was ever in dire danger (well, the food in the Navy could have killed me I'm sure ;) Just cause uncle sam didn't send you packing, means nothing less of your commitment. And I have profound respect for that. But, I also have profound respect for any american who is willing to be passionate about issues the country faces. I served so that others didn't have to serve, just like you did, so that we could go on having a free country where mandatory military service was not necessary. But that commitment to the country is no less than being a good school teacher, medic, or one of the other gazillion jobs out there that make this society click.
The division of hate that exists in this country right now is painful to me. The backbone of democracy truly is disagreements, not unwaivering blind faith. Yet, the same consistent response I see from people who support Bush is to blast those who disagree with him, going as far as calling them terrorist supporters! Insane! And now, I see the "left" (I hate those terms, they are SO misused) starting to do the same thing, calling Bush supporters stupid and ignorant, when what I see is a bunch of proud americans who have had the crap scared out of them by a couple of whackballs flying planes into buildings!
If the "right civilians" want to question my loyaltly to America, then I will question them in return, and ask "when did you stop thinking for yourselves, and start trusting everything the government tells you?"
Do you really compare Normandy to Iraq? Perhaps I would compare the first gulf war to Normandy-bad guy invades country, friend country comes and helps them out. Only this time, we are the ones doing the invading! What logic is that?
And "countries that were getting bribed by Saddam?" Come on! Has this entire country been reduced to bickering school children to say such nonsense?
Take this anti-french nonsense that has been pushed on the people. Here we have knuckleheads in office pushing the idea of "freedom fries", cause it is something simple for the masses to swallow... give them a scapegoat. These guys want to talk honor, commitment, loyalty? Have they forgotten our past with France? Does the saying "Lafayette, we are here!" not mean anything anymore? That saying was uttered in thanks, in honor, saying "you saved our butt when the British were burning our capitol, and I'm here to show you that I am your friend!" Where has that honor gone?
You ask me, the French, the British, Australians, Canadians, Italians, and even the Germans (who have been our enemies so many times before, but are new found friends out of the ashes of the cold war) were trying to save our hides by telling us, "you are making a mistake if you invade Iraq", and yet they still stuck with us when we told them to blow it out their rear. I don't know about you, but I want friends who are going to tell me when I am making a mistake.
And spreading a wave of democracy? My cousin thankfully just returned last weekend from Iraq... this was his second war there. He made it I'm glad to report, though two of his mates were killed in that awful messhall explosion. Friend... take it straight from his mouth, this isn't spreading democracy... there aren't millions of Iraqs grovelling at our feet to thank us... this is FUBAR.
And the next time you think about rallying to support Bush, think about what he has sacrificied in all this... is there anything? And think about what these two powerful men said:
"What luck for rulers that men do not think." - Adolf Hitler
And most importantly, if you haven't heard it before:
"Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the peacemakers for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger." Hermann Goering (yep, another nazi dude)
Bless you my friend.
Thanks WN. It's easy to argue a point when all the facts support your case. ;)
And by the way, please ask all of your friends and family abroad not to give up on us yet! There is at least one American who hasn't forgotten our friendship, and I suspect there are many, many more.
Simon, I don't have a problem with anyone protesting this war. That is their right. I am less of a Bush fan than you think, but for different reasons than you. He is for big government and I am not. I certainly do not think it is unpatriotic to protest a war. In fact, it is actually the opposite. I do think that the Bush hatred is really irrational though. He is not an evil man and if he did the wrong thing, he did it thinking he was right. In three years when he is gone, are you all still going to compare him to Hitler? Surely a Hitler would not leave office after two four year terms? Also, would a Hitler allow people to get away with all of this free speech. I won't make the case for the Iraq war because it would be pointless. But I will say this. Bush is not a bad and evil person. You can call him stupid, but he is not evil. He is doing what he thinks is right. Anyone who hates him as irrationally as the far left does, really needs to take a look inward at themselves. Good luck folks. Keep utilizing your right of dissent and I will keep disagreeing with you. America is great like that. You will never see an American sign a law restricting free speech or forbidding the wearing of religious head scarfs. Take it easy guys. This discussion is getting a little tiring. I think I am going to go and argue somewhere else. :)
Well, before you depart... I don't seem to recall ever calling Bush evil, or stupid. So, don't know how I would defend against that! And quite the contrary, I have heard you say similar things about the left! I don't think the man is evil or stupid, I do think he is deceived, bullheaded, and needs an ounce of humility.
Will I still compare his actions to Hitler after he leaves... if they match, then yes. And the fact is, the reasons for invading Iraq are as weak has Hitlers were for all his invasions. Am I calling him hitler? No! I'm simply comparing the injustices we have fought in the past, and how our behaviour has been hypocritical.
While Bush isn't evil, he certainly isn't a saint either. Yet it seems that his followers tend to put him on a pedastel, and question anyone who accuses him of wrong doing.
So sad... no wonder he is bullheaded and has no humility.
In three years he will be gone. Hopefully, the Republicans will nominate somebody who wants to shrink the size of government, rather than expand it. Maybe the Democrats will go the way of a Bill Richardson or Evan Bayh, or even Billary Clinton (did I say that?). Simon, you may not think that Bush is evil, but most of the far left does. Before I started blogging, I had no idea how much hatred their was out there for George Bush. The right did the same thing with Clinton. It goes both ways. That stuff the right spread about Vince Foster was horrible. They were also wrong.
Glen Dean, hopefully you'll be back to read this, if not, I have to say it anyway.
I say George Bush is evil. He did not invade Iraq because he thinks it was right; he invaded Iraq because he and his associates (PNAC, BFEE) want to sieze control of energy reserves and the limitless power they represent. Every bit of their propaganda about invading Iraq has been shown to be a lie, while they audaciously flaunt their corruption. The whole gang of them came out of the energy industry, and they exist to seize power by any means possible.
Of course Bush will tell you otherwise. Of course he will convince you that God speaks to him and tells him to invade other countries. Of course he denies any wrongdoing, insists he has never made a mistake, and present one excuse after another to justify his actions. And many people believe him because the alternative is to disturbing to contemplate.
You think he'll leave after 2 terms? Either an emergency will be declared to prolong his stay or the BFEE will install Jeb Bush or a similar front man in his place. It might even be a democrat, like his former skull-and-bones co-member Kerry.
"You will never see an American sign a law restricting free speech" ay? PATROT ACT!
"Look inward at themselves" ay? I have, and I have seen someone who is fed up seeing the world being led once again through a trial by fire, by depraved psychos like Bush-Cheney-Rumsfeld-Ashcroft-Rice-Wolfowicz-Gonzales-Negroponte-etc. etc. etc.
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