The UN, US and Iraq IV

"Of course, I don't reallly understand why god always demands sacrifices of goats blood, but I just do what Pastor Damian tells me to..."
-GWB

That speech made me feel physically sick. America is clearly embarked on a series of wars and regime changes throughout the world under the guise of "war on terror". Hundreds of thousands of people are going to die.

Who do we attack next? that's the only question.

Thank you Mr President for assuring us that Britain is America's closest ally "in the world". Its a great honour and we promise to live up to all your expectations.

At one point Bush said (I paraphrase) "inside every American is a piece of England". I don't think that's true for a moment. What about all the hispanics? Perhaps he meant every WASP.

The praise for Britain was over done. Made me nervous, a bit queasy. Soon found out why...we are right in there with the shock troops bombing for democracy. Now I really do feel ill.

The 3 pillars indeed!

Support for innernational institooshuns (when we want)

The right to use force (doing our duty its gotta be done)

The right to install democracy wherever and however we define it. (liberation theology, the dead are free)

For Bush and his ilk, anyone who isn't a wealthy white male is pretty much irrelevant. Remember his comment to the Brazillian president?
"So, do you guys have a lot of negroes in your country, too?"

Bush attends service for families of KIAs.

Is this good enough, or should he have taken the press corps?

I'd like to know what you thought it proved when you thought he hadn't done this--and what it proves now that you see he has?

Thanks guys. And thanks for the photo pdiddie, not making me feel any less sick though!

If it is any consolation, Steve, I had many of your same reactions to that speech.

Damn good point about the powers of the executive, Steve. I was looking at it from a more old-fashioned point of view and also feeling (as I always have about the British monarchy) that it is completely -- embarrassingly -- out of touch. I think the same trend (isolation) has happened here, but that's another matter!

I didn't hear Bush's speech. Talk about embarrassing... It is humiliating to be an American given the current leadership.

No. It's just people that countinue to post this sort of fabricated nonsense that are irrelevant.

That one is labeled "undetermined" by Snopes. Most Brazilian media was quite sure it had occured but FHC isn't telling.

Here's snopes: http://www.snopes.com/quotes/brazil.htm

Ital's quote, "My friend in England says the Guardian is good only to line the bottom of his bird cage." That's rich! The guy buys a newspaper to use in his bird cage. With that kind of logic, who would give him any credibilty?

stevey baby

brilliant post

sofia

No, Bush hasn't done what you suggest. He, and his PR staff, continue to ensure that he is not positioned with American body bags, though he is directly responsible for the mangled corpses and dead young people. Dead Brits aren't so important, if a bit sad. Mourning them (or looking as if he is) shows his 'heart'.

This is as despicable an exercise in public relations as I've ever seen.

Aw gee, Blatham, already you've forgotten all the other despicable stuff coming out of that admin. C'mon now -- let it mount up, remember it all. Put it in your journal. Preserve it for your descendants. That's the only way to erase the kind of glitz his followers will try to wrap their boy in.

Maybe he's afraid of lightning bolts .....
http://slate.msn.com/id/2091113/

I Am Dubya And This Is My Belly Button Wow
I Am Dubya And This Is My Belly Button Wow
Mark Morford

Ken Livingstone, the Mayor of London, launched a stinging attack on President George Bush, denouncing him as the "greatest threat to life on this planet that we've most probably ever seen".

His provocatively timed and not at all hyperbolic comments, on the eve of Bush's arrival in London, threaten to create severe embarrassment for Prime Minister Tony Blair, despite the fact that the comments are, by most every measure and by many accounts and even the universe is nodding in absolute unqualified agreement, absolutely and irrevocably true, and widely acknowledged pretty much the world over by anyone with any sense of world relations, humanitarian aid, peace keepers, spiritual awareness, the environment, love, desire, sex, superlative taste in women and food and kinky sex toys, wine, porn, dogs, and excellent magazines that refuse to dumb everything down into obnoxious 30-word
ultra-pithy quasi-snarky summaries that don't really tell you anything of any substance but which, by their very pithy snarkiness, seem like they do.

Even though they don't. Bush, the greatest threat to life on this planet that we've most probably ever seen, could not be reached for comment, because he was sort of standing off in a corner of the Oval Office, eyes wide, stiff as a board, just sort of standing there, unblinking, staring off into near space, mouth slightly open, jaw slack, thinkin' 'bout paint.

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/story.jsp?story=464783

Wow, BBB, Your third paragraph is the longest sentence I have seen of late.

c.i., you beat me to saying that very thing. Impressive, BBB!

That was a saddening, beautiful bit of blogging ... thanks. Its always good to hear the view from the ground, from the people who live there.

the u.s. and iraq
......... UNCLE SAM VISITS UNCLE HO ..... _____________________________________________________________First U.S. warship in Vietnam since war's end
Wed 19 November, 2003 11:42

By Christina Toh-Pantin

HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam (Reuters) - Flying the flag of its former enemy, a U.S. navy frigate has docked in Vietnam's biggest city, the first to visit the country since their bloody conflict ended nearly 30 years ago.

Watched by curious onlookers and a horde of media, the USS Vandegrift sailed into Saigon port on Wednesday, its crew smartly attired in navy whites and lining the deck, arms clasped behind their backs.

"We are showing the world that former foes can be friends," U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam Raymond Burghardt told reporters as American sailors watched from the ship's upper deck.

In a further gesture of reconciliation, the ship's Commander Richard Rogers and the U.S. Embassy Defence and Army Attache Stephen Ball witnessed a floral wreath laying at a statue of Vietnam's first president Ho Chi Minh in a downtown square.

The "Bac Ho" or Uncle Ho statue in the square, surrounded by war-era hotels including the Continental, Rex and Caravelle, shows the resistance leader with a little girl.

The Americans saluted the wreath-laying before heading with Vietnamese military officials into a meeting with the city's local government leaders.

The frigate flew the flags of both countries, the stars and stripes of the U.S. alongside that of Vietnam -- red with a five-pointed yellow star in the centre.

"It's an important event for bilateral relations between the two countries," Nguyen Duc Hung, assistant to Vietnam's foreign minister, who led a low-key official delegation to greet the ship.

But for some Vietnamese, the sight of an American warship conjured up fears of closer ties at a time when Washington's policies are increasingly unpopular abroad.

"Not only in Vietnam, but in many other countries, people dislike the American flag," said Tang Dinh Toan, lazing on his motorbike under the hot afternoon sun.

FOCUSED ON PRESENT

Since the United States and Vietnam re-established diplomatic relations in 1995, ties and trade between the former foes have blossomed since a presidential visit in 2000 and a free trade deal the following year.

Now they are moving beyond trade and diplomacy into military contacts -- still a delicate area nearly 30 years after the end of the war that killed three million Vietnamese and 58,000 Americans.

"Both sides are fully aware of the past, but we are focused on the present and the future," Burghardt said, noting recent cooperation between the two countries on counter-terrorism.

The frigate, with a crew of 215, will spend four days of sight-seeing and community work in Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon when it was the capital of Washingon-backed South Vietnam.

Groups of sailors in uniform began filtering onto the streets by late afternoon, drawing stares and in some cases friendly greetings. "Welcome to Ho Chi Minh City!" shouted Chuong, 45, to one U.S. officer who walked by him into the Rex hotel.

While not as seedy as it was back in the 1975, Saigon still offers plenty of bars and girls.

But this crop of visitors appeared bent on tamer pursuits. Three went into a shop selling sunglasses. "How does this look?" asked one, trying on a pair of Calvin Klein shades.

A burly African-American sailor standing outside the shop was attracting curious glances. Asked about his first impressions of Saigon he said: "The people are so friendly."

The Vandegrift's commander Rogers, who is on his first visit to Vietnam, said his crew would be on their best behaviour. Just in case, there will be a midnight curfew.

More than half of Vietnam's population of 80 million were born after the war and so have few direct memories of the conflict.

But in a sign that Hanoi may still be sensitive about the conflict it calls the "American Resistance War", the film "We Were Soldiers" appeared to be blocked on cable television in Hanoi on Wednesday. Colour bars appeared instead of the film.

Don Duong, a Vietnamese actor, played the role of a North Vietnamese colonel on the losing side of a key battle against the Americans. Mel Gibson starred in the Hollywood production.

Duong left the country earlier this year after being denounced for taking the movie role. (from reuters news service) WHAT'S NEXT ? A VISIT TO NORTH-KOREA , AND ... ? hbg.

Yes Italgato, the Guardian is such a propaganda rag, so comparable to Pro-Soviet or Pro-Nazi papers that it will even report things liks this:

So if I get this right the elections will already take place before June 2004?

And everybody is free to stand as a candidate?

I dont know what that means for the Dean campaign, but I think it's good news for the Iraqis!