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Expediency
Feb. 3rd, 2003 01:16 pmThat word seems to epitomise much of politics today. It is not about what is right or good, but what is expedient. Warlord Bush looks at all the riches that Warlord Hussein sits upon and sees it as expedient to lie to his people to dupe them into a war of short-term expediency. Hussein appears vulnerable now, and after 9-11 the US population are wanting bloody vengeance. It looks expedient to attempt to crush him now and take his riches. Never mind the terrorist repercussions that will flow from this insane act -- they will have the wealth and will deal with retaliation later.
Does anybody really doubt that if they had the evidence of immediate danger from Saddam Hussein that they would splash it on every newspaper, TV and radio around the world?
Sure, Saddam Hussein is a bully and a nasty piece of work. Yes, such people represent a genuine threat to the rest of the world. But not even such a fool as Saddam Hussein would unleash weapons of mass destruction upon USA. He knows that there would be absolutely no delay in the response to flatten all he owned. Such a move by him would lose the game... and I think people like Bush and Hussein see all this as a game.
If they really wanted to cut Saddam Hussein's feet from under him they would shift emphasis from oil to alternative sources of energy. Hydrogen power in particular, is maturing nicely now. With oil less attractive Hussein would lose his source of wealth and power and would be just another ranting jerk. If the Iraqi people were helped instead of threatened by the West they might feel more inclined to boot him out themselves.
Abstaining from inflicting violence upon that Islamic state would help to thwart further terrorism by making it less likely for uneducated young boys to become walking bombs (or worse) for their vengeance-driven teachers. The worst they would be able to say is, sneeringly, that the West is soft... and sticks and stones can break my bones but words don't hurt me. But much of the damage is already done. The threats of war have made us enemies of much of the world now. It would take a lot of work to repair the bad faith.
But back to expediency. Bush's con trick to gain the presidency was replete with short term expediency. From the cemetaries of dead voters that still weren't quite enough to win power, to the political manouvering to suppress a recount, and pressuring supposedly impartial federal court judges to side with him. All in the aid of expediency. It isn't how you play the game that counts -- it is whether you win. Time and again bully Bush sends this message. He is not a leader to be looked up to... in fact he is not really a leader at all. Like our own prime minister John Howard, who sold his soul to the evil of racism in order to win his last election... for expediency.
This is a dark time for America and the world... far worse and more dangerous for democracy than the McCarthy days.... all for the sake of some filthy oil with which to further pollute the planet.
Does anybody really doubt that if they had the evidence of immediate danger from Saddam Hussein that they would splash it on every newspaper, TV and radio around the world?
Sure, Saddam Hussein is a bully and a nasty piece of work. Yes, such people represent a genuine threat to the rest of the world. But not even such a fool as Saddam Hussein would unleash weapons of mass destruction upon USA. He knows that there would be absolutely no delay in the response to flatten all he owned. Such a move by him would lose the game... and I think people like Bush and Hussein see all this as a game.
If they really wanted to cut Saddam Hussein's feet from under him they would shift emphasis from oil to alternative sources of energy. Hydrogen power in particular, is maturing nicely now. With oil less attractive Hussein would lose his source of wealth and power and would be just another ranting jerk. If the Iraqi people were helped instead of threatened by the West they might feel more inclined to boot him out themselves.
Abstaining from inflicting violence upon that Islamic state would help to thwart further terrorism by making it less likely for uneducated young boys to become walking bombs (or worse) for their vengeance-driven teachers. The worst they would be able to say is, sneeringly, that the West is soft... and sticks and stones can break my bones but words don't hurt me. But much of the damage is already done. The threats of war have made us enemies of much of the world now. It would take a lot of work to repair the bad faith.
But back to expediency. Bush's con trick to gain the presidency was replete with short term expediency. From the cemetaries of dead voters that still weren't quite enough to win power, to the political manouvering to suppress a recount, and pressuring supposedly impartial federal court judges to side with him. All in the aid of expediency. It isn't how you play the game that counts -- it is whether you win. Time and again bully Bush sends this message. He is not a leader to be looked up to... in fact he is not really a leader at all. Like our own prime minister John Howard, who sold his soul to the evil of racism in order to win his last election... for expediency.
This is a dark time for America and the world... far worse and more dangerous for democracy than the McCarthy days.... all for the sake of some filthy oil with which to further pollute the planet.