Friday, April 16, 2004
The Dangerous Ramifications of George Bush, Christian Extremist
Eric Alterman provides the following:
"I'm here for a reason," Bush told Karl Rove shortly after the attacks, "and this is going to be how we're going to be judged." A close friend of Bush's told one reporter, "I think, in his frame, this is what God has asked him to do." And a "senior administration official," speaking to Bob Woodward explained, Bush "really believes he was placed here to do this as part of a divine plan."
...um...
Ok. So who's comfortable with that? Dubya believes that he has been ordained by God to implement a "divine plan." Sort of sheds a bit of light on the his comments regarding us being on a "crusade," and his seeing of everything as good/evil, doesn't it?
Alterman continues, quoting Secretary Powell on Bush's "negociating style":
(Powell): "He tries to persuade others why that is the correct position. When it does not work, then we will take the position we believe is correct."
So in other words, he comes up with his divine plan, then tries to convince everyone else, then when that fails, goes along with it anyway. This from our "uniter, not a divider."
Now let's throw something else into the mix. Speaking to Congress on September 20, 2001, President Bush said, "Our war with terror begins with al Qaeda, but it does not end...until every terrorist group of global reach has been found, stopped and defeated." Just last week, Condoleeza Rice echoed the same sentiment before the 9/11 hearing panel: "Since [9/11], America has been at war. And under President Bush’s leadership, we will remain at war until the terrorist threat to our Nation is ended."
Given the failure to meet our primary objective in Iraq (protecting ourselves from the "immediate threat" of WMDs), I am more than a little bit concerned about this deadly combination:
1. George W. Bush believes he is waging God's Holy War, and is helping to fulfill God's purpose.
2. George W. Bush believes that he is right no matter what, and who cares what anyone else thinks? He'll do whatever he needs to, with total support or minimal support--it's all the same to him and his version of God.
3. George W. Bush believes that we will continue to be at war even after we manage to annihilate al Queda, even in the face of an obviously problematic situation in which the war in Iraq is breaking apart and has not helped us defeat any "terrorists" who have posed a significant threat to us.
But don't let all this scare you: you're Americans. We're safe no matter what. Alterman reports that Bush told his closest advisors, "At some point, we may be the only ones left. That's OK with me. We are America."
I, for one, somehow don't feel very reassured by this. Do you? Please donate to John Kerry or to the DNC.
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"I'm here for a reason," Bush told Karl Rove shortly after the attacks, "and this is going to be how we're going to be judged." A close friend of Bush's told one reporter, "I think, in his frame, this is what God has asked him to do." And a "senior administration official," speaking to Bob Woodward explained, Bush "really believes he was placed here to do this as part of a divine plan."
...um...
Ok. So who's comfortable with that? Dubya believes that he has been ordained by God to implement a "divine plan." Sort of sheds a bit of light on the his comments regarding us being on a "crusade," and his seeing of everything as good/evil, doesn't it?
Alterman continues, quoting Secretary Powell on Bush's "negociating style":
(Powell): "He tries to persuade others why that is the correct position. When it does not work, then we will take the position we believe is correct."
So in other words, he comes up with his divine plan, then tries to convince everyone else, then when that fails, goes along with it anyway. This from our "uniter, not a divider."
Now let's throw something else into the mix. Speaking to Congress on September 20, 2001, President Bush said, "Our war with terror begins with al Qaeda, but it does not end...until every terrorist group of global reach has been found, stopped and defeated." Just last week, Condoleeza Rice echoed the same sentiment before the 9/11 hearing panel: "Since [9/11], America has been at war. And under President Bush’s leadership, we will remain at war until the terrorist threat to our Nation is ended."
Given the failure to meet our primary objective in Iraq (protecting ourselves from the "immediate threat" of WMDs), I am more than a little bit concerned about this deadly combination:
1. George W. Bush believes he is waging God's Holy War, and is helping to fulfill God's purpose.
2. George W. Bush believes that he is right no matter what, and who cares what anyone else thinks? He'll do whatever he needs to, with total support or minimal support--it's all the same to him and his version of God.
3. George W. Bush believes that we will continue to be at war even after we manage to annihilate al Queda, even in the face of an obviously problematic situation in which the war in Iraq is breaking apart and has not helped us defeat any "terrorists" who have posed a significant threat to us.
But don't let all this scare you: you're Americans. We're safe no matter what. Alterman reports that Bush told his closest advisors, "At some point, we may be the only ones left. That's OK with me. We are America."
I, for one, somehow don't feel very reassured by this. Do you? Please donate to John Kerry or to the DNC.
