Bush insists that the only legitimate discussion of the war on Iraq
is over how to win, and even lashes out at those who disagree with him
on this. In a speech yesterday to (you guessed it) a military audience
(the Veterans of Foreign War), Bush declared those “who claim that we
acted in Iraq because of oil, or because we misled the American people”
as beyond the pale of reasonable discourse. The real reasons and lies
behind this war, let alone the fact that this is an unjust and
murderous war are declared off limits.
Let’s talk about what’s legitimate for a minute. Is it legitimate to
torture prisoners? How about bombing a whole city, and then going house
to house shooting people indiscriminately? Or what about using white
phosphorous chemicals to burn the skin of civilians? Is it legitimate
to delibrately lie in order to manipulate people into going along with an unjust war when millions of
lives in Iraq are at stake? This war and this regime are utterly
illegitimate. And they cannot be allowed to set the terms of debate.
While there has been sharp debate within Congress over the war
recently, all of this has actually been on Bush’s terms, i.e. the best
way to win the war and dominate the Middle East. And even there, the
Bush regime refuses to listen to anyone, calling in former officials
for photo-ops while completely ignoring or even condemning any of their
criticisms or questions. Mild critics are even called “unpatriotic” and
threatening our security.
But simply to criticize an unjust war because its not successbul is
unacceptable. Where is the Democrat leader calling out the torture,
lies, and brutality of this war?
Nowhere. This must come from the people, taking independent
political action, and determined to put a stop to all this. When Bush
gives his state of the union address, protest – demand BUSH STEP DOWN.
(source: “In Strong Words, Bush Tries to Redirect Debate on Iraq”, NY Times , 1/11)