The Idiocy of King George

President George Bush's most recent remarks on Iran, as usual fact-challenged and unhelpful, have finally made the transition from the politically contrived to the downright stupid. The media rushed to question the White House on Mr. Bush's comments, made in an interview to Radio Farda, the U.S. government radio station that broadcasts into Iran in Farsi, specifically on the president's clearly false assertion that Iran has "declared they want to have a nuclear weapon to destroy people--some in the Middle East." The White House backtracked somewhat, claiming Mr. Bush "shorthanded his answer" according to national security spokesman Gordon Johndroe, and although that explanation falls far short of convincing, few seem to be concerned with the implications of what Mr. Bush said, but more specifically to whom he said it.

This wasn't a speech to the American people, or to a section of the electorate that might be swayed into believing we must confront Iran militarily. It wasn't a speech to allies, and it wasn't part of a political campaign of fear. No, Mr. Bush's words were to the Iranian people. His words undoubtedly came as a surprise to Supreme Leader Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei who has final say on all matters of state, and who has in the past not only denied Iran's quest for weapons of mass destruction but has also actually issued a fatwa specifically banning the development and use of nuclear weapons. (Ayatollah Khamenei, presumably a religious and Allah-fearing man, does not issue fatwa's lightly.) But more importantly, there is not an Iranian alive who doesn't know about the fatwa, or doesn't know that his or her government has spent the past five years adamantly denying that they are developing nuclear weapons. However, Mr. Bush said to those Iranians that their government has not only "declared" that they want a nuclear weapon, but that they want to use it "to destroy people"? Get this: some in the Middle East, and so presumably some elsewhere. Huh? What exactly are the Iranian people supposed to think? That Mr. Bush is an idiot? That he's a liar? Maybe they're thinking, "oh my gosh, it's worse than we thought. Could he actually bomb the crap out of us because he actually believes his own nonsense?"

Radio Farda is a propaganda station, and uh, propaganda doesn't work if it's patently false, George. If the idea was to get the Iranian people on your (or our) side, if the idea was to convince them that their government is acting foolishly and dangerously, then you just scored a big fat zero. Might as well stop funding Farda and save some much needed bucks, for whatever little credibility it had inside Iran (and believe me, it was always slight) just got thrown out the window. So what exactly was the point of George Bush's statement? And what are the implications? Well, only Georgie knows what the point was. And as for the implications, for Iranians who were the intended audience, it was simply that we really do have an idiot with his finger on the button.

Comments

[dadw5boys]

Bush attacking Iran would force the U.S. to stay in Iraq.

No matter who is elected President!

[realpolitic]

Our long national nightmare that is George Bush continues...

[desmirl]

Bush ignores the fact that words have consequences. His carelessness could result in disaster.

[twotrees]

This assumes that he was really "elected" in the first place. Yes, both times.
I myself, get angry at, well me, for forgetting this recent history when thinking about this president (not sure he deserves the title). The thing is, once it was demonstrated that you could actually rig and steal an election, the gloves came off. What possible deterant exists in this country to that opportunity that would force those involved to reconsider their actions?

A. Love of country? Look up KBR and find out what lovely work they have been doing for our troops after getting no bid contracts and getting paid with our money.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/biz/5634204.html
If not convinced, see this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ma84zNUKXd4&feature=related

B. Respecting your political base? Republican "politicians" have been the most anti republicans in the last 100 years.

C. Fear of the people rising up? More people cared about Heath Ledger than Iraq recently and how many of US took the day off from ___ to assemble en mass and raise our voice. We have ipods now to wait in line for. That's always a bedrock of democracy, buying bullshit is what we do well.

or D. Fear of Congressional oversight? Do I really have to give just one example?

Unless people get THIS fact to the forefront of their minds, history will repeat again and again until we crumble under the weight of our own weakness and ask to be subdued for some peace of mind. I for one am deeply concerned that this election is merely a set up for a gigantic fall for the majority of americans (ala late 60's). I can't say for sure whether our next "leader" will be in legally or illegally. But ask yourself this question. Have the power brokers of this nation demonstrated gross negligence and illegal behaviors over the last 100 years? If unchallenged, would it continue? Know also that If we indeed unite to protest the theft of our democracy, this is stage two (I suppose I'm already guilty based on this):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wJsovPRTEM
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=h110-1955

Back to the point, Iranians and Americans have a right to be uncertain, nervous and skeptical. Not just about Bush but whomever "American Interests" place in charge. Moreover, why any Iranian over 50 would trust ANYTHING out of a US officials mouth is beyond reason. The last time that country implemented their own democratic experiment, our country(and the UK) helped overthrow their president and forced a dictator upon them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Ajax).

I know that I am most uncertain about the legitimacy of the upcoming election, and therefore the legitimacy of this entire government. If my gut feeling turns out wrong, I will be the most trusting of the system we live under than I have ever been. I want to be. I really want to be.
Yes we can?

[Shaddup]

This is why the rest of the world trusts Putin more than Peabrain.

[gakabani]

This report tell us all clearly the level of spin Bush can put on any issue.
He lies too much!

HAVE iT, TAKE IT and UNDERSTAND IT.

The world would be safer when this president is gone and put away in a mad house (full of oil).

[realpolitic]

Couldn't Bush just take the next year off and go behind the White House and play?

[Dap]

Dear Hooman,

Good to see ya back posting regularly.

This essay, I must say is quite profound and poignant. Agape.

[darker]

GWBUSH's job is cheerleader for the war-profiteers, corrupt corporations, corporate welfare queens, Big Oil profiteering--it's all about THE MONEY.

it's all about spending down USTreasury middle-income Americans' TAX DOLLARS. G-O-N-E--while handing the bill to those Americans who can least afford to bail out the rich profiteers.

[EspritDeVoltaire]

Bush's propaganda has worked pretty well here at home in spite of being patently false. 30% of the electorate still believe anything he says in spite of being wrong at every turn on everything from Iraq to the economy.

[wm1066]

Outside of America he doesn't own the press, so his comments aren't cleaned up or edited or made to say something else. Most Americans don't buy what he says either but our press tells us we do.
Its amazing what the corporate controlled press have been able to get away with.
Boycott big corporations. Yes We Can!

[PackyJ]

As Bob Cesca said, we must make damn sure we NEVER elect anyone this batshit crazy again!

[margotb822]

Not only crazy, but funded by crazies! As f-ing stupid as W is, he is backed by a coalition of RW lunatics who push these ridiculous ideas and policies. We must keep this destructive group of people out of power.

[ApolloSpeaks]

IRAN'S NUCLEAR WEAPON'S PROGRAM

The Supreme Leader of a rogue regime that invented suicide heroism threatened Israel with mass destruction, aids and abets al Qaida and Hezbollah and oppresses and kills its own people issues an anti-nuke fatwa citing the horrendous loss of life such weapons can cause.
No wonder Khamenei never published the reasons for the fatwa, he would have been the object of scorn and derision throughout the Moslem world.

What is the purpose of the Khomenei regime? To reverse 800 years of Moslem political and militray decline and restore Islam as a great world power. No nation can be a great power in the nuclear age without nuclear weapons, and the mullahs are hell bent on acquiring them. Period!

[SubparDude]

:

"So?"

~~~ Cheney



:

[JDS1961]

Did you ever wonder how it would feel to have a retarded peacock for president? Now you know. Watch him strut. Watch him spew out factually wrong information about Iran’s nuclear program.
We've had some interesting guys as president over the past fifty years, but never have we had a president who's every statement had to be vetted to see if it was a lie, a delusion, or just a stupid misstatement of fact. And then for his poor press secretary to have to come out and explain that he's only talking in shorthand…...this is the stuff of SNL, if it wasn't so profoundly frightening.
God help us get by these next 9 months without WWIII