newcity
France's attitude on reconstruction contracts reminds me of an old joke. It's the one, and I'll paraphrase, about a guy who goes up to a woman in a bar and asks for her phone number. She says no. He asks again. She says no. He asks a third time. She says no.
He then takes out a wad of money to buy a drink. She sees the money and starts talking to him. He makes an advance, but she says 'what kind of girl do you think I am?". He says "We already know that, now we're just haggling about price."
And so it is with France. They said no to Iraqi liberation at every opportunity. They stonewalled us and stymied our efforts. Now that the money is out, they're making cooing noises.
And now we now what kind of nation France is. It's become a matter of haggling about price.
Boy, conservatives are really letting the Vatican have it over its stance on the liberation of Iraq. The Vatican, always ready to protect its ass at the expense of the weak and defenseless, opposed the liberation.
After Reuters reported that Cardinal Renato Martino, head of the Vatican's Justice and Peace department, expressed 'pity' for Hussein,
(http://www.reuters.co.uk/newsPackageArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=423385§ion=news),
and that "The news conference was called for Martino to present the World Day of Peace message, in which Pope John Paul took a swipe at the United States for invading Iraq without the backing of the United Nations."
National Review's K-J Lopez said (http://www.nationalreview.com/thecorner/corner.asp):
"Sounds like the Vatican's Cardinal Martino could use another just-war talk."
Funny, she ignored the Pope's comments....
Instapundit weighed in with (http://www.instapundit.com/):
"MORE LACK OF MORAL SERIOUSNESS FROM THE VATICAN: Robert Tagorda is more respectful of this stuff than I would be. I'll just note that they're showing more concern for Saddam Hussein than they probably would for Joanne Webb."
and:
"I thought that Lauryn Hill's remarks were grandstanding when she made them. But now I think she can claim a bit of vindication.
MORE: Damian Penny: "I should apologize to my Catholic readers for saying this, but compared to the way the Vatican has coddled the criminals within its ranks, then yes, I must admit Saddam is being treated pretty roughly.""
Funny how right wingers think the Vatican can do no wrong when it speaks on sex, but they get a wedgie when it spews forth pro-fascist nonsense.
I hope they remember this when the Vatican comes out with its next solemn pronouncement on the evils of being gay, or how womens' bodies should be state property.
One argument anti-liberation demagogues use against the US is that we should hold 'free' elections immediately. They complain the Iraqi Governing Council (IGC) is an American puppet, and that elections should be hosted by the UN. There is only one problem with that: the UN is against elections being held immediately in Iraq.
According to a report in Reuters (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/nm/20031216/wl_nm/iraq_un_dc):
"Annan appeared to have turned down a suggestion by Ayatollah Ali Sistani, the top Shi'ite Muslim cleric for direct elections instead of caucuses to choose the provisional assembly next spring. The ayatollah has said the United Nations should rule on which process was feasible.
"While there may not be time to organize free, fair and credible elections for this purpose, it is essential that the process leading to the formation of a provisional government is fully inclusive and transparent," Annan said in the council."
This was after Iraq's Foreign Minister, Hoshyar Zebari, blasted the UN for its inaction when Hussein was murdering his people for 35 years.
And, he issued an appeal:
Appealing for unity, Zebari said, "Settling scores with the United States should not be at the cost of helping to bring stability to the Iraqi people."
It is a structural problem with the primary/general election nature of the American electoral process that it tends to promote extremism. To get elected through the primary, a candidate has to appeal to the most extreme positions in the party, then moderate that position during the general election.
And so it is with Dr. Dean. I'm a liberal Democrat. I can't stand the religious right. They are a bunch of unprincipled thugs who would have no problem turning America into a latter day Afghanistan.
BUT...Dean seems to be unaware of the penalty we would pay if we instituted his foreign policy. Giving up Iraq to the UN, his complaining about the capture of Hussein, really makes me question if he's Presidential material.
The choice to be made in next November's election is forcing me into a position I don't want to be in. I never voted Republican for President. But if Dean is elected, the choice is too awful to contemplate. Dean may be a threat to national security. That trumps all other issues; health care, abortion, etc.
At this point I'm hoping the Party will see Dean for the danger he is. But, again, pandering to the extremes in both parties is what primaries are for. Maybe, just maybe, he'll moderate his position. Here's hoping for the best.
Capturing Hussein was a blow to fascist terror across the world. Its effects are, for many, more personal, from the spontaneous outburst of the Iraqi journalists when Bremer announced "We GOT him!", to this post on the 4th Infantry Division's website (http://pub20.bravenet.com/forum/show.php?usernum=1709173813&msgid=258823&mode=):
"from a 9-11 Survivor/Firefighter Widow I am a 9-11 survivor and a firefighter widow so the news of Saddam's capture brings tears of joy to my heart as the final piece of the puzzle is in place.
THank you thank you thank you!
YOu got the *******!
-Becca Bullock"
Those of us who were in NY after the start of the war know that sentiment very well.
It is the mark of a civilized society that it looks forward to the end of war. And it is the mark of a savage culture that it looks forward to the start of war. This capture may, in some way, hasten the end of the pathological culture that Hussein lived in.
From Al Jazeera website:
Saddam Hussein captured
Sunday 14 December 2003, 15:19 Makka Time, 12:19 GMT
Saddam Hussein has been captured alive near his home town of Tikrit in a major coup for the beleaguered US-led occupation forces in Iraq
GREAT NEWS! The supreme killer of Iraq, the man who gave hope to psychopaths, fascists, islamists, and die hard marxists throughout the world, is in US CUSTODY!!!
GOOD JOB GUYS!! BRAVO ZULU!
