Tuesday, September 21, 2004
Bush Speech at the UN - What He Said and What He MEANT to Say
Unless someone piped in a few tons of Nitrous Oxide into the UN (following the lead of gas-passers at the Repuglican National Convention), I'm certain no one was buying an ounce of Bush's bullshit. Why should they? Unlike Bush, they know how to say "Fool me once shame on you; fool me twice shame on me..."
Not being in the business of peddling fertilizer, I'm posting the salient parts of his speech (and what he SHOULD have said), by all means check it against the transcipt here if you're certain I'm editorializing.
"...except, of course, Rush, Dennis Hastert, Tom DeLay, GFY, and 98% of the attendees at the Rethug National Convention."
"Ergo, I am a dictator."
"The US isn't huge on suicide but as Abu Ghraib and other Iraqi prisons have shown, we sure do enjoy our torture and murder!"
"Except of course those countries that endorse safe-sex or offer abortions... those bastards can burn in hell!"
"They certainly don't pose any threat to the multitudes of militias that have risen up within their own borders to fill the power vacuum our forces have left in their wake."
"They must help even though my administration ignored the U.N. and its member nations when this body asked the US to exercise a little restraint and not embark on an illegal adventure in Iraq. And now that our adventure has been a 'catastrophic success' and we've essentially screwed everything, we need all the help we can get, especially since the US economy is in the toilet."
"As you may have guessed, a free Iraq would indeed be a block to other's ambitions because, free or not, it's where the US will be putting military bases... get used to it."
"...as a result of US interests in oil, since it has been US support for illegitimate and undemocratic regimes that has led to Islamist movements reacting in anger against those regimes."
"...and bomb them back into the Stone Age."
"Truer words have never been spoken and my own administration has shown that once you take away 'responsibility, transparency and accountability,' you destroy 'good government'. So no one should be using the US as an example, at least not the US government of the past 3 years..."
"...and as I just said, don't look to the US as an example (or for substantial funding in this endeavor) since we're in the process of dismantling our own trade unions, free press, and political parties..."
"With the hurricanes in Florida and the lesson of our own election in 2000, the first place we'll need election monitors is the state where my corrupt brother is governor."
"Unlike conservatives in the US who despise this organization and its ideals."
Not being in the business of peddling fertilizer, I'm posting the salient parts of his speech (and what he SHOULD have said), by all means check it against the transcipt here if you're certain I'm editorializing.
The American people respect the idealism that gave life to this organization. And we respect the men and women of the U.N., who stand for peace and human rights in every part of the world.
"...except, of course, Rush, Dennis Hastert, Tom DeLay, GFY, and 98% of the attendees at the Rethug National Convention."
Wise governments also stand for these principles for very practical and realistic reasons. We know that dictators are quick to choose aggression, while free nations strive to resolve differences in peace.
"Ergo, I am a dictator."
Terrorists and their allies believe the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the American Bill of Rights and every charter of liberty ever written are lies to be burned and destroyed and forgotten. They believe the dictators should control every mind and tongue in the Middle East and beyond. They believe that suicide and torture and murder are fully justified to serve any goal they declare. And they act on their beliefs.
"The US isn't huge on suicide but as Abu Ghraib and other Iraqi prisons have shown, we sure do enjoy our torture and murder!"
AIDS is the greatest health crisis of our time and our unprecedented commitment will bring new hope to those who have walked too long in the shadow of death.
"Except of course those countries that endorse safe-sex or offer abortions... those bastards can burn in hell!"
Today the Iraqi and Afghan people are on the path to democracy and freedom. The governments that are rising will pose no threat to others.
"They certainly don't pose any threat to the multitudes of militias that have risen up within their own borders to fill the power vacuum our forces have left in their wake."
The U.N. and its member nations must respond to Prime Minister Allawi's request and do more to help build an Iraq that is secure, democratic, federal and free. A democratic Iraq has ruthless enemies because terrorists know the stakes in that country. They know that a free Iraq in the heart of the Middle East will be a decisive blow against their ambitions for that region.
"They must help even though my administration ignored the U.N. and its member nations when this body asked the US to exercise a little restraint and not embark on an illegal adventure in Iraq. And now that our adventure has been a 'catastrophic success' and we've essentially screwed everything, we need all the help we can get, especially since the US economy is in the toilet."
"As you may have guessed, a free Iraq would indeed be a block to other's ambitions because, free or not, it's where the US will be putting military bases... get used to it."
And today I assure every friend of Afghanistan and Iraq and every enemy of liberty, we will stand with the people of Afghanistan and Iraq until their hopes of freedom and security are fulfilled. These two nations will be a model for the broader Middle East, a region where millions have been denied basic human rights and simple justice.
"...as a result of US interests in oil, since it has been US support for illegitimate and undemocratic regimes that has led to Islamist movements reacting in anger against those regimes."
For too long, many nations, including my own, tolerated, even excused oppression in the Middle East in the name of stability. The oppression became common, but stability never arrived. We must take a different approach.
"...and bomb them back into the Stone Age."
The democratic hopes we see growing in the Middle East are growing everywhere. In the words of the Burmese democracy advocate Aung San Suu Kyi, We do not accept the notion that democracy is a Western value. To the contrary, democracy simply means good government rooted in responsibility, transparency and accountability.
"Truer words have never been spoken and my own administration has shown that once you take away 'responsibility, transparency and accountability,' you destroy 'good government'. So no one should be using the US as an example, at least not the US government of the past 3 years..."
Because I believe the advance of liberty is the path to both a safer and better world, today I propose establishing a democracy fund within the United Nations. This is a great calling for this great organization. The fund would help countries lay the foundations of democracy by instituting the rule of law and independent courts, a free press, political parties and trade unions.
"...and as I just said, don't look to the US as an example (or for substantial funding in this endeavor) since we're in the process of dismantling our own trade unions, free press, and political parties..."
Money from the fund would also help set up voter precincts in polling places and support the work of election monitors.
"With the hurricanes in Florida and the lesson of our own election in 2000, the first place we'll need election monitors is the state where my corrupt brother is governor."
History will honor the high ideals of this organization.
"Unlike conservatives in the US who despise this organization and its ideals."
