Bushs Speech ...

[docmercer--banned]

Bush Inauguration Speech: A "Vacuous Sermon," A "Global Crusade" Against "Defenseless States"

by Zbigniew Brzezinski, national security adviser to President Carter,
on PBS News Hour

If the speech was to be taken literally, then clearly it would imply commitment to some sort of a global crusade vis-a-vis a variety of states with many of whom we have all sorts of mutual concerns, even if we don't like their practical policies. I mean, take a few examples. Take China; we have a major state instability with China, but China is hardly a democracy. What about the Tibetans? Take Russia; we have a common stake with regards to terrorism, but what about the Chechens? They're being treated in a tyrannical fashion. Take an even more complex issue: what about Israel, which is a friend of ours, and its security against Palestinian terrorists? But what about the oppression of the Palestinians and their desire for freedom?

The fact is that the speech was high-sounding. If it was to be taken literally, it would mean an American crusade throughout the entire world, and I don't know how that would be implemented practically. More Iraqs, perhaps, or is it just a general statement which doesn't give us much guide to policy, suited for the occasion but not to be taken as the point of departure for serious policy?...

I read it as rhetoric because as a practical matter how is he going to apply it vis-a-vis China or Russia? We can apply it towards defenseless or weak states, but that's hardly a statement of policy of a global significant character....

Iran I think is more ambiguous. And there the issue is certainly not tyranny; it's nuclear weapons. And the vice president today in a kind of a strange parallel statement to this declaration of freedom hinted that the Israelis may do it and in fact used language which sounds like a justification or even an encouragement for the Israelis to do it. And I happen to think that this would be very destabilizing in the region. We would be viewed as complicit. It would intensify the problems that we are already facing in manifold fashion.

It just makes me feel that the administration at this stage is really very unclear regarding its genuine strategic doctrine. It has high-sounding rhetoric, but it doesn't have a real sense of priorities or directions. If the rhetoric was to be taken seriously, we would be overstretched globally to a devastating degree....

You know deep-seated beliefs are one thing; capabilities is the other. And what capabilities do we have actually at hand to pursue this global crusade?...

If the speech is taken seriously, I think people will be concerned, because they'll wonder whether this is a statement of a crusade. But if it isn't taken seriously, if it's viewed as a ceremony, then it will be dismissed as a nice statement which perhaps reflects the president's views but which is really not a program of action. And I don't think we should assess this speech as a program of action. It may be a testimonial of his deepest beliefs, but it really doesn't tell us anything about his strategy. It repackages his attitude, instead of talking about fear, which he's been talking a lot about in the last four years, creating in effect a fear-driven nation. He talks about freedom. Instead of talking about terror, he talks about tyranny....

So the themes are a little different. It's freedom versus tyranny. But where are the tyrannies? In fact, the really serious tyrannies are the ones we have to deal with. And we're not going to deal with them the way we have dealt with Iraq. So as a statement of a program, it's vacuous. As a sermon, it's nice, it's moving, and has some elegant moments, but it's vacuous.... (more) --posted 01.21.05, text of Bush speech

 

[Ego74]

"by Zbigniew Brzezinski, national security adviser to President Carter,"


Carter's natl security advisor, nuff said.

 

[Redneckman]

Yeah that President Carter was sure known for his awesome foreign policy.

 

[GAMEFACE]

LMFAO! Talk of freedom for all scares the sh!t out of those UN dictators and their cronies. Just think they all may have to get real job one day. Aren't the limp wristed liberals for freedom?

 

[Marco]

The problem with tyranny in places like Russia and China is the fact that those countries can fight back...

Big brother USA has to find some weaker sisters on the globe to shove around and much to the chagrin of the government, disappointingly settle for respecting the sovereignty of the other big brothers....

 

[Redneckman]

I'm still looking for the place in his speech where he said he was going to invade any country that had a tyrannic government. It suits your left wing agendas to say that Bush is a war monger so you insert words into the speech. You guys better be careful, because if you come off as anti-freedom to the elecorate, you're going to get drubbed in the next election also.

 

[docmercer--banned]

Face facts ...

We are going to be at war very shortly with Syria ... the domino effect will not be good as this most likely brings Israel into the picture

Russia told Bush to cool it today regarding Syria and Assad will be in Russia next week to buy massive amounts of military that changes the equation

Get ready as Bush has allready given the OK to launch into Syria from numerous sources that are fairly dependable

 

[docmercer--banned]

Through Arms to Syria, Putin Challenges US Middle East Game Rules

DEBKAfile Exclusive Military Report

January 12, 2005, 7:52 PM (GMT+02:00)

Disturbing reports were coming out of the Russian capital Wednesday, January 12, about Russian president Vladimir Putin’s plan to accede to Syria’s request for advanced weaponry during president Bashar Assad’s visit to Moscow on January 24. DEBKAfile’s US and Israeli security sources quickly contradicted reports that 18 Iskander-M or SS-X-26 surface-to-surface missiles were on the table. The items for sale, they revealed, are advanced SA-10 air defense systems of the type that protects Moscow and shoulder-held SA-18 anti-air missiles, whose transfer to the Hizballah and/or Iraqi guerrillas would move at least two sets of goal posts in the Middle East balance of strength.

The SA-10 is an effective defense against Israeli warplanes and missiles, including cruise missiles. Its presence in Syria would therefore knock a serious hole in Israel’s deterrent ability against Assad and the Hizballah.

The Kremlin’s willingness to sell these items to Israel’s northern neighbor and backer of Iraqi insurgents is a rocket from the Putin to the White House in Washington, a declaration that he has had enough of sitting on the sidelines and watching US move the January 30 election pieces around the Iraq board and tilt the Palestinian ballot in favor of Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) as Yasser Arafat’s successor.

The Russian president’s exasperation boiled over when he saw Washington’s hand in the Ukraine presidential election stirring up the anti-Moscow Orange Revolution that brought opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko to office, and, again, in the sale of the Russian oil concern Yukos. The Russian leader felt he had been made the target of a well- orchestrated campaign for undermining him personally and politically.

Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon is also put on notice that Washington’s backing alone does not lend him the status of unilateral player for disengagement in the Palestinian arena.

The Russian leader has another large bone to pick with Sharon. He has complained often on the basis of intelligence received that Israel provides a backstairs rendezvous venue for Jewish Russian oligarchs conspiring against him, among them Berizovsky who lives in London, and Khodorovsky, founder of the oil giant YUKOS who sits in a Moscow jail.

Each of those moneyed plotters, he charges, maintains a representative in Israel to look after the transfer of his wealth to Israeli banks. More than once, the Russian president asked Sharon to put a stop to this activity. When the Israeli prime minister informed him that the Law of Return forbids prosecution or extradition unless laws are broken, Putin was disbelieving. He later sneered to his aides that he had not known that the Law of Return applied to members of the Russian Christian Orthodox Church, a veiled reference to the Russian oligarchs’ hired personnel who relocated with them to Israel.

The Kremlin’s decision to supply advanced SA-10 and SA-18 missiles to Syria constitutes a direct threat to Israel. But it is also a shot across Washington’s bows.

DEBKAfile’s Russian and Israeli military experts described the SA-10 (“Grumble”) as an advanced surface-to-air missiles system capable of seriously limiting Israel’s aerial activity over Syria and Lebanon. It can engage more than one target and counter low and high-flying aircraft, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles. “Grumble” can outperform the US Patriot anti-missile missile system supplied to Israel and counter the aircraft and most of the missiles in the Israel Air Force’s arsenal, to the detriment of its deterrent capabilities

The SA-18 “Grouse” is a highly effective shoulder-held missile. If it reaches Iraqi guerrillas it will constitute a direct threat to US troops. In Hizballah hands, it would add to US troubles in Lebanon.

Now that the cat is out of the bag, Putin and his top strategists can sit back and see how Washington and Jerusalem react.

 

[docmercer--banned]

Last Sunday, January 2, US deputy secretary of state Richard Armitage performed his last major mission before stepping down in favor of Robert B. Zoellick, whom incoming secretary Condoleezza Rice has picked as her deputy. (Zoellick, currently trade representative in charge US world trade, served as deputy to secretary of state James Baker in the Reagan and Bush Sr. administrations. This mission took Armitage to Damascus with nine American demands. But the punchline was in the last demand. General Casey, commander of US forces in Iraq has already received orders from the commander-in-chief in the White House to pursue military action inside Syria according to his best military judgment if Damascus continues to meddle in Iraq’s affairs

 

[Marco]

Redneckman.....give Bush some time, there's still three more years to invade whatever country sent a representative who farted in the white house.....(you don't have to insert words, it's just Dubya's nature.)

doc.....speaking of the domino effect.....seems like a faint memory, but I can remember a time when the communists were the ones to fear when it came to the domino effect.....

 

[Marco]

"General Casey, commander of US forces in Iraq has already received orders from the commander-in-chief in the white house to pursue military action inside Syria according to his best military judgement if Damascus continues to meddle in Iraq's affairs."

Who in thier right mind would want to call the shots for the future considering the continuing saga of Dubya's failed policies in Iraq.

If Casey is smart he'll realize he's being set up as the next scapegoat for the next failed conquest. Casey at bat, here we go.....

Why more resignations haven't taken place is beyond me. Who wants a ride onboard the Titanic II with Dubya at the wheel?

 

[Redneckman]

Ok, so we are invading Syria, but to you guys we're losing the war in Iraq. So maybe you really believe we're going to wrap things up in Iraq shortly. We're not going to fight both places at once.

 

[Marco]

"We're not going to fight both places at once."

Careful there Red, there's this thing called "the draft".....and there are still a few stockboys left at Walmart to send in via the weekend warrior plan....

More than likely we'll leave Iraq after the facade of an election is held, civil war will begin shortly thereafter in Iraq, and Bush will claim he tried.....then exit Iraq quietly through the backdoor, and start up a ruckus in Syria.....

 

[HiloBoy]

the one thing we can thank bush for is he will only start a war with places that he knows are not nearly on even terms with us. he would be scared of a true major power probably even scared of cuba.

 

[GAMEFACE]

some of you guys amaze me. America doesn't lose wars, politicians lose wars. I see things working out.

 

[docmercer--banned]

The "love for King George" would disappear quickly if the draft was reinstated .....

 

[JinnRikki]

What would happen if, as gamefarce proposes, we were to use bunker busters on the Iranians. Would they just say, "oh thank you sir may I have another"? Or would they more likely attack either our troops in Iraq or attack Israel? If they attack Israel will we pull up a chair pop some corn and watch or help our ally?
The end result of any of these things, I think, will be a draft. There is no way we can fight on another front with the troop levels we currently have.
And if a draft comes about Doc, you are absolutely right the love for king george will disappear faster than a neocon reading a draft notice.
So 'ol georgie might want to be careful about painting himself in a corner with this freeing the masses rhetoric.

 

[Redneckman]

Hey Jenny, I thought we were losing the war in Iraq? We must be winning it, if you're worried we're going to invade another country. Glad you're coming to your senses. Elections in Iraq only a week away.

 

[GAMEFACE]

Jennylo,

Yep big bad Iran scares the US. Iran had 10 year war with Iraq and the US had a 10 day war with Iraq. They really feel strong.

 

[Marco]

"We must be winning it, if you're worried we're going to invade another country. Glad you're coming to your senses. Elections only a week away."

Since when did a country have to be winning a war to invade a second or third country? Hitler was dumb enough to take on Russia and fight a two front war and was even dumber to believe he was still winning regardless the information and evidence to the contrary.....

....seems Hitler was the last one to admit how fawked up things were and how futile thier effort was......some parallels to the current US administration exist in that scenario.....

But hey, good luck with that election next week, just be sure to have the people vote for vice-presidents and successors who can fill the shoes of the ones who will get blown up or shot within a month or so......

Pretty safe guess that the newly elected leaders will not have to come out with catchy phrases like "BRING IT ON!"........"It's" coming sooner than they think....