The Real World Effects Of Bush’s Pre-emptive Strike Doctrine
The world looks much different when viewed from the Middle East. We in America are sheltered from the violence that is a daily reality for those living in Iraq, Afghanistan and many neighboring countries, and as we should expect, their attitudes toward us are colored by their dealings with our government that more often than not, leave them worse off after receiving our “help”. Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden tied for fourth place of most admired world leaders among those polled by Zogby International last year in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco and the United Arab Emirates. It should come as no surprise that in that same poll, negative opinion of the United States scored between 73-98%, with Egypt giving us the worst marks. Those are some sobering numbers but understandable given that the main reason cited for their unfavorable view is our foreign policy. Not our lack of morality or our conspicuous consumption but how we interact with the rest of the world. President Bush, who deserves all the credit for these numbers, has tried to sell the American people on the idea that “they hate our freedom” but that is utter crap, they do not hate who we are, they hate what we do.
After 9/11, the Bush regime message machine was in overdrive vilifying Saddam Hussein. Not the most difficult of tasks to be sure, but beyond the selling of Hussein as a monster, they dug deep into the intelligence files in an attempt to prove to the world that he was a threat without rival. Bush may have convinced a majority in Congress, a minority of the American people and Tony Blair that he was right, but the rest of the world was under-whelmed by his evidence and although some were strong armed into joining the “coalition of the shilling”, the countries in the Middle East see Bush’s war for what it is, a crusade. What is going to happen when the rest of the world catches up to the Middle East and their negative view of American foreign policy? Already, many are not far behind and every day, more people around the globe are identifying the real threat to world stability, the United States under President Bush.
Bush’s “get them before they get us” mentality has created a dangerous situation for America. He thumbed his nose at the United Nations and invaded a sovereign nation, unprovoked. That is what a pre-emptive strike means, and it is a legacy we are stuck with. When Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait, the international community lead by George H.W. Bush, kicked him out with brutal force in the first Gulf War. As a result of Saddam’s attempted land grab, Iraq suffered greatly under the sanctions put into effect, the inspection regime stripped him of most of his weapons capabilities and he was severely weakened as a leader. What is stopping a coalition from forming to kick us out of Iraq? Wouldn’t the international community be justified in invading our homeland? It would not be unprovoked. George W. Bush is occupying another nation in defiance of international law. He is ruthlessly squelching dissent at home and is known to possess biological, chemical and nuclear weapons as well as having shown a propensity for using them. Viewed in that light, I wonder how many Americans think a pre-emptive strike policy is such a good idea.
By abandoning our guiding principles of self-determination and democratic rule, and by allowing our President to ignore the rule of law, we have unleashed a menace on a world that may decide at some point to retaliate. We may have the weapons, but they would have the soldiers necessary to win. Given the right coalition, they would also have the economic power to bring us to our knees before the first shot was fired. And unlike Bush’s failure to find WMD in Iraq, the “liberators” of America would find a treasure trove of weapons providing proof to the world that a pre-emptive strike was necessary. I have a sneaking suspicion that Americans would have a much different view of the insurgency at that point. Bush has broken the rules and changed the game, but ultimately we are responsible for what our leaders do in our name and if we do not protest, we give our consent. Silence is no longer an option.
posted by The (liberal)Girl Next Door @ 1:27 PM
4 Comments:
Wow, this is a remarkable read. Thank you.
Speaking of pre-emptive strikes, LGND, did you see where Chuck Hagel - and you predicted this - is stepping out and going after the "current Administration," with respect to we American people having the right and indeed, exercising our right as the correct action by a true patriot, to question our government about this war and any war, for that matter. This story just keeps getting weirder and weirder.
The true menace to the peace, the stability, and the prosperity of our world is the United States of America. Our own self-delusion about our mission as a country and as a people is held together with lies and propaganda. The truth is that the Empire of the United States seeks economic domination of the planet. What we can’t buy; we seek to take by force. If we can’t exploit and suck the economic life out of a country, we use political or military power to alter the client states (situation). We need to see through (the land of the free and the home of the brave bullshit) and realize that we are part of a power-wielding beast that much of world has learned to despise and fear.
justicee.r. -
Yes, you are 100% correct, unfortunately, for US --
The global institutions of the so-called "unholy trinity," the International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank (WB) and World Trade Organization (WTO), have been and continue to be, one of the primary and most hateful secrets of the modern world.
For example, through the WB/IMF, the Brits loaned money to farmers in India. This was sales, basically - loan sharks, really. The farmers, who couldn’t produce enough agriculture crops to sell, were living in poverty and this was almost killing them. The Brits convinced the Indian farmers to take loans from the WB/IMF, to purchase pesticides, and therefore, agriculture crops would flourish and multiply. Poof, instant prosperity and poverty disappears as all these wonderful crops sold. Unfortunately, the pesticides did not grow more crops and the farmers found themselves both in debt for their loans to purchase the pesticides, and with no agriculture crops to sell. This was in the spring of 2005. The farmers, 2000 of them, drank the pesticides and committed suicide, to escape their plight.
Many of the people in India have been boycotting products (Coca-Cola) and also, are refusing to work like indentured servants, for very little pay, in the manufacturing factories, outsourced for cheap labor, by countries such as our United States.
The IMF, WB, and WTO, must be exposed and disempowered.
http://www.globalpolicy.org/socecon/bwi-wto/imfind.htm
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has been one of the greatest mouthpieces about this, and thankfully for US, he is!
The United States of America is in a deep state of denial, and NOT just about politics. The unfortunate situation in which we find ourselves, is about, how to transition into a post-petroleum society. Our American modern society has been in a "soma-like" reality because of oil. Our own reserves of oil peaked a long time ago, in the early 1970s. Some say 1971 and others say 1972 or 1973. Quibbling over a year or two doesn’t seem relevant when we measure our sprawling country and all its suburbs. The "End of Suburbia" is a documentary and it gives a clear perspective of how our modern society looks. The drinking of pesticides could be an answer for many, many people, during the days that follow the final supplies of oil.
Our planet’s basic truth, is that when we produced the first barrel of oil, from out of the ground, petroleum began to decline. No one really wants to deal with this. Not even the most highly well educated geophysicists in the US. However, in other countries there are very sophisticated intellects who are working hard to help us, with or without our consciousness.
Bolivia is one of many countries to accept the truth of what is to come, and this preparation of becoming their own independent self-reliant collective, is a bold statement indeed.
Most of Europe gets it, however.
Sweden has clearly drawn its line in the ground and is working towards becoming independent of oil.
http://www.peakoil.net/
The Unites States wants to use the unholy trinity to dominate the globe and war is this Administration’s answer to capitalize on ALL of the Earth's oil and fossil fuel reserves. This is not about to disappear the problem.
Because of our suburbs, just as it was found by the farmers in India, agriculture continues to be our greatest challenge in a "pre-modern" society.
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