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September 21, 2003
Weekend Cartoon
After failing to find any weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, the Bush administration is now busy searching for Al-Qaeda cells there to justify the war. (Khalil Abu Arafeh, Alquds, 9/15/03).
The other side of the American occupation in Iraq is this. It shows why the US under an imperial presidency lacks legitimacy in Iraq.
When you turn the eye back to Washington you see the imperial presidency, the decreasign power of the US Senate, the undermining of liberties with the Patriot Act and the slow conversion to a military empire. The American republic is in serious trouble.
And for some looney New York tunes read this column (or here)by Thomas L Friedman about France being the malicious enemy of the US. Why malicious? Because France is in favour of Iraqi sovereignty and democracy at a time when the imperial presidency is saying that the Iraqis aren't ready for democracy.
Posted by Gary Sauer-Thompson at September 21, 2003 11:45 PM
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Comments
"Because France is in favour of Iraqi sovereignty and democracy "?
How do you work that one out?
Posted by: Scott at September 22, 2003 01:52 PM
"The American republic is in serious trouble."
You are in some serious need of a reality adjustment.
Posted by: Kevin Smith at September 24, 2003 11:51 PM
Scott,
because that is what France is saying.
Kevin,
there is a difference in the US between a republic and an imperial presidency.
Posted by: Gary Sauer-thompson at September 25, 2003 01:30 AM
Oh, I see. Like Rome, we have changed from a enlightened republic to an oppressive empire. Well, get used to it, barbarian. Looks like we'll be running the show for another 700 to 1400 years.
Posted by: Kevin Smith at October 1, 2003 03:41 AM
Kevin,
no. The shift is lessenlightened republic to oppressive barbarian than the Pentagon have increased power vis-a-vis the Senate. It is the Pentagon, which is a state within a state, that is increasingly running the show not Congress.
That's the analogy.
Posted by: Gary Sauer-Thompson at October 1, 2003 09:13 AM
You don't know much about our government except what you want to believe, but that's OK; you'll get familiar enough with it once your country becomes a colony (though I prefer the term "wholly-owned subsidary").
P.S. Could it be that the reason for the godawful Pentagon's current prominence is that there's a WAR on? Naaaah. You're right. The republic is gone. Democracy in the US is dead. We were never very enlightened anyway, as you say, so we are too stupid to realize that we as a people are opressed and the US military-industrial complex and their Nazi lackeys are the oppressors of the world.
Posted by: Kevin Smith at October 1, 2003 11:40 PM