Steve Clemons’ SOTU Response

The video doesn’t seem to work.

Nevermind. My computer was having general video issues - all fixed now.

Syria, “Islamist?”

WWCJD?
What would Coptic Jesus Do?

Did Steve Clemons hear the same speech I have been hearing about and hearing excerpts from?! I just listened to what Bush said about and “to” Iran. Bush “reached out” to Iran?!!!!! WTF?! THAT is REACHING OUT?!!

Give me a break!

As for Clemons’ remarks on Iraq, he talks about how Bush has seduced the Congress into talking about tactics instead of strategy, but it looks like Bush succeeded in seducing Steve Clemons into talking about “what we went there fore” and “why we are there”. What does Clemons THINK we went there for? Why does Clemons THINK we are there? He doesn’t say, but it is clear he has no clue.

OK, the more I think about Clemons’ remarks on Iran the more annoyed I get. He thinks Bush “dialed down” his rhetoric, and “reached out” to Iran. Riiiiight! Well, I here is how he “reached out”:

“We are also standing against the forces of extremism embodied by the regime in Tehran.”

Oh, yeah! THIS is certainly “reaching out”. And, by the way, Iran’s regime is moderate compared with, oh, say, Saudi Arabia’s, with whom Bush is “best buds”. There is a very good level of religious freedom in Iran for all but one religious group - the Baha’is, who are seriously oppressed. All other religions worship freely and openly, and receive government support for their schools and social programs. Women in Iran are well educated, and hold high-level professional and government positions (the chief architect of Iran used to be, and as far as I know still is, a woman).

“Iran’s rulers oppress a good and talented people.”

Oh yeah, right. Except that Iran’s rulers oppress their “good and talented people” a whole lot less than, oh, let’s think about it. How about the Saudis again? Or Bush’s good buddy Mubarak? Or, for that matter, the corrupt collaborator Mahmoud `Abbas, that “great” Palestinian “leader” who has been chosen not by the Palestinians, but by Israel and the U.S., and whose history of oppression and corruption is well-known to Palestinians, and to most Arabs. Or that guy who magically managed to get himself off the U.S. shit list, and yet still maintains a stranglehold on the citizens of his country - whatsisname? Gaddafi? And even Jordan’s lovely, westernized King `Abdullah, who speaks Arabic - and, I suppose also conducts torture sessions - with a British accent. And of course, there is the lovely military dictator Musharraf. And of course, we cannot forget that well-known ally Whatsisname the dictator of Whatsistan (sorry, I forgot for the moment, and I am too lazy to try to remember) who likes to boil people alive. Shall I go on, or are you getting that the Iranian regime is not nearly as oppressive as some of Bush’s best pals?

“And wherever freedom advances in the Middle East, it seems the Iranian regime is there to oppose it.”

And that’s just a lie. As a matter of fact, one could more accurately say that about the Bush regime.

“Iran is funding and training militia groups in Iraq…”

An extremely convenient claim that is unsupported by any actual evidence at all.

“supporting Hezbollah terrorists in Lebanon”

Hezbullah are not terrorists. They are a complex and sophisticated (far more sophisticated than the Bush regime, for sure!) organization that originally arose as a resistance to Israeli aggression, specifically the brutal and criminal Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon, and who have very well-defined, localized goals. Even many Israelis who were part of the occupation of Lebanon insist that Hezbullah are a legitimate resistance organization, and point out that the great majority of their attacks do NOT target civilians, but military and strategic targets. In fact, the effects of Hezbullah attacks on civilians is a tiny fraction of what the Israeli military do on a daily basis.

But more to the point, what kind of brazen hypocrisy is it for Bush to complain about Iran pursuing its “national interest” in Lebanon or anywhere else? It looks like the pot calling the kettle black and then some, does it not?

“and backing Hamas’ efforts to undermine peace in the Holy Land.”

There is no evidence that Iran is backing any efforts to undermine “peace in the holy land”. Furthermore, Hamas is not trying to undermine peace. If anyone is trying to undermine “peace in the Holy Land” it is the Israeli government, whose consistent breaches of cease fires, blatant provocations, and continued land theft, among other things, are well documented. How interesting that it is Hamas who is “undermining peace” when Hamas has declared, and honoured numerous unilateral cease fires despite Israel’s constant attacks, “extrajudicial” killings (aka state murders), and other horrors against the population.

“Tehran is also developing ballistic missiles of increasing range”

Iran, unlike other countries, is not entitled to develop a strong military defense capability?

“…and continues to develop its capability to enrich uranium, which could be used to create a nuclear weapon.

There is no prohibition under the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty or any other legal instrument against Iran developing a capability which “could” be used to create a nuclear weapon.

“Our message to the people of Iran is clear: We have no quarrel with you”

OMG! This are the EXACT bullshit that Daddy Bush used on the Iraqis as he was bombing their lives to rubble, and preparing to impose starvation on them for the foreseeable future.

“we respect your traditions and your history, and we look forward to the day when you have your freedom.”

Oh, yeah, like you even have a clue about the traditions and history of the Iranian people! As for freedom, you clearly don’t know the meaning of the word. You have undermined the freedom of the American people, and taken away completely what little freedom Iraqis had before you shocked and awed your way in there for your own self-centered reasons.

“Our message to the leaders of Iran is also clear: Verifiably suspend your nuclear enrichment, so negotiations can begin.”

And the very justified message of the leaders of Iran to you is clear too: F*** you and the hypocritical, lying horse you rode in on. We have a right to develop nuclear power, it makes economic sense now and for the future for us to develop nuclear power, and you don’t have any right to stop us from developing nuclear power.

“And to rejoin the community of nations, come clean about your nuclear intentions and past actions, stop your oppression at home, and cease your support for terror abroad.”

Standard belligerent American bushit (this kind of thing predates Bush, by the way, and crosses party lines).

“But above all, know this: America will confront those who threaten our troops, we will stand by our allies, and we will defend our vital interests in the Persian Gulf.”

And this, ladies and gentlemen, is Steve Clemons’ version of George Bush “reaching out to the Iranians” in a positive way. Sorry if he is supposed to be some sort of political genius, but the guy came across as a mindless moron to me on this and other Middle East issues.

The Rude Pundit has an excellent take on Bush’s last (Thank God!!!) SOTU address, pointing out that the Bush/Cheney administration entered the White House hell-bent on undoing everything that the outgoing Clinton administration had achieved. Mission accomplished…in a perverted, criminal, catastrophic kind of way. The Bush/Cheney administration is like a combined “Groundhog Day” and Pearl Harbor Day…infamy day after infamy day for eight long, torturous years.

Great news America.

Iraq made a major decision today, becoming a 21st century leader. This single item is evidence enough that they are ready and capable of taking control their future.

Thus, we can basically agree to disagree about the surge, claim it worked for expediency’s sake, and withdraw ASAP.

What item shows Iraq is a member of the world community?

Iraqi Government Tackles Global WarmingBy Mike Nizza

After an unusually deadly day for U.S. troops in Iraq, one recent accomplishment in Baghdad made for awkward fodder for tonight’s State of the Union speech, which was expected to emphasize progress and urge patience there.
Two unlikely subjects joined together in headline harmony over the weekend, when Agence France-Presse reported that the Iraqi government had decided to go ahead and approve the Kyoto Protocol, the global warming treaty:
“The presidential council ratified in its session on January 23 a law according to which the Republic of Iraq will join the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and its Kyoto Protocol,” the statement said.
The Iraqis decided to join the pioneering, yet troubled pact almost two weeks after Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was hailing legislative progress on another front. But the AFP report did not get specific on the amount of greenhouse-gas emissions Iraq would seek to cut.
As was the case when Australia ratified the treaty in December, Iraq’s decision seemed destined to focus more attention on the United States’s status as the only industrialized countries refusing to join.

http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/01/28/iraqi-government-tackles-global-warming/index.html?hp

Those splendid Iraqi statesmen have indeed helped highlight one of the major problems in this our declining American era.

Marked by unilateral stubbornness, going it alone when the world community needs all of our participation.

As for Bush’s morality play that enables torture and rendition; his fumbling of policy that respects both human rights and our own place in the world as members of a habitat; his retrospective vision that has bombed others to the stone age and pushed us into economic disparities on the precipice of a financial depression and third world nation staus…

Iraq can offer the insight needed for a cure.
One that borrows upon the premise of reason, established by great civilizations, whose flowering their country’s fertile valleys birthed:

“Physician, heal thyself.”

Two major media are announcing Edwards out of the campaign.

He returned to New Orleans to make a statement, about his campaign, and more importantly, about America.

Washington is such a dysfunctional land of OZ….

Why is this president and his VP still walking among free men?

Let us NEVER forget we were lied into a war by the VERY men these spineless politicians were applauding for.

For me it is like watching the Nazi’s applauding Hitler as he drove Germany off the cliff of madness into hell.. THEY applauding our country’s demise.

I have never wished a year of my life away, until this year…..come on 2009!!!!!!
END OF THIS ERROR!!!!!

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