I caught most of the President’s speech last night.

My opinion for the warmongering bastards in power have reached a new nadir. Not only did Bush keep tying Terrorism and the Attack on Our Homeland with Saddam (yuck, yuck—never mind that the 11 September hijackers were from Saudi Arabia), but he made sure we knew that Saddam was a threat to us—even if that threat might be in the future. I personally loved the way horrific terms like poison factories and rape rooms were thrown around to justify the eventual war, collateral damage and all.

This war is not merely about removing Saddam, gaining access to their oil fields, or providing lucrative contracts to companies that have ties to our administration (cough, cough, Halliburton). Those are nice side effects. This is a grab for power in a part of the world that has been a pain in our ass for decades. Regardless of whether or not Saddam steps down from power as a result of Bush’s ultimatum, US-led troops will be moving in to set up shop. The only difference will be whether that invasion will meet with any opposition as it marches towards Baghdad.

When the government of Iraq falls, what next? Do we occupy the country? Do we prop up a better, kinder Iraqi government? Do you really think the UN is going to back us in nation-building after the recent diplomatic fiasco where our president and his advisors have all but buried the UNSC? What about Afghanistan, where my stepbrother-in-law is still fighting a simmering war that we as a nation promptly forgot about after the Taliban was routed? And what about North Korea, the “regional problem” that has been proven to proliferate weapons of mass destruction and has missiles that could turn the California coast into so much smoking rubble?

(Aside: has anyone given a passing thought as to what geopolitical instability in SE Asia might mean for our already sucking economy? How much of our GDP depends on selling things dependent upon parts (electronics, clothing, plastics, etc.) made in that region? Does anyone else cringe when they remember Rumsfeld and Co. dismissing the Korean problem as a “regional” issue?)

In the post-speech analysis, NPR’s Daniel Schorr seemed aghast at the president’s speech. He indicated that with this move, we have effectively ended an era in American history that started with Woodrow Wilson.

We have stripped away our “good cop” mask. We no longer need the world’s permission to do as we please in the world. Mark my words: regardless of what the outcome in Iraq is over the next month, Bush’s reckless decision will haunt us as a country and will further tar our reputation abroad. Add this to our mounting domestic issues such as the moribund economy, healthcare, etc. and our generation’s future never has looked so bleak.

Other worthwhile reading:

• Fareed Zakaria in Newsweek: The Arrogant Empire. An analysis of American power over the last century, and what has recently gone wrong to spark the ire of so many other people in the world.


• Rafe’s outrage and disgust