Bush's blind leadership

[kskiska]

By Derrick Z. Jackson | May 26, 2004

IN NEED OF blind obedience as he stays the course in Iraq, President Bush went to the Army War College in Carlisle, Pa., on Monday. Rows of military officers, with not a hint of dissent, clapped like choir boys as Bush said, "The terrorists and Saddam loyalists would rather see many Iraqis die than have any live in freedom."

This is the same Bush who chose to see between 4,000 and 11,000 Iraqi civilians die, according to human rights groups, in an invasion and occupation based on nonexistent weapons of mass destruction. Bush said he will stay the course for an Iraq that "protects basic rights," even as a stream of photos exposing prison camp abuse by American soldiers is released.

Bush said, "A free Iraq will always have a friend in the United States of America." At the rate we are going, it will be any wonder if we will have any friends left in Iraq by the time it is "free." Last week, 40 people died in a US military airstrike on a house. The White House said that it was a safe house for terrorists. Residents who lived nearby said it was the site of a wedding party.

A Reuters story from the site of the airstrike said, "Standing over 3-year-old Kholoud al-Mohammed, who held a cookie in her hand and cried, Mamdouh Harajee listed off the names of the dead from a complex web of relatives who attended.

" 'She lost her mother and father. Another family of eight lost six members. Another family lost four,' he said as he looked down on the bandaged child. `It was just a wedding.' "

more…
http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2004/05/26/bushs_blind_leadership?mode=PF

[charlyvi]

1. Blind Obedience?

The following is a link to a Washington Post article dated January 12, 2004, the first line of which reads:

A scathing new report published by the Army War College broadly criticizes the Bush administration's handling of the war on terrorism, accusing it of taking a detour into an "unnecessary" war in Iraq and pursuing an "unrealistic" quest against terrorism that may lead to U.S. wars with states that pose no serious threat.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A8435-2004Jan11?language=printer

So, while I agree with Mr. Jackson that *'s speech was given at the War College for political effect, I think the "blind obedience" jab is a bit off. These folks know what an idiot he is---and how their compatriots are dying for it.