EXTRAORDINARY EVENTS, FEBRUARY 28
by Paschal Baute (2003)
"There are now two superpowers in the world:
the USA and... world opinion."
Quote in NY Times, yesterday.
Some extraordinary things have happened since 9/11. After that horrible attack, we drew support and compassion from around the globe. We
have even taken on several minor Hitlers, seemingly have won over them for now, maybe, yet we, or this Bush Administration, is losing around the
world, in the court of world opinion. Polls taken in many countries now show a very negative view of the effect of our foreign policy on their
respective country, and in the past few weeks, millions have taken to the streets to demonstrate against the Bush administrations rush to war as
the first choice in Iraq. Even in this country, despite a sycophant and subservient media, about two out of three now believe that we should not go
to war without another UN resolution, that is, alone.
This, I propose, is an extraordinary turn of events. It is almost as if the Bush Administration, for all its saber-rattling and bellicosity, has painted itself
into a corner. Such is the resistance of the British people that our dear friend, Tony Blair, has had to promise not to endorse war without another
UN resolution. Anti-Americanism seems growing by leaps and bounds.
Why? Although Bush, when asked last week about the millions of anti-war protestors around the world, replied: "Size of protests" It's like
deciding policy based on focus groups." Now for anyone who knows how this administration uses polls and focus groups, that practically every
thing that comes out of the White House is shaped by extensive public soundings, this is a "funny" remark. In many ways. It shows clearly that up
to now, at least, the Administration has been tone deaf to the world.
This Bush Administration has been willing to torch the Kyoto treaty rather than try to improve it, nix the International Criminal Court supported by
over 100 countries, and in a number of ways show itself to the world as a proud and haughty country bent on world domination, as if the only true
source of wisdom resided here. It has been "Our Way or the Highway." Unilateralism has prevailed in our foreign policy.
Now we are ready to make fun of Old Europe: France, Germany, etc., but find that such belittling does not help win friends in the crucial UN votes
the Bush Administration is trying desperately to secure. Today a career U.S. diplomat resigned with these words: "We have not seen such
systematic distortion of intelligence, such systematic manipulation of American opinion since the war in Vietnam.... This Administration has chosen
to make terrorism a political tool...[to] spread disproportionate terror and confusion in the public mind... to justify a vast misallocation of shrinking
public funds to the military and to weaken the safeguards that protect American citizens from the heavy hand of government... Why does this
President condone the swaggering and contemptuous approach to our friends and allies this Administration is fostering?" (See "US Diplomat
Resigns, protesting our fervent pursuit of war," NY Times, Feb. 27)
Right now America can do about whatever it wants to do militarily. It may be that the war will be short with few casualties. But note here that the
press since Reagan has been so controlled by the military that few casualties will be reported, regardless. Bush campaigned against " nation
rebuilding." yet in his recent talk before the American Enterprise conservative think tank people, it is now clear that the real reason for the war
(since no evidence has been actually found to support the many accusations of WMD) is to rebuild Iraq into an American satellite in order to
influence and control the Middle East.
But there are many things we cannot control, and primarily evident in the past few weeks, is that of public opinion and the way the rest of the
world views us. We cannot exercise effective leadership in the world without genuine respect and consideration of other countries. This goes far
beyond the impossible French or the ungrateful Germans. Zbigniew, Carter's National Security Advisor, said recently, "It is difficult to find a single
country that supports American foreign policy. That is really very serious."
Why, we ask? Is it just the timid and peace-niks about the war. If one looks more closely, one can find that this President does not follow through
on any promises made to any groups. Paul Krugman pointed out (NY Times, Tuesday, Feb 25), many of the broken promises of Mr. Bush, his
promise of $3.5 billion for "first responders," without a penny being yet seen, his promises of aid to Mexico (reforms to legalize status of
undocumented immigrants) and Afghanistan, etc. It is not curious that Turkey this week refused promises and wanted cash on the barrelhead
before agreeing to have our troops there. Now Mr. Bush is having a hard time convincing either Republics, economists or Mr. Greenspan that his
budget which omits any reference to the cost of the war or rebuilding in Iraq, is honest or worth anything. Our ever-deferential protective media
has said little up til recently that is critical of Mr. Bush.
Americans do not appreciate how the unfounded claims of the Bush team have discredited his foreign policy. Whatever the real merits of the case
against Iraq, again and again, the administration and even Colin Powell has cited evidence that turns out to be misleading or worthless: "garbage
after garbage after garbage,:" said one UN official.
Recently when browsing for something interested one night on TV, I happened on the excellent Watergate movie with Robert Redford, Jason
Robarts, etc. and reviewed the criminal conspiracies that existed in the highest levels of the Nixon administration, and how lucky these persistent
reporters were to have uncovered any of it.
In my personal opinion, when the true story of this administration is told, in the cynical abuse of its power and disregard for human liberties, the
"rat-fink" systematic betrayal of our constitution under Nixon will seem like a Keystone Cops comedy and merely measly "mice" compared to that of
the Bush Administration.
It is now a wake-up call for all true patriots to examine what is happening and to take a stand. Many of our liberties are being undermined. The rest
of the world now sees this better than we do at home. Shall we listen and learn, or remain comfortable and silent?
References:
"Threats, Promises and Lies" Paul Krugman, NT Times, Feb. 25.
"Our Way or the Highway," Albert Hunt in WSJ, Feb 27, p. A13.
Web: www.truthout.org