The Blundering Bush

The terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centre and the wanton slaughter of 3,000 innocent people was the most heinous atrocity ever perpetrated against the United States. It was not simply the death and destruction visited upon an unsuspecting nation that made it so; but the grief and anguish caused to the families and friends of the victims, indeed the entire nation. And, because of the international flavour of the Trade Centre, the United States was joined in her mourning, and her resolve to avenge the innocents, by people around the world.

The invasion of Afghanistan was a reasoned, calculated response. Take away their sanctuary, tear down their training camps and leave them no place to hide; don’t wait for further provocations. And, the world recognized the need for a military response by the United States and her NATO allies and offered its support.

But, then came the Patriot Act, Guantanamo and the invasion of Iraq. And, support for the US cause dissipated like the morning dew. George Bush and his administration gave Osama Bin Laden exactly what he wanted.

For the purpose of those attacks on September 11, 2001, was not simply to kill Americans. Nor was it to destroy US symbols of financial or military might. The objectives of the terrorist mission were to create a climate of fear in the US; and, to provoke a massive retaliation, where use of US military power would be seen as an attack on Islam itself.

What the world suspected prior to the invasion of Iraq has been shown to be true. The rationale the Bush administration used to justify the invasion of Iraq was a lie. There were no weapons of mass destruction; there was no nuclear capability; there were no terrorists plotting attacks against the US.

Confidential documents recording conversations between Bush and the British Prime Minister, and a conversation between Bush and the President of Spain, have been made public. They demonstrate, quite clearly, the intent of George Bush to wage war against Iraq, even if he had to manufacture an incident.

And, with the invasion came the massive destruction of an Iraqi infrastructure, already severely damaged by years of US led economic sanctions, tens of thousands of civilian casualties and the internal conflict between opposing religious factions that threatens to engulf the country in a bloody civil war when occupying forces are withdrawn. Prior to the US invasion, there was no al Qaeda presence in Iraq; now, it flourishes.

Photos from Abu Gharib showing Iraqis being tortured, their religion and religious taboos being used to humiliate them, do nothing to alleviate the belief of many Iraqis that their country is being torn asunder, not because of anything they’ve done, not because of any “war of liberation”, but simply because they’re Muslim and Bush needed a scapegoat on which to vent his anger.

Iraq was not a necessary battle in the war on terror. In fact, it compromised the fight against terror. The blunders of the Bush administration have played into the hands of Osama Bin Laden and his terrorist goons. And the people of the United States are paying the price; in dollars and cents and in the lives of the young men and women serving in her armed forces.

And, judging from the polls, they know it.