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BUZZFLASH READER COMMENTARY
by Steven Day
"I have loved war too much. Do not imitate me in that. . ."
(King Louis XIV speaking from his
death bed to his heir)
Perhaps the whole contentious debate over Iraq should ultimately be decided on the basis of just one question: Should we trust the issue of war and peace to a president who so clearly loves the idea of going to war?
George W. Bush's love affair with the notion of warfare against Iraq isn't hard to detect. All of the classic love signs are present. Look closely at his demeanor as he discusses the subject. You will quickly notice a certain spark in the eyes, a cocky tilt of the head and a breathless quality to the voice. Then it will hit you: Bush is acting just like a love-struck teenage boy who expects to "get lucky" for the first time on his next date. He is almost exploding with anticipation.
Not convinced? Then consider this: One common malady often associated with an intense love interest is the inability to keep one's mind focused on anything other than the object of your affections. This is certainly true with Bush, especially in the sphere of foreign policy. The Israeli-Palestinian crisis? "No big deal." The whole world hates our guts? "Hey, fu-k ‘em if they can’t take a joke." Osama bin Laden is still on the loose? "Bin who?" Then, of course, we have the administration’s bumbling response to the North Korean crisis:
Colin Powell: "Mr. President, we need to talk about what diplomatic steps should be taken to defuse the crisis with North Korea?"
George W. Bush: "Saddam Hussein is a butcher who has used chemical weapons against his own people. Screw diplomacy. We’re going to kick his butt."
Colin Powell: "No, Mr. President, I’m talking about North Korea."
George W. Bush: "Huh?"
Colin Powell: "North Korea, Mr. President."
George W. Bush: "Don’t be silly, Colin, we can’t invade North Korea. They can shoot back. Besides, there’s no oil there."
Need more proof? Well, one surefire way to know whether a man’s been smitten by the love bug is to see whether he gets angry when his love interest is insulted in some way. In the case of Bush, you can almost see the steam rising from his head anytime someone questions the wisdom of his beloved war. Look at the tenor of his interactions with the UN inspection team:
"The Nukes Are Falling! The Nukes Are Falling!" cries Chickenhawk Little (Bush).
"Show Us The Proof! Show Us The Proof!" cry back the UN weapons inspectors.
"Kiss My Ass! Kiss My Ass!" replies Chickenhawk Little.
It’s love, you see, and to Bush’s adoring eyes the case for war against Iraq couldn’t be clearer. How dare the UN inspectors question the pure beauty of his beloved? Love doesn’t tolerate such insults. As they say in the song:
"When
a man loves a woman
Can't keep his mind on nothin' else
He'd trade the world
For a good thing he's found
If she is bad, he can't see it
She can do no wrong
Turn his back on his best friend
If he puts her down"
(When a Man Loves a Woman
Performed by Percy Sledge)
There remains one final sign that Bush is in love. Lovers tend to be reckless. No risk is too great to take, no cost too high to be borne, in the pursuit of true love. Not only is Bush undeterred by the extraordinary risks posed by an invasion of Iraq, he seems utterly disinterested in them:
Stated Risk: Islamic rage may cause increased terrorism?
GWB Response: "God, what a bunch of worry-warts."Stated Risk: Ten million Iraqi civilians will be left in urgent need of humanitarian assistance, including more than two million refugees?
GWB Response: "Hey, life sucks, then you die."Stated Risk: The whole Mideast could get dragged into the conflict?
GWB Response: "The more the merrier."Stated Risk: Occupation will cause a huge financial burden on the U.S.?
GWB Response "No problem, we’ll just steal their oil to pay for it."
There’s no doubt about it. George W. Bush is in love. The only question is how many people will have to die because of it.
BUZZFLASH READER COMMENTARY
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