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Showdown Iraq is "Heads I Win, Tails You Lose" Scam
BUZZFLASH
READER COMMENTARY
by Bob Gaiek
Dear Buzzflash,
About 50 years ago -- when I was gullible and easily distracted and intimidated -- the school bully coerced me into a no-win bet. While the coin tumbled in the air, I began to fish out my $.25 lunch money stash -- wondering if being scammed was a less painful option than a beating.
In a free society one should have more options. Today, the coin slowly tumbling in the air has Iraq on one side and Saddam Hussein on the other. Little Caesar is the bully and the American people have been suffering from mass hysteria and attention deficit disorder--a condition fed and fertilized by the Bush Cartel and the corporate media.
When he was still riding high in the polls, Little Caesar was fond of leaning toward his adoring flock and remarking--with a "what, me worry?" smirk--"I hit the trifecta." His handlers finally convinced him that war, recession and a national emergency were not funny and the remark was a just plain stupid attempt to avoid responsibility for the growing budget deficit. Just blame Clinton for all of it.
It was time for a new betting scheme.
Late last year, Andrew Card warned that "you don't market a new product in August." The new product was waging war on Iraq. The decision to do so had already been made as part of a strategy code named "Perpetual War for Perpetual Peace," the title of a Gore Vidal book published after 9/11/01 -- the event that placed a megaphone in the hands of the Bully now in the Pulpit. (Someone should steal it and give it back to retired firefighter Bob Beckwith)
August was set aside for clearing brush at the ranch and entertaining a few close friends, like Prince Bandar of Saudi Arabia -- the travel agency for 15 of the 19 suicide bombers, who were warming up the previous August while Little Caesar snoozed. It was also time to rest up for the grueling campaign trail to "gain a mandate" and complete the coup d'etat.
The airwaves were already polluted with "war talk" and the NY Times was featuring -- on it's front and Op/Ed pages -- friends of Poppy who advanced the debate to a squabble about the role of the UN. Heads we do, tails we don't. Some choice for distracted voters.
This provided endless fodder for cable news, while Rummy and Little Caesar coyly responded that the media was over reacting and no decision for "regime change" had been made.
Senate Democrats could not get any air time for fear they would talk about the lousy economy and screw up the rigged elections. Besides, it would be "unpatriotic" to dispute the Bully-in-Charge, who was doing a great job in the war on TERROR. So, the senate vote was 77-23 for the Iraq Resolution. Not even Robert C. Byrd could stop the stampede home to count the coins in the election campaign treasure chests.
After the SOTU speech, a CBS poll revealed that 77% of Americans now believed that the Hitler-lite statements made a convincing case for war against Iraq. 94% of Republicans were sold, according to the poll.
The coin used in the new betting scheme is designed to achieve the objective of keeping Little Caesar in office after 2004, whichever way it lands.
A head means "I get to start the war as soon as the cruise missiles are warmed up." A tail means "I have to let the inspectors play a little longer, but I can always rely on the media to keep the sheep distracted while I dismantle the Constitution under the radar."
"A delay will also give Colin more time to strongarm those euro guys into MY coalition. (Poppy will be so proud of me.)"
The bottom line is that the Bush Cartel is determined to capitalize on the misery of others, even if the coin lands on its edge. Should the inspections drag on, no one can blame a guy for giving peace a chance. The tease that Hussein will "disappear" is just another ploy to keep people distracted. Americans always support their leader at the start of a war. U.S. troops are poised for a classic pincerlike attack to be unleashed as soon as Rummy yells "ready, aim, fire" -- ready to occupy, just like the good old days in WW II when Poppy was a warrior. Bush's Brain is already working on the post-Iraq strategy to keep those poll numbers high and the sheep happy.
If things go apocalyptic, just blame Providence.
Right now the coin is still tumbling in slow motion, with NFL Films special effects added, waiting for a brave man with a brave voice to reach out and grab the damn thing. The reader can find one brave voice in Geov Parrish's masterpiece, "Divine Bullying." Click on the Buzzflash link to this story, at least to scroll to the bottom to the "Reclaim History" notes. Find out what took place on Jan. 30,1933.
Thirty-three years ago I allowed a president from Texas to waltz me into a war. After enjoying 15 months of combat in the central highlands of South Vietnam, I decided to never dance again, no matter what tune was playing -- especially when the pied piper is the "worst president in all of history."
A recent quote from Jacques Chirac was "War is an admission of defeat," a different world view from the spin that "war is the last option." I am patriotic to the bone and have no qualms about agreeing with "old Europe" or Nelson Mandela.
Bob Gaiek, Atlanta
BUZZFLASH READER COMMENTARY
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