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When a Quote Does Not Mirror One’s Actions, Mr. Bush

A BUZZFLASH READER COMMENTARY
by Mary MacElveen

This morning while checking my emails, I came across the quote below in my NY Times email newsletter that I receive every day. Frankly, I was stunned after reading it. Because what President [sic] Bush stated does not mirror the actions he took concerning Iraq.

"From the outset, I have expressed confidence in the ability of the Iraqi people to govern themselves. Now they must rise to the responsibilities of a free people, and secure the blessings of their own liberty." PRESIDENT BUSH

Careful, Mr. President [sic] in what you say when you stated your confidence in the Iraqi people to govern themselves. You might not like the new and future government that will rise to power especially after you bombed her people back to the Stone Age. My question to you, Mr. President [sic] is this; how can they govern themselves when we have a team over there headed by Paul Bremer who has not been successful in helping the confidence of the Iraqi people. In order to build this confidence, one must show them how to restore to their country’s electricity to meet their needs and restore basic water supply systems. How much confidence should they have, when under your watch your fellow Americans suffered a blackout where our own electrical infrastructure is now being questioned? Also, how are these people supposed to gain any confidence when we are now their governing body? A governing body does not use its military might to slaughter their citizens. That does not build confidence, but instills tyrannical rule. It says, either you do things our way or we shall continue these actions until you comply with our demands. And speaking of confidence in governing themselves, just what form of government will you give you the signal that your job is done and we can then pull our forces out? Will it be one where they instill a self-determining body or one that is only friendly to the American way of life? Will it be when this new Iraqi government will meet with our demands and give us her oil?

I know that I am asking you many questions, Mr. President [sic] where you do not like to answer any. Your lack of press conferences proves this fact or when you hand pick those who get to ask you questions. These alleged news conferences do nothing to help us understand the actions of our government.

Now you state where it is their responsibility as a free people to secure the blessings of their own liberty. Help me understand this, Mr. President [sic], since I am having a problem wrapping my brain around this part of the quote. Yes, there are actually people out here across America who do have brains and do think for ourselves.

You had the responsibility to level with the American people by not using lies to take away the Iraqi people’s own liberties. So, the onus is on you, Mr. President [sic] and not the Iraqi people. Just how can a citizenry in any part of this planet be free when they are being bombed? As we approach September 11th, many of us felt our very freedoms being threatened when those planes came smashing into the World Trade Centers, the Pentagon and that field in Pennsylvania. Remember when you stated, “They hate us for our freedoms”, Mr. President [sic]? Well on that day, many around this country did not feel free, we felt terrorized. Imagine how the Iraqi people must feel after months of attacks upon them and not only one day. Do they see this as their blessing? Do they see these actions as preserving their liberties? In my opinion, if I were an Iraqi citizen, I would see it as a curse as well as tyranny. I might not have liked my former president Saddam Hussein, but you subverted my responsibility to get rid of that tyrant. You took away my right of self-determination.

Now we hear that you want $87 billion more to do more of the same. Excuse me, Mr. President [sic] did you read where we are already running a $455 billion dollar deficit and climbing? Or did that little fact escape you as did the false Iraq/Niger connection that made it into your State of the Union Address? Do the American people just whip out their Visas or Master Cards to pay for this? Please remember we have to put it on our national credit cards because our national check would bounce. Do we forget about so many other things that are in need of your attention back here in the good old U.S. of A.? Is this the type of government you want for Iraq? Most likely the answer is yes. If the Iraqi citizens follow our present day role model, they are in serious trouble and will be for quite sometime.

You stated in your speech, “that it will take time and require sacrifice”, well we have given you enough time and we have already sacrificed too much. Funny, we do not see you sacrificing your time to handle our issues. Not when you are consistently on the campaign trail raising millions of dollars for your 2004 presidential campaign. The last report I read is where you have raised over $200 million for you and the GOP. How about you sacrifice those funds in order to pay for this, Mr. President [sic]? No that would be asking too much from you. You said this was a struggle. You have no idea what that term actually means. I would cite chapter and verse exactly with the way many Americans are struggling or the way Iraqi citizens have struggled and continue to do so. The same can be said for the Afghani citizens. You do remember them, don’t you? You abandoned that bombed out country in order to focus your sights on Iraq. You left that country devastated. You did not send over a team to help them get back on their feet. You installed a president for them, but that is pretty much all that you did. Over a year ago, President Karzai while under U.S. protection was almost assassinated. Did you forget that little detail? Who is to say the same thing will not happen to a future president of Iraq?

Also, in Sunday’s speech, you urged other nations to contribute to this effort. Why should they cooperate when you saw fit not to seek their cooperation in this action? You summarily dismissed what they had to say and decided to go it alone. You lied to them, lied to us and lied to congress. So, why should anyone help out a liar?

You saw fit to blame the continuing violence on Saddam Hussein and his loyalists, yet many like me remember your reprehensible statement “Bring ‘em On!” So, who is the instigator now, Mr. President [sic]? How long will military families struggle when you have painted a bulls eye their loved ones back?

When I heard and read this quote, "We are fighting that enemy in Iraq and Afghanistan today, so that we do not meet him again on our own streets, in our own cities" I am left to wonder could this be construed as another taunting made by, you? I say that, because that is the lack of faith that I have in your leadership abilities as the leader of the free world. And to say that prior to September 11th, which is the second anniversary of the attacks that befell us, gives me the right to question your leadership and your statement.

It is my hope that the American people can re-word your quote next year where our collective message to, you is, “We must have confidence to govern ourselves, where we shall take on the responsibility to free our own people, where we shall secure our own freedoms and once again restore our liberties.”

A BUZZFLASH READER COMMENTARY