Now I Really Am In Shock and Awe

I am not sure how many of you diarylanders watched Bush's speech last night. I opted to listen to Mike Malloy instead. However, if you are interested in seeing it, you can visit the White House site to view the video and/or read the transcript. As for me, I prefer to read the transcript because I just cannot stomach listening to Bush's voice anymore. One thing I did notice on the White House site was the following photo-op:

Does anyone besides me see something very wrong with this picture? Here we have the resident in the White House wearing a flight pilot's uniform. This is the same man who signed up for a tour of duty in the Texas National Guard during the Vietnam conflict and then deserted his position! How dare he wear the uniform of respectable pilots! Just who the hell is he trying to fool anyway? Oh yes, that's right, the SHEEPLE!

Molly Ivins wrote a really good op-ed on that very topic: fooling the sheeple. You can read her commentary here. She makes a really good point: Maybe the American people can be brainwashed into forgetting why we supposedly went to war. Near as I can tell, our national memory span is down to about two weeks, and the media have been spectacularly unskeptical on this issue. But the rest of the world is not going to forget that WMDs were our primary reason for an unprovoked, pre-emptive war.

Of course, the above photo wasn't the only thing to put me into "shock and awe" this morning. Bush's speech sealed that deal for me. First, I am shocked that anyone, especially our military, embraces this man, especially because of his desertion during Vietnam. Second, I am in shock that people actually believe the obvious bullshit coming out of his mouth over the "victory" in Iraq. And finally, I am in total awe that no one is even attempting to question any of the fallible information presented in his speech. Why awe? Because I am coming to the realization that Karl Rove and his speech writing staff must be the biggest bullshit artists that have ever lived! Here are some of the highlights from Bush's speech, followed by my comments:

When Iraqi civilians looked into the faces of our servicemen and women, they saw strength and kindness and goodwill.

Are these the same Iraqi civilians, Mr. Bush, who are protesting in the streets and screaming at our military to get the fuck out of their country? Are these the same Iraqi civilians who have witnessed their homes being blown up, their children dying, or family members blown to bits? Are these the same Iraqi civilians who have been murdered for protesting in the streets? Or throwing stones at our military? Just who are these exuberant Iraqi civilians, Mr. Bush? Have you been watching the same war I have been watching, Mr. Bush? I think not!

Today, we have the greater power to free a nation by breaking a dangerous and aggressive regime. With new tactics and precision weapons, we can achieve military objectives without directing violence against civilians. No device of man can remove the tragedy from war; yet it is a great moral advance when the guilty have far more to fear from war than the innocent.

What? What about those 2000+ dead Iraqi civilians, Mr. Bush? What about those murdered protestors, Mr. Bush? How in the hell can you honestly believe that there was no violence directed at the Iraqi civilians? And do not give me that newspeak of "collateral damage." Human lives are *not* collateral damage!

In the images of celebrating Iraqis, we have also seen the ageless appeal of human freedom.

Oh yes, Mr. Bush, we know all about those creatively crafted photo-ops of cheering Iraqis, most of which were staged for the sheeple back home in America. Even the topple of Saddam's statue was staged. Wide-angle images of that whole celebration proved that there were less than 200 people in the city square and they were all surrounded by tanks preventing anyone else in or out of the circle.

And we will stand with the new leaders of Iraq as they establish a government of, by, and for the Iraqi people.

And yet, Mr. Bush, the Iraqi people are calling for an Islamic-based government. They do not want our democratic principles. They do not want our "christianized" government. They want to be governed by the laws of their religion. But you won't let that happen, will you, Mr. Bush?

In the battle of Afghanistan, we destroyed the Taliban, many terrorists, and the camps where they trained.

Excuse me? We destroyed the Taliban? Is that why they are regrouping and once again killing our men and women in uniform? Mr. Bush, you seriously need to take a reality pill!

We've removed an ally of al Qaeda (referring to the toppling of Saddam)

What? Saddam was never an ally of al Qaeda. In fact, he spoke out against them many times because Saddam didn't believe in fundamentalist Islam. Saddam was a secular Muslim. Even bin Laden hated Saddam for being secular. This is just more of your bullshit newspeak to the blindly believing Sheeple of the USA!

Okay, I cannot stomach anymore of that speech and my outrage is only surmounting. So I will leave you all with what I have written here. I urge you to read Bush's speech, do some research on the things I have mentioned, and then draw your own conclusions. ~Ravyne~