| Jim Austin's Vermonter at Large |
 Jim Austin  His previous columns are archived HERE. |
Posted 07.06.04 Let freedom rain
So George Dubya is sitting in a meeting in Istanbul last Monday when he gets a note from Condi Rice that says "Iraq is sovereign.". This note was referring to the transfer of power from the United States of America to our brand new hand-picked Iraqi leadership.
Dubya scribbled a phrase on the note, "Let Freedom Reign!" and then shook hands with Tony Blair, his only real ally. I have seen this little farce several times on the tube. The note was even featured on the front page of the NY Times.
Did it seem a little staged to you? Didn't it have a little "Give me Liberty or give me death" quality about it?
OK, here's why it could not have happened: First, there is no way in the world that a C-student from Crawford ,Texas, could extemporaneously come up with the phrase "Let Freedom Reign!" Even if he could there is no way George could spell reign. Or know what "sovereign" means for that matter.
Had this note been handed to George without the rehearsal here is what he might have said:
If Cheney had received the note he might have said "about f***ing time". Big Dick has been a very nasty VP lately. In case you missed it, he told our own distinguished Senator Patrick Leahy to "go*** yourself."
In addition to being anatomically very difficult for a man Senator Leahy's age, this remark is seldom uttered in the Senate -- if thought about almost constantly. High marks for Dick in saying what is on his mind. Higher marks yet if he had said this to a Senator from a swing state.
While it may be unseemly for the man who is a heart attack away from the Presidency to be using such salty language, you have to admit he has cause. Leahy, after all, was questioning the no-bid contracts that Cheney had finagled for his old company Halliburton. The more probing and prodding at that rat's nest of corruption, the naughtier old Dick's language is likely to become.
I may be anti-Bush in most of my writings but I am sick of hearing about the Bush reaction to news of the World Trade Center disaster.
Apparently, Bush was reading a book called "My Pet Goat" to a bunch of kindergarten students when the first plane hit the tower. Instead of rushing back to Washington to deal with the single most horrific cataclysm on American soil in history, he stayed and read on to the kiddies for another seven minutes. The media has been pretty merciless about that.
But honestly, haven't you ever gotten into a really good book to the point where you just had to know how it turned out? Incidentally, the book was not about the resignation of CIA director George Tenet.
And another thing…
Our lapdog Senate just voted to maintain the cone of silence that the Chicken Hawks have installed over the coffins containing dead soldiers killed in Iraq. They claim they are doing this to preserve the "privacy" desired by the families.
Didn't we just spend a week of "Spin one for the Gipper" media bombardment over the passing of the Ronnie Reagan, GOP conquering hero of Grenada and arms dealer to Iran? The Bush brigade didn't seem too concerned over his family's privacy.
I should think that a soldier who gives his or her life for their country could do with a few honors thrown their way including a photo in the hometown paper of their flag-draped coffin.
But wait, could it be that the Bush administration thinks that week after week of pictures of the dead might be harmful to their election chances? Would they ever be so cynical? The Senate must think not.
Hang on, don't they have to be elected too? I think I'm seeing a pattern here.
Finally, go see Fahrenheit 9/11. Take a Republican with you. Tell them you are going to see "Finding Nemo." By the time they figure out the ruse (if they do) you might have a Bernie Sanders supporter. |