Let me add:
Yesterday’s strongly thematic address was indeed “the freedom speech.” Not only did the words “freedom, free, liberty” appear 49 times, but the president used the world-watched occasion to expound his basic reason for the war and his vision of America’s mission in the world.
Bush’s ‘Freedom Speech’, Safire, NYT, January 21, 2005
on a related note – spreading freedom (over mass graves)
[Afghan President Hamid] Karzai this week appointed a controversial commander, General Abdul Rashid Dostum, as chief of staff to the head of the country’s armed forces – a post held by Karzai himself. It is unclear how much authority Dostum will have in this new position, but the appointment is already being criticized by rights groups, which accuse Dostum of committing abuses.
…
Brad Adams, Asia director for Human Rights Watch, said that whatever Karzai’s reason, the appointment was a step backward. “General Dostum has a long record of violence,” Adams said. “He probably has presided over war crimes in the past, so his appointment is astonishing. Dostum is one of the main warlords in the county. He runs his section of the country with an iron fist, tolerates no opposition and has been involved in illegal activities for many years. So this may be some kind of tactical alliance with Karzai, but it’s a terrible decision.”
– asia times online
dostum & the suffocation deaths of those afghan detainees were the focus of this doc afghan massacre – the convoy of death
Posted by: b real | Mar 3 2005 22:17 utc | 2
Are you ready for total and perpetual war on this planet?
Well, here it comes.
The bill focuses on creating positions and offices in the State Department for democracy advancement, notably a senior Under Secretary for Global Affairs, who would be mandated to advocate democracy and fundamental freedoms around the world.
It would establish the Office of Democracy Movements and Transitions and separate Regional Democracy Hubs as contact points for democracy activists around the world.
The State Department is obliged to prepare an annual report on democracy along with an action democracy-promotion plan under the bill. US embassies are to be fashioned as “islands of Freedom”
So, let me see it right. They now plan to turn every friggin US embassy into a revolutionary HQ paying bazillions to dubious movements so that they would overthrow countless governments on this planet. If this shit passes, I wonder how many tens of embassies will be merely closed by the host countries. Screw that, even if I was a democratic govt allied with the US, I would cut all diplomatic ties with these idiots if this BS came to pass.
And this peak of diplomatic reasoning is brought to you by McCain/Lieberman. Gee, if I ever hear a fake liberal saying he would vote for McCain or Liberman as president, I’ll consider him as a complete moron for the next decade. These goons openly showed they’re just closet-neocons.
And people thought the Comintern was an Evil Commie-Jewish-Freemasonic plot to take over the free world?
Posted by: Clueless Joe | Mar 3 2005 22:35 utc | 3
Billmon is on fire these days.
Makes me think why he stopped blogging last Autumn….
Would you want to own a Presidency inherited from Dubya?
Posted by: Cloned Poster | Mar 3 2005 23:25 utc | 4
@ Cloned Poster: Yes, actually, I would. The first day after taking office, I would order all the SUV owners taken off to Gitmo (they would all fit, with time and effort and a great big crowbar), have the FBI round up and arrest rich tax evaders, have the big media company stockholders arrested for undermining the country, and if anyone on the right criticized me, I would give them a mad little grin and say “ah, but it’s you who gave me the powers to do this—I’m doing nothing Bush didn’t do already” before sending them off to conveniently disappear. Then, after putting numerous environmental and foreign policy changes into effect, I would have the extra authority taken away. (I’m sure that would be the easy part.)
The Republicans don’t realize what kind of can of worms they are opening, and don’t care because they can’t conceive that the worms will ever turn. I’m hoping they’re wrong.
Posted by: Blind Misery | Mar 4 2005 7:13 utc | 5
Dear Condi, — Lloyd Axworthy was Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs for five years (1995-2000). Now that he’s no longer in government, he doesn’t need to be so diplomatic. (via metafilter)
Posted by: Uncle $cam | Mar 4 2005 8:34 utc | 6
Another “Clueless” Post!! Thanks- I’d been waiting to post this til link up on site today, but it expands upon yr. link. This stuff is not unrelated to Syria, Iran, etc…..Heard exc. discussion by Prof. Hagopian yesterday on Pacifica RadioGo to Wed.,Mar.2 to hear her. She said underlying organization pushing this shit that’s not getting enough attention is 3rd incarnation of CPD(Committee on the Present Danger) being spearhead by Mike Ledeen (an overt fascist) & Lieberboy. Rove brought Ledeen to WH to advise him on Iran.
Posted by: jj | Mar 4 2005 9:45 utc | 7
Where the hell does Lieberman think he’s going with all this shit….thinking ole Zell’s going to kick off? Or is he just still pissed off at Gore? What could he be thinking?
Posted by: anna missed | Mar 4 2005 10:13 utc | 8
Anna: Dunno. They probably aim for a Lieberman/Miller 08 Democratic ticket. That one would be funny to watch.
Posted by: CluelessJoe | Mar 4 2005 10:33 utc | 9
This is why I must admit Milosevic was right in not wanting USA Army
(and all bloody agencies) to be able to do what they want on Serbian soil…That’s why Serbs DO NOT blame Milosevic for NOT wanting to sign Rambuie (?) agreement and why they suffered bombardment more gladly…
Thank you Milosevic!
Talking about Stalin and gulags?
Anybody but USA…
I hope Albanians on Kosovo are enjoying their “freedom” … I actually feel sorry for them.
Posted by: vbo | Mar 4 2005 14:35 utc | 10
Bush: “Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof …”
1) War against drugs: South America and domestic (prison industry; rationalised control)
2) War against terrorism: ME (…) and domestic (authoritarian jackboots)
3) War FOR freedom and democracy (rest of the world and not domestic – internally, ze jackboots are primed to pound..)
Just what the publicist ordered!
Yet, there is a feel of acceleration and urgency, a hint of uncontrolled venture into realms beyond the concrete, material (heroin, bombs, oil, business, dollars) towards abstract, moral or religious self-justification, which can be terribly violent in its expression. See, just one example:
What Did Mr. Bush’s 2nd Inaugural Address Really Mean? by K. Yurica
Yurica
Posted by: Blackie | Mar 4 2005 17:44 utc | 11
Uncle,
Axworthy’s letter is the most heartening thing I’ve read in a while. Thank you for the link.
Posted by: Citizen | Mar 4 2005 18:26 utc | 12
The inevitable effect of the torture is that the USA has forfeited any moral high ground.
We are people without a country, slaves of a killing machine, unless and until we take our country back. Will our efforts to do so be judged a conspiracy, illegal, by those who have usurped our country, our government? That is the most important question ahead.
Posted by: Gerald | Mar 4 2005 21:10 utc | 13
Citizen, if you liked that you’ll love this:
listen to Our Lloyd tell you about why he wrote The Letter.
For twenty-one long years, Lloyd Axworthy represented the people of Winnipeg South Centre from his seat in the Liberal parliamentary benches. And for many of those years, he was also Canada’s public face on the world stage — travelling the globe, bridging gaps, mending fences, consulting, comprimising and generally making the world as safe as he could for Canadian interests. And you have to believe that at least some of the time, being Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister meant holding his tongue when it came to our large, powerful neighbours to the south. Well, today, Mr. Axworthy stopped holding back.
He sent a very frank “Dear Condi” letter to the editor of the Winnipeg Free Press. And judging by the content, he’s got a lot to get off his chest: including opinions about missile defense, republican politics and religion.
We reached Lloyd Axworthy in Winnipeg.
Posted by: Uncle $cam | Mar 5 2005 1:35 utc | 14