Swept under the carpet

Bush and Blair Concede Errors, but Defend War
by David E. Sanger and Jim Rutenberg
May 26, 2006
NY Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/26/world/middleeast/26prexy.html


WASHINGTON, May 25 — President Bush and Prime Minister Tony Blair of Britain, two leaders badly weakened by the continuing violence in Iraq, acknowledged major misjudgments in the execution of the Iraq war on Thursday night even while insisting that the election of a constitutional government in Baghdad justified their decision to go to war three years ago.

Speaking in subdued, almost chastened, tones at a joint news conference in the East Room, the two leaders steadfastly refused to talk about a schedule for pulling troops out of Iraq — a pressure both men are feeling intently. They stuck to a common formulation that they would pull troops out only as properly trained Iraqi troops progressively took control over more and more territory in the country.

But in an unusual admission of a personal mistake, Mr. Bush said he regretted challenging insurgents in Iraq to "bring it on" in 2003, and said the same about his statement that he wanted Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." ….

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How do you sweep tens of thousands of dead people under the carpet? This is what bush, blair, and the NY Times appear to be attempting. Nowhere in this article is mention of the tens of thousands, likely well over 100,000, Iraqis who have died as a direct result of the invasion of Iraq by bush and his legions. I guess, like that asshole tommy franks says “We don’t do body counts.”

bush and blair, what a pair. And the fucking Times ain’t much better. Neither are the times we live in for that matter. Here’s the two men responsible for the first big war crime of the 21st century, and this article treats them with respect and sympathy. “Chastened” my ass. In the first paragraph, the new reason for the war was to elect a constitutional government. Iraq already had a constitution. yeah, sure Saddam didn’t exactly pay attention to it, but then again, neither does bush.

“A chastened bush admits mistake”.

This war, this crime, is so obscene and devastating for the Iraqi people. Besides the horrific human cost, the destruction of the infrastructure, and the poisoning of their environment, and our armed forces, with their DU ammunition, bush and blair continue to demean them by refusing to acknowledge the cost of this war for them.

There is no ‘chastening’ here. Everything they said was carefully ‘vetted’ for political impact. These two men are still just as arrogant and unfeeling as they have been through this whole affair.