WP: Analysts Note Gap Between Bush Rhetoric And Reality

[kskiska]

Close Ties With Repressive Governments Are Cited

President Bush's soaring rhetoric yesterday that the United States will promote the growth of democratic movements and institutions worldwide is at odds with the administration's increasingly close relations with repressive governments in every corner of the world.

Some of the administration's allies in the war against terrorism -- including Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Uzbekistan -- are ranked by the State Department as among the worst human rights abusers. The president has proudly proclaimed his friendship with Russian President Vladimir Putin while remaining largely silent about Putin's dismantling of democratic institutions in the past four years. The administration, eager to enlist China as an ally in the effort to restrain North Korea's nuclear ambitions, has played down human rights concerns there, as well.

(snip)

Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch, was struck by the fact that Bush mentioned "liberty" repeatedly but did not use the phrase "human rights" as an overriding goal.

"The decision to speak in terms of liberty instead of human rights was deliberate," Roth said. "Liberty is an abstract concept, but human rights bind everyone, including the Bush administration. It's easy to say I'm for liberty but difficult to say I'm for human rights when he's overseeing what we know is a conscious policy of coercive interrogation, including inhuman treatment and sometimes torture."

more…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A24581-2005Jan20.html

[NYC]

1. Right after the speech ended,

listeners in the U.K. were asking if "freedom" meant the prisoners in Guantanamo would be released.

[renaissanceguy]

18. HA!

Freedom means that you're free to become Repug American or die. That's the choice you have.

http://www.cafepress.com/liberalissues/479727

[diamond14]

2. "soaring rhetoric" is way too much of a stretch....

I can only assume those words were used sarcastically....


bush* FREEDOM SPEECH was the WORST SPEECH EVER for an inaugural address....:puke:

[renaissanceguy]

19. When has he ever stayed true to his word?

Oh that's right...when it makes no sense and the wingnuts and warhawks approve.


http://www.cafepress.com/liberalissues/479727

[Seldona]

3. "The enemy of my enemy'

is hardly a new concept. Stupid, but hardly new.

When are we going to learn?

[fshrink]

4. It's not a gap, it's an ocean and furthermore

we heard a fanatic idiot babbling in a novlang meticulously prompted by a team of reframing specialists. It's novlang. It does not matter if it has nothing to do with reality. It's even better if it doesn't. What we saw is the real-life expression of an orwellian novel. Or of a Terry Gilliam's movie.

[teryang]

27. exactly, the novlang of dictatorship

...crafted by marketing and public relations experts to disguise the truth.

[AuntiBush]

5. The Daily Show...

tonight, Stewart counted 27 times Chimp used the word "freedom" and 15 times "liberty."

Yeah, his rhetoric is soaring straight through to the sky with the worst ever popularity for 2nd term in eons!

[MnFats]

10. did you catch the Wal-Mart bit?

interviewing the CEO...concerning unpaid overtime.

CEO: "We want to pay our associates for every hour worked."

Stewart: "Wow. Work for us; we'll PAY you. Hey, work for Wal-Mart! It's better than a kick in the nuts!"

[JohnOneillsMemory]

6. It is called...lying....about killing...and stealing...and torturing.

I suspect it was strictly for domestic consumption and mostly for the kool-aid drinking 'faithful' so they will keep sending their kids into the military.

The repetition of the word 'freedom' is used for a kind of hypnosis.
'If he says it that often, there must be some freedom in there somewhere.'

It is Pavlovian. That's why we are imprinted by the Pledge of Allegiance as children. And red-white-and-blue everything to symbolize Virtue and Strength Saving the World.

By now, it only works on Repubs and fundies. But that's all they need.

[renaissanceguy]

20. It was used to reiterate a false justification for invading Iraq

and it will be his rhetoric for blowing up the rest of the world.

When will the U.N. subpoenia him?

http://www.cafepress.com/liberalissues/479727

[dusty64]

30. It ain't working

the young rightwingers are the new generation of chickenhawks. They love their "glorious leader" and his war but NEVER will go down to the military recruitment center. Thats for those "other people" you know.

[DUBYASCREWEDUS]

34. SUPPORT BUSH'S WAR

That's why my favorite new bumper sticker is:

"SUPPORT BUSH'S WAR, DRAFT YOUNG REPUBLICANS"

[TahitiNut]

37. Please! Get it right! It's "SUPPORT BUSH'S WARS"!

Not a single damned "objective" has been accomplished by either invasion.

[JohnOneillsMemory]

44. Two things accomplished: Emptying the budget and polarizing the masses.

They may be losing their wars for empire overseas but they are successfully eliminating all the 20th century accomplishments in domestic American domestic life to create a divided, confused, angst-ridden public to be exploited further.

And some silly people say the neo-cons are failing! eghhhh...

[TahitiNut]

45. There are two things I can take as givens.

(1) They really don't give a rat's ass about Smirk's 'popularity' as long as they can manufacture and manipulate the illusion of consent. He's expendable and they'd arrange his assassination if it became politically expedient.

(2) There's not a single grain of truth in the proclaimed (rhetorical) 'objectives' of any of their assaults on polity, justice, or human rights. None.

[napi21]

7. Hr really does want to be KING and rule the world!

I didn't listen to his speech today. I didn't want to ruin my day!!! But I couldn't excape the clips. Even Jon played some on the Daily Show!!! I'm convinced shrub really belives he is King of the US, and wants to take over the world so he can rule that too!

They're even talking about war with Iran, Syria, Jordan, and anywhere else that doesn't agree with King shrub aand his minions.

Scares the shit out of me for sure!

[Straight Shooter]

8. Perhaps bush fancies himself as Icarus, who boasted to fly to the sun.

May the gods of the Universe melt his wings of pride, so that he will plunge downward to the earth in a fall befitting his arrogance.

Keep reaching, bush, keep reaching, keep reaching, for you are about to learn the limits of your mortal grasp.

[Occulus]

14. Be careful with THAT hammer!

I mean, with the kind of fall this man will have- if it ever happens, which I'm beginning to doubt- will make "Deep Impact" look like a pebble into a puddle!

[jasop]

9. I hate to do this but.....

its quite scary how much similarity you can find between the Bush admin and their tactics and the Nazi propaganda machine...


http://www.calvin.edu/academic/cas/gpa/goebmain.htm

[Occulus]

15. That's what the comparisons are all about.

You'll see them, here and elsewhere, from time to time. They always get shouted down, for some reason, as if killing off Jews- to put it crudely- was the only thing he did. Personally, I think a comparisdon between * and the early Hitler (pre "final solution" days) are quite apt, not only when talking of the President but the overall social climate as well.

We're not there yet, quite... but we're working on it. :(

[jasop]

16. The inaugural farce today was ....

a repeat of Nazi Germany propaganda and even the easily forgotten Slovokia and how they are so much a mirror image of the nations who are part of the "coalition" of the bribed or pressured.

[renaissanceguy]

21. The neocons' actions have supremacist undertones.

Notice how America "supposedly" has no problems with liberty and freedom, yet any non-Christian nation should be bombed?

http://www.cafepress.com/liberalissues/479727

[lawladyprof]

39. I call it America--flirting with fascism--eom

N/T

[Enraged_Ape]

25. The comparison is quite apt and can't be stated enough

I posted a "Nazi timeline" a while back, going from the beer hall putsch up to the liberation of the death camps, and year-for-year it mirrored what is going on in this country at this time. People tend to forget (or don't know) that Hitler and the Nazis rose to power long before the death camps or institutionalized killing of Jews were in place.

Actually, the more I hear people protest the comparison of the neocons and the Nazis, the more I wonder whether those have some sort of stake in denying what appears to me to be so obvious.

[MHalblaub]

42. Do you want total freedom? -nt-

[leesa]

41. They are operating from the same play book. How many times have you heard

rabid right wingers say "Hitler had it right. He just went too far"

Although I doubt they think he went too far, I think they just regret he was caught and stopped.

[LynnTheDem]

11. TORTURE - R- US(A)

bush can say anything he likes. The world knows the reality, regardless what bullshit bush spews;

America tortures people. It's bushCartel policy.

[daleo]

12. Plus, the U.S. government supports torture now, both at home and away

So, the idea that Bush is concerned about human rights is black comedy.

[renaissanceguy]

23. It's a nice mask.

But liberals are too smart to fall for it. Fundies want every Muslim to die (just ask them, they'll tell you that), so they have no problem with our bombing there. Warhawks and corpratists will twist the facts to their best interests.


http://www.cafepress.com/liberalissues/479727

[Cats Against Frist]

13. While, I am wholeheartedly in favor of this article

I am dismayed by two things:

Why is this "news?" It's like "no shit, sherlock." This is something that everyone who's ever taken an elementary course in or read a few books on foreign policy. Who is this article geared to?

and

You have to ask yourself: WHY THE HELL WAS AN ARTICLE ABOUT HOW WE CROWNED A TWO-FACED, MURDERING HYPOCRITE on page "A 25?"

Now that's fucked up. There are about 60 million idiots in this country that NEED this information right away.

[renaissanceguy]

22. I have a problem with the article

When it comes from a liberal perspective, it's always "THEY think this........" but when it's a right-wing perspective, it's stated as fact and has praising undertones.
http://www.cafepress.com/liberalissues/479727

[UL_Approved]

24. Its news to some people

The fact is that many people still don't get the grasp that Bush has over the media, over religion, and over our society. They either think of him as a bumbling idiot, or as a guy that is somehow helping them out.

And as for the burying of the article, this shows the disparity between editors and the writers of articles. Remember, journalists collect facts in a coherent, poignant manner to illustrate a point. Editors make news.

[teryang]

28. It's really not Bush's grasp, it's the corporate plutocrats,

their loyal servants, and dupes.

[UL_Approved]

29. And Bush is the figurehead, I know

Bush has his hand on the power to give our country to these people. That is where he fits into the picture. And all of his staff fork out the papers for him to sign so that this comes to fruition.

[Southpaw Bookworm]

38. Answer to B

The article was printed in a special Inaugural section that pagewise was considered part of the A section. So, this was probably on the second or third page of the special section, judging by the pages that today's editorials were located.

[peterh]

17. Who cares what the analysts note….

The twits rhetoric wasn’t intended for them, it was intended for the mass of idiots that don’t read or listen to those with a critical eye….the same ones that still think Iraq was an immediate threat….the same ones that still think there was a link between Saddam and all the boogiemen in the world….

Heck, there’s been one constant gap since this fork-tongue critter slithered into the WH, yet he’s been allowed to get away with it….it’s FUBAR….

[EFerrari]

26. Freedom replaces Terror

What kind of an analyst takes FOUR YEARS to notice the abstract repetitive doublespeak these people use?

And I notice that "freedom" has replaced "terror" as the two syllable repetition of choice.

[Dhalgren]

31. Right!

It's like they have worn out the term "terror". It has run its course and can't be as effective a control mantra any more. So, trot out the old tried and true "freedom". See how that floats over the next few months...

[Mandate My Ass]

32. Time to purge the State Dept.

Can't have them going around dissing the coalition of the willing. The term "human rights" will now be reviled in the same manner as "liberalism" and "socialism" and other concepts they can't compete with so they must destroy.

[robbedvoter]

33. Ny Daily news cover captures the threat:

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

36. I thought this Newsday cover was bizzare...

If he really attacks tyrants, that would be wavering, no?

[greyXstar]

35. He basically admitted to wanting more wars!

All that was missing from that speech was a little mustache and a "Zieg Hiel!". Dark days are indeed ahead friends.

And in case anyone missed it, The Dick admitted Iran was next on the list. Sneers all around.

[leesa]

40. Very astute! These guys don't get paid for this, do they?

[MHalblaub]

43. He exchanges terror with tyranny.

Further on he said that war on tyranny would have to last for generations.

So then the war in Afghanistan was on terror the war in Iraq was on tyranny. So you can tell how long the war in Iraq will go on.

[mutus_frutex]

46. "Analysts Note Gap Between Condi's Front Teeth" nt

[JAbuchan08]

47. One thing that I have yet to see mentioned here is the

way the bible talks about freedom. The Bible guides George's entire life, right? So it only makes sense the context in which George understands "freedom" is the context of the bible. While I don't remember the exact wording I do know that no man can be free unless he devotes his entire life and being to God. People who don't worship God are "slaves."
So when you think about George Bush's concept of "freedom," think about that.

[obiwan]

48. Whatever psychotropic drug W is taking, I want some.

His world seems a lot rosier than the real one I'm living in.