Why did Bush use the phrase "valley of peace" at the end of the debate?

[Eric J in MN]

Bush: "We've done a lot of hard work together over the last three and a half years. We've been challenged and we've risen to those challenges. We've climbed the mighty mountain. I see the valley below, and it's a valley of peace. By being steadfast and resolute and strong, by keeping our word, by supporting our troops, we can achieve the peace we all want."

Is the phrase "valley of peace" a reference to something?

[Political_Junkie]

1. Yeah, the promised land.

He was speaking to the fundies.

[Eric J in MN]

Do fundamentalists use the phrase "vally of peace?" nt

nt

[rfranklin]

2. Geez, it's a cemetery in Najaf...

Into the Valley of Peace
By Daniel Smith

(Posted with permission from Foreign Policy in Focus)

It is called the Valley of Peace, the vast cemetery adjacent to the Imam Ali Shrine in the Shi'ite holy city of Najaf. For more than a thousand years, the faithful have been buried here to be close to the imam. This August, it is a Valley of Death for hundreds of Iraqi civilians, foreign soldiers as well as Iraqis fighting US Marines, army, Special Forces and Iraqi National Guard and police units.

www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/FH20Ak01.html

[Eric J in MN]

8. Is Bush looking forward to another bombing campaing in Najaf

which will fill the cemetery?

[Maple]

He tosses in Biblical phrases

only devout fundies would recognize.

It's kind of a code.

[Eric J in MN]

6. But the phrase "valley of peace" isn't in the bible, right? nt

nt

[Maple]

9. Valley and eventual peace

The last terrible battle called Amargeddon will be fought in the nation of Israel in the valley of Jezreel, which will be ended with the return of Jesus Christ.

"And the winepress was trampled outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress, up to the horses' bridles, for one thousand, six hundred furlongs," Revelation 14:20 says.

A furlong is an eighth of a mile, so 1,600 furlongs would be 200 miles. The whole nation of Israel is not much longer than 200 miles, so what Revelation is describing is a great battle with blood flowing from its victims for 200 miles up to the depth of a horses' bridle, or about four feet deep, stretching virtually the whole length of Israel.

Only after that great conflagration will peace finally come to the Mideast, and then and only then will Jew and Arab and all the rest of the nations of the world lay down their arms and war no more again.

[Eric J in MN]

15. So he's appealing to people earger for Armegeddon? nt

nt

[Maple]

18. Yes, they're called Dominionists

and they believe Bush was sent by God to bring about the Second Coming.

Please stop throwing up like that. :D

[smirkymonkey]

20. No, but I believe "the valley of death" is.

In Bushspeak, up is down, wrong is right, war is peace, life is death...probably some kind of code for the faithful.

[Toby109]

3. Its code for Falwell, Robertson

and the like.

[Xipe Totec]

4. Yes, an Islamic cemetery in Najaf

Valley of Peace is the largest Islamic cemetery, and one of the largest cemeteries in the world. Located in Najaf, Iraq.

Of course we see the Vally of Peace, George, you clueless bible thumping moron!


:nuke:

[PA Democrat]

13. Is this the "valley of peace" Bush was talking about?

Is his plan to flatten Najaf and Falluja and Sadr City, and every other place where insurgents gather?



Valley of Peace
Photograph by Matt Moyer, WorldPictureNews

Mourners file past tombs in the sprawling Valley of Peace cemetery in Najaf, one of the largest cemeteries in the world. Several million Shiites are buried here, a site considered auspicious because of its proximity to the tomb of Imam Ali, the revered seventh-century Shiite leader. Despite its deep religious significance, the Valley of Peace has not been immune from the country's political turmoil. During the 1980s underground crypts served as hiding places for Shiite men avoiding service in the Iran-Iraq war, and, in 1991 following the uprising, Saddam ordered parts of the cemetary bulldozed.

http://magma.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0406/feature1/zoom2.html

[Bronco69]

5. His handlers want him to be like Reagan so bad

they can't stand it. They've tried to make the public think his entire residency has been just like Reagan. I think the "valley of peace" comment was meant to be like Reagan's "shining city on a hill" schtick.

[Poiuyt]

21. I heard that too. It was meant to sound like Reagan

But it sounded totally out of place after he'd been squirming and stammering all night long.

[fairfaxvadem]

7. There's an old timey spiritual...

"There will be peace in the valley for me, some day..." Maybe, but that cemetary bit seems the more likely source.

It's actually quite a nice little tune.

But who knows how he culls together those wisps of thought.

[Eric J in MN]

12. That would make sense if they were alluding to that song (nt)

nt

[ldf]

28. an old timey spiritual

bingo. i sang that song many times while under the influence. luckily i recovered and and have been "sober" ever since.

anything that even sounds remotely "biblical" is code for the fundies to shake their heads at the awesome "christianness" of the bush baby, just further verification that he was put there by GAWD.

SAY hallelujah, and pass the collection plate.

:grr:

[dave123williams]

10. Naked appeal to his base...plain and simple.

[Ezlivin]

11. The voice in his earpiece told him to say it (N/T)

[speedoo]

14. That was bizarre.

I think it was meant to be the capstone for a succesful debate in which he reassured voters that he was doing everything right to protect us. Succeeding in the war on terra, prosecuting a necessary war in Iraq, locking up the evil Saddaam (who attacked us on 9/11, wink..wink) etc. etc.

Of course he failed utterly in the debate which made his closing statement not connect at all to the content of the debate.

[Must_B_Free]

16. It's from Psalm 23

"Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will not fear; Thou art with me."

In Bush's terms peace = death.

[Eric J in MN]

17. Did any pundits talk about the phrase "valley of peace?" nt

nt

[Rowdyboy]

19. I was brought up in the Methodist church in the south and I've never

heard anything about the "valley of peace"...I think he was just stringing words together out of desperation.

[Pepperbelly]

22. I thought that it was to creep ME out personally. It did. nt

[wrate]

25. The irony of it all

"Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will not fear; Thou art with me."

when it is exactly fear that has all this people believing in this stuff.

Fear is the mind killer. How true.

[Tigerlily]

23. Good question.

It was an odd thing to say at that particular moment, wasn't it.

[riverwalker]

24. sounds kinda Peggy Noonan-ish

"We've climbed the mighty mountain. I see the valley below, and it's a valley of peace."
(but when he said it during the debate, I thought WTF? Does he think he is Martin Luther King?)

[PretzelWarrior]

26. valley of shadow. valley of peace. same diff. you aren't conflicted

when separated from your earthly vessel.

I think the guy's speechwriter was stoned on weed while watching "I have a dream" when he came up with that gem.

[Cleita]

27. Why does Bush use any word or phrase?

Somebody told him to. He doesn't understand anything he says that is Presidential, so his delivery is really idiotic. I have noticed that some of the stuff he says is sort of Reaganesque, except he doesn't get the concept so he doesn't pull it off. Must be making ole Karen madder than a hatter.

[hatrack]

29. He wanted to say "valley of peas" but forgot he wasn't in Minnesota

Y'know, the Valley of the Jolly Green Giant and all the political clout those farmers wield . . .