Staying the Course

I can only hope Bush finds the wisdom to stay the course in Iraq. I hope he doesn’t become scared politically by the impending elections. The media coverage shows purely awful things in Iraq. Suicide bombers, ambushes, and kidnapping made me start to think quite poorly of all Muslims. You start to question the invasion as it started to seem unappreciated. It would seem that most Iraqis couldn’t have cared less about being free. After a while you think they are all barbarians. I’ve recently started reading Iraqi’s blogs and it’s a good reminder of the real people that are being helped.

The media coverage has been pathetic in its attempt to subtly dissuade people that the war (and Bush) was wrong. I don’t understand how so many self proclaimed “liberals” could essentially support a ruthless dictator. I think it’s their hatred of GW Bush that makes them oppose anything and everything he does; even if that means supporting a ruthless dictator. If there is one thing that will help the Iraq effort, it will be the internet. The big media cannot prevent the real voices from being heard. Without it, and without pro-active democracy minded Iraqis, support for the cause would be greatly diminished.

What the Shiite is going on?

It looks as though the Mexican standoff in Najaf with evil cleric Al-Sadr has turned into a mutual retreat (see AP news link below). This leads me to ask the question, What the Shiite is going on?

The U.S.-run coalition will "honor and respect" a deal to remove Shiite militiamen and American soldiers from Najaf, an Iraqi official said Thursday, even though fine points of the agreement fall short of previous U.S. demands to end weeks of fighting. Members of Iraq (news - web sites)'s Governing Council traveled to Najaf to help nail down the agreement after radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr offered to withdraw his militia from Najaf and neighboring Kufa in return for a pullback of U.S. troops and suspension of a warrant charging him in the April 2003 murder of a moderate cleric.

Why are we negotiating with this terrorist? There has been too much sensitivity about “holy” cities and the ability of American troops to attack. The more politics are injected in quelling the rebellion, the more America will be hurt. All this goes to show the Arab world how easy it is to defeat American troops. Al-Sadr’s position should have been subject to a full assault. As the 2004 election approaches, I believe Bush worries more about the election and public perception to Iraq. If Al-Sadr is able to “go free,” he will come back to haunt us.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=514&e=2&u=/ap/20040527/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_26

Like Americans, Hate Bush

Like America/Americans, Hate Bush. This is the European attitude. Over here in Britain, I find almost all British are friendly people and like Americans. Everyone either liked their visit to America or wish to go soon. Many, however, do not like George Bush. The rest are otherwise ambivalent about him. I’ve met a lot of people who can’t wait to “discuss politics with an American.” “Why is Bush so stupid?” is a question I get asked often. Other times I am forced to explain that he is not retarded; he just has a Southern accent and speaks slower. Many can’t fathom how he could have possibly got elected or that 50 million people voted for him. They think that 48 million must regret their vote. The problem only gets worse if you go over to the continent.

Much of it is media driven. The BBC dominates the news with Channel 4 in lockstep. Bookstores are lined with liberal authors such as Michael Moore and Noam Chomsky, while you are hard-pressed to find one conservative book. The culture of Bush-hatred is enormous and dominating. Although there is a big like-Americans, hate Bush syndrome in Europe, they forget that Bush is America….or a big red part of it.

Moore Predicitions

Now, everyone is a blogger! I will begin the inaugural post with a rant on Michael Moore. Most people have a love/hate relationship with Michael Moore. You either love him or hate him. Personally, I think it’s shameful how he twists and distorts facts and presents it as truth. I might as well start off with a prediction. I predict failure for the Moore movie. It will not necessarily be a financial failure, but one of Moore’s aims is to bring down Bush. I don’t think it will have any impact on the course of the election. Of course, measuring the political result of this prediction will be difficult, although perhaps there will be a poll questioning the movie’s influence would suffice.

Before Bowling for Columbine, many people didn’t know a lot about Michael Moore. A movie was made about gun ownership and enough people saw it. According to Wikipedia, Bowling for Columbine grossed $21,575,207 in the US. Gun ownership is easy to attack, as many people mistakenly believe the media hype that more gun laws = less crime. So there is a lot of sympathy for gun control amongst average Americans. Since that movie and his Oscar win, everyone (who is cares about current events enough to vote), now knows where Michael Moore stands. However, while people are more sympathetic to gun control, many aren’t rabid America-haters and they know this film will be pure slander.

So all the Angry Leftists in America will line up to see the movie and confirm how right they’ve been about Bush. Everyone on the Right will refuse to see the movie. Only few in the middle may watch the movie to see “what all the hype is about.” Of those people, I think only a minority will be swayed as the majority will be sceptical of its vast claims.

While the movie won’t be a financial disaster, it will fail to carry the political impact that Moore is hoping for. Worldwide, the movie will do well, if not better. So, Moore will just be preaching to the choir and laughing all the way to the bank.