Beyond hubris

“President Bush said that the public’s decision to reelect him was a ratification of his approach toward Iraq and that there was no reason to hold any administration officials accountable for mistakes or misjudgments in prewar planning or managing the violent aftermath.
“We had an accountability moment, and that’s called the 2004 elections.”
Taken from Smirking Chimp, January 16, 2005.

This is an absolutely fascinating statement, if for no other reason that it makes hubris merely inconsequential. First, he seems to think he was actually elected in the first place which, of course, he wasn’t. Then it assumes that he was elected fairly in 2004 which is highly doubtful. It also assumes that he was elected solely on the basis of his management of the “war” in Iraq, which is at best a gross oversimplification. Finally, true to form for Bush, he denies that any mistakes were made at any level of his Administration, which is not only a complete denial of reality but, indeed, an indication that he has long since totally left the realm of reality. I guess that is what happens when you are completely surrounded by yes-men and toadies.

He goes on to say that he has no timetable for withdrawing troops from Iraq and refuses to agree to Powell’s recent statement to that effect. I take this to mean the neocons have not given up their dream of empire and intend to maintain their permanent bases in Iraq as long as necessary (until they have managed to steal all the oil and whatever else they wish). In effect this will make Iraq a 51st state or at least a United States’ protectorate. This will certify the U.S. as an occupying power similar to Israel and doom us to never ending terrorist attacks, profitable for Bush and his cronies but disastrous for us and everyone else in the Middle East.

He also said he will not increase the size of the National Guard and Army. He is apparently totally unaware of the fact they are spread too thin and suffering badly from it. Or, if he is aware of it, he doesn’t care. Or if he is aware and does care he knows he probably can’t do anything about it short of causing a revolution. In this case he’s damned if he does, and damned if he doesn’t, a situation of his own making.

And of course he reiterated his claim that he would not cut benefits for Social Security recipients even though he has never stated how on earth he would pay for his grand designs on that marvelous and successful program.

What does one conclude from this? Bush is an absolute fool being manipulated by the most evil cabal ever assembled, a puppet who has come to believe he is in fact somehow doing God’s will. Democrats in the House and Senate also apparently believe it as they do little or nothing to stop this doomsday scenario. Heil Bush! Heil Cheney! Heil Fascism. Let us all salute the coming coronation and hope that somehow, someday, someway, something will eventually trickle down to us before we end up in the concentration camps. And don’t try to tell me that Bush is a “good man” or “compassionate.” He is demonstrably neither.

The sadness that tears my heart
stems not from the said,
but from what was left unsaid.
The icy silence
lays bare your heart of stone.