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Politics and History
Apr. 15th, 2004 08:35 amThis morning's Post had an op-ed piece that compared President Bush to President Wilson. Unfortunately, it didn't bring up the one thing that's been screaming in the back of my mind for ages. Nobody has that I know of, so I'm bringing it up myself.
At the end of WWI, President Wilson insisted that a democratic government be installed in Germany. That democracy was to be a shining beacon to a society that had been stifled by the repressive Kaiser.
At least, that was the theory.
In practice, the German people considered the interim government a stooge and a setup, and blamed it for every humiliation and privation of the post-war era. That environment of anger and blame made it very easy for a painter named Hitler to ride anti-government rhetoric right to the top of another regime change.
Two days ago, President Bush insisted that installing a democratic government in Iraq will be a shining beacon to the whole Middle East, rejuvenating a society that has been stifled by repressive leaders, namely Saddam.
At least, that's the theory.
In practice, nobody knows who will be in this government that will rise and take the reigns in slightly under three months. In the meantime, there is still plenty of unrest and humiliations and privations going on over there, from newspapers shut down through unreliable public utilities to violent demonstrations.
The stage is set. I do not look forward to seeing who rises out of the mess as we once again claim "Mission accomplished!"
An op-ed piece in USA Today asks about Iraq's oil revenues, demanding to know what they are, if they are being applied to our war costs or simply being given to Halliburton. I had an epiphany. This isn't a war, it's a replay of a 1980s-style hostile takeover! Strike at a weaker company, overrun it, destroy its leadership, and then make it use its assets to mop up the mess that was imposed upon it while the aggressor rides off into the sunset counting profits.
I wonder what Leonard Wibberley would make of that.
At the end of WWI, President Wilson insisted that a democratic government be installed in Germany. That democracy was to be a shining beacon to a society that had been stifled by the repressive Kaiser.
At least, that was the theory.
In practice, the German people considered the interim government a stooge and a setup, and blamed it for every humiliation and privation of the post-war era. That environment of anger and blame made it very easy for a painter named Hitler to ride anti-government rhetoric right to the top of another regime change.
Two days ago, President Bush insisted that installing a democratic government in Iraq will be a shining beacon to the whole Middle East, rejuvenating a society that has been stifled by repressive leaders, namely Saddam.
At least, that's the theory.
In practice, nobody knows who will be in this government that will rise and take the reigns in slightly under three months. In the meantime, there is still plenty of unrest and humiliations and privations going on over there, from newspapers shut down through unreliable public utilities to violent demonstrations.
The stage is set. I do not look forward to seeing who rises out of the mess as we once again claim "Mission accomplished!"
An op-ed piece in USA Today asks about Iraq's oil revenues, demanding to know what they are, if they are being applied to our war costs or simply being given to Halliburton. I had an epiphany. This isn't a war, it's a replay of a 1980s-style hostile takeover! Strike at a weaker company, overrun it, destroy its leadership, and then make it use its assets to mop up the mess that was imposed upon it while the aggressor rides off into the sunset counting profits.
I wonder what Leonard Wibberley would make of that.
