Friday, March 21, 2003

I Hate the French Vanilla

Speaking of Saddam’s doubles.

A good piece on US propaganda about Iraq, suggests that the use of the term “weapons of mass destruction” is intended to confuse doltish Americans into believing that Iraq has nukes, when we’re actually just talking about chemical weapons.

Bush had to send a letter to Congress justifying the war. Here’s a bit of it:
acting pursuant to the Constitution and Public Law 107-243 is consistent with the United States and other countries continuing to take the necessary actions against international terrorists and terrorist organizations, including those nations, organizations, or persons who planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001.

Note that the word “including” doesn’t actually make the disproved assertion that Iraq has anything to do with Al Qaida. In fact, I defy anyone to read that sentence and tell me what Bush is accusing Iraq of. (This was pointed out by a blog, wastedirony.com, which I hadn’t seen before, but which looks worth keeping an eye on).

I forgot to mention. There had been plans for Bush to speak to the European Parliament, but they were called off when the Europeans refused to meet his demand to guarantee a standing ovation. I swear I’m not making that up.

If you were looking for the Conservative answer to Ben and Jerry’s, http://www.starspangledicecream.com/. Flavors include I Hate the French Vanilla, Smaller GovernMINT. Sheesh.

Bush on tv Wed. night said the missiles had been launched “on my orders.” Britain has suddenly realized just how junior a partner they are.

Saletan comments on Rummy’s press conference, which was mostly addressed to Iraqi officers:
Rumsfeld advises Iraqi leaders to "act to save themselves." He says this war will be scarier than anything they've seen. He invites Iraqi officers to "ask themselves whether they want to die fighting for a doomed regime." He has a long list of dos and don'ts. "Do not follow orders to destroy dams or flood villages," he says. "Do not follow orders to destroy your country's oil." Next he'll issue injunctions against mixing fabrics and eating animals with cloven hooves.

By pure coincidence, just two days after Canada decides not to send any troops to Dubya Dubya II, the Air Force decides not to try the amphetamine-addled pilots who bombed Canadian troops in Afghanistan last year. They chalk it up to the fog of war--evidently the pilots were distracted trying to find shapes in the fog--“Dude, I see an elephant.”

Monica Lewinsky is to host a dating show on tv.

If you can stomach it, here’s an op-ed piece by Richard Perle called “Thank God for the Death of the UN.”

Turkey has decided not to allow US troops to use their country as a staging post, although they were offered nearly $100,000 per soldier ($6b for 62,000). They do, however, decide to send their own troops into Iraq. But only for humanitarian purposes. The Turks being well known for their humanitarianism.

A list of all Czechs who cooperated with the communist gov’s secret police (1 in 130) has been posted to the web.

Here’s a frightening thought: half of all dentists in Italy are imposters.

From the WaPo: “The State Department's top lawyer said yesterday that legal authority from the U.N. Security Council exists for war against Iraq, even though the Bush administration failed to win explicit council approval for the use of force.” In other words, they approved it, they just don’t know they approved it, and didn’t know it at the time.

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