When I first heard this speech, I started dissecting the first paragraph, but I was too angry to finish it. Even after six and a half years, I still expect him to be truthful, because Presidents in the past have at least respected us enough to stick to some kind of consensually validated reality.
| In the life of all free nations, there come moments that decide the direction of a country and reveal the character of its people. We are now at such a moment. |
We are hardly at the moment of deciding the direction of the country. Every possible assessment of our will screams that we want out of this war. This isn’t even the moment that he decides the direction of the country. He decided a long time ago. But worse, this is certainly not about revealing the character of our people. Our people don’t start wars, certainly not based on known lies. Our people don’t toture people. Our people don’t strip the human rights of others. Our people don’t topple regimes and kill the leaders. It is the character of our people to fight for defensive reasons. And our people don’t lie. If this moment has anything to do with our character, it is a moment when we would like to reclaim it. And if there’s a character to be assessed at this moment, it is the character of the Bush Administration – and that character is extremely flawed.
| In Iraq, an ally of the United States is fighting for its survival. |
I presume the ally he’s referring to is Iraq – though it’s an Iraq that exists only in his mind, not the Iraq that occupies the Middle Eastern desert. Iraq may be a region, but it is not a nation. Right now, it’s been plunged into a Civil War because it is not a nation. If anything, the fighting there hardly seems aimed at its survival. It’s more like it’s fighting for its destruction. And there’s plenty of evidence that this non-nation can hardly be seen as an ally. The "ally" is an Iraq Mr. Bush thought he could create by force. There’s ample evidence that he’s failed to do so. Americans can’t even walk down the street in Iraq.
| Terrorists and extremists who are at war with us around the world are seeking to topple Iraq’s government, dominate the region, and attack us here at home. |
He’s declaring that al Qaeda in Iraq is fighting some unitary Iraq and keeping it from moving forward. If every al Qaeda in Iraq soldier were teleported to Mars, it would barely make a difference in what’s happening there. al Qaeda is at war with us – true. al Qaeda did attack us here at home – true. But in Iraq, Sunni and Shia are at pitched battle with each other and with the U.S. It is likely that the Iraqis who aren’t fighting us are more involved the forces in the Civil War than with the fictional unified Iraq that exists in Bush’s mind.
| If Iraq’s young democracy can turn back these enemies, it will mean a more hopeful Middle East and a more secure America. |
This is the punchline. It’s a Bush classic. From our point of view it might be right. But he leaves us out of the equation. The other ifs – if we stay there for a Millenium, if they don’t all turn on us like wolves, if we keep the billions flowing, if there is ever a unitary democracy, if…, if …, if…
| This ally has placed its trust in the United States. And tonight, our moral and strategic imperatives are one: We must help Iraq defeat those who threaten its future and also threaten ours. |
Which "ally" put what "trust" in us? We invaded them! That’s not a trust builder. What’s he talking about? This is the most tragic part of his ravings. It’s a John Wayne line but it’s in the wrong movie. They don’t trust us. We don’t even trust the us he’s fabricating. There’s no nation, no ally, no trust, and certainly no moral anything.
I have to give you props. I couldn’t even bring myself to watch. He just makes me to angry with his lies.