Failed States, the Legacy of the Bush Administration and Republicans
June 19, 2007 at 9:20 am | Posted in America, American politics, Bush Administration, Christianity, condoleezza rice, conservatives, corruption, Foreign Policy, George W Bush, Hezbollah, Iran, Iraq, Israel, King George, Middle East, Military, nationalism, neo-conservatives, Pakistan, Religion, Republicans, Revising History, secret combinations, Somalia, Syria, Thoughts, violence, War, War on Terror, World Events | Leave a commentRepublicans and the Christian Right should be well familiar with this particular verse from the Bible, Matthew 7:15-20:
15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
By their fruits, ye shall know them. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit. A corrupt tree brings forth evil fruit. Any Christian knows this parable. What does this mean for our world today? Let’s look at the fruits of the Bush administration and the Republican party.
Iraq
A failed state. The Fund for Peace and Foreign Policy magazine have released their annual report of the world’s failed states. Iraq is the second worst failed state in the world, only two points better in the rankings than the world’s worst failed state, The Sudan. We’re now well over four years into our war in Iraq. Let’s put that in perspective. World War II, if started on March 20, 2003, would have ended last December or so. What is worse about this is that unlike The Sudan, America has pumped billions of dollars into Iraq with so little to show for it.
That is not to say that all failing states suffer from international neglect. Iraq and Afghanistan, the two main fronts in the global war on terror, both suffered over the past year. Their experiences show that billions of dollars in development and security aid may be futile unless accompanied by a functioning government, trustworthy leaders, and realistic plans to keep the peace and develop the economy. Just as there are many paths to success, there are many paths to failure for states on the edge.
So I ask you, Americans, and especially Christian conservatives, what do these fruits tell you about the tree from which they come? Now some of you may say, the tree really is terrorism. The answer to that is, no. The tree is America. We entered Iraq with the supposed intent to recreate the Middle East, and Iraq itself. After four years, what are the fruits of our labors? An utterly failed state. Jesus said, evil fruit cannot come from good trees.
By their fruits, ye shall know them.
Afghanistan
Recently a US airstrike killed seven children along with many others. More than one hundred die in three days of heavy fighting. The Taliban (living over in neighboring Pakistan) continue to plague the Americans now SIX YEARS after we attacked them. Six years. And they are still around? Afghanistan is ranked as the 8th worst failed state in the world, behind only The Sudan, Iraq, and a bunch of African states.
By their fruits, ye shall know them.
Pakistan
The Bush administration continues to support the highly corrupt and repressive military dictator, Musharraf, regardless of how much he punishes reformers in Pakistan. Pakistan is ranked as the 12th worst failed state in the world. Only Haiti, Central African Republic and Guinea separate Pakistan from her neighbor Afghanistan.
By their fruits, ye shall know them.
Lebanon
Poor, poor Lebanon, the world’s pawn, played by all parties against her own will. Israelis bomb her to the stone age. Hezbollah is a parasitic virus, destroying the country from within. Syria assassinates her leaders. The United States sacrifices her democracy on the altar of supposed Israeli preference (though if the United States were smart, they would have reined in Israel last summer, because it is in Israel’s best interest to have a stable country to her north. Now because of their idiotic bombing campaign, Lebanon is failing). Lebanon is ranked as the 28th worst failed state in the world.
Palestine
Not a state (and apparently not ever going to be a state), this is probably the worst of Bush’s failures. Is it really in the best interest of our ally, Israel, to have a failed non-state as her neighbor? Is it really in Israel’s best interest to have 1.4 million starving raving lunatics in a 25 mile strip of land right on her border? Is this Condoleezza Rice’s idea of “birth pangs?”
Why are these failed states so important to the world? The Foreign Policy magazine states it well in their introduction:
It is an accepted axiom of the modern age that distance no longer matters. Sectarian carnage can sway stock markets on the other side of the planet. Anarchic cities that host open-air arms bazaars imperil the security of the world’s superpower. A hermit leader’s erratic behavior not only makes life miserable for the impoverished millions he rules but also upends the world’s nuclear nonproliferation regime. The threats of weak states, in other words, ripple far beyond their borders and endanger the development and security of nations that are their political and economic opposites.
These are the fruits of the Republican philosophy to the world. These are the fruits of neo-conservatives. These are not the fruits of good trees. These must be cast into the fire, metaphorically speaking. We must do what needs to be done with these kinds of philosophies, let them pass the way of the dodo bird, to be a relic of history, never to be seen again. At least, if Americans want a better world.
Republicans on Congress, Somalia and Iraq
January 30, 2007 at 2:52 pm | Posted in American politics, conservatives, Iraq, Republicans, Somalia | 6 CommentsGlen Greenwald is good, man, he’s really good. He does his research. I’m sure John McCain doesn’t want the following quote to be advertised too frequently these days, but this is what Mr. McCain said in 1993 during Somalia. Read his quote and ask yourself why Republicans advocated a cut and run policy, and not give President Clinton “a chance” as Republicans now ask Democrats to do. Continue Reading Republicans on Congress, Somalia and Iraq…
Just What Has Condoleezza Rice Done?
December 29, 2006 at 3:34 pm | Posted in American politics, condoleezza rice, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Lebanon, North Korea, Somalia, War on Terror, World Events | 2 CommentsA new article delves into this question: just what has Condoleezza Rice done as Secretary of State? Is it her intervention that stopped the Israel-Lebanon War? Has she accomplished anything in stopping Iran’s pursuit of nuclear technology? Has she done anything to stop North Korea’s belligerence? Has she done anything to solve The Sudan genocide? Has she done anything to stop this war between Somalia and Ethiopia? Has she gotten the insurgency in Iraq to come to a political table and participate in governing Iraq? Just what exactly has Condoleezza Rice done as Secretary of State?
Moreover, just what did Condoleezza Rice do as National Security Adviser?
And was she this inept as Provost of Stanford?
Let me tell you, we’re lucky that we have such few conflicts to deal with right now…
The Truth About Who Advocated a “Cut and Run” Policy in Somalia in 1993
September 25, 2006 at 7:13 pm | Posted in American politics, Bill Clinton, Foxnews, Republicans, Revising History, Somalia, War on Terror | 5 CommentsGlen Greenwald has done a fabulous job on his blog to showcase the real culprits of the reduction of forces in Somalia in 1993. This past Sunday, on FoxNews (the right-wing propaganda machine) Clinton defended his actions in Somalia in the face of lies and false accusations.
Continue Reading The Truth About Who Advocated a “Cut and Run” Policy in Somalia in 1993…
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