Long range implications for GWB policy

Thursday, August 3, 2006

At this juncture in time, it has become clear to many that the ramifications of the George W. Bush foreign and domestic policies will be significant. To focus on foreign policy...it is a foregone conclusion that we have all but alienated most of the world. At the very least, the United States is perceived to be arrogant, self serving and monolithic. At the very worst, we are seen as an occupying force, as terrorists and as neocolonialistic. The truth probably lies somewhere in between, but, regardless, we have abandoned any damage control and continue to forge ahead with our predictable myopia and tunnel vision.

The latest evidence of this self serving and myopic stance is our refusal to call for a cease fire between IDF and Hezbollah, despite the apparent hypocrisy the world has noted in that we are both supplying Israel with arms and weapons and are, concurrently, supplying Lebanon with humanitarian aid.

In keeping with this administration's refusal to accept responsibility for its actions and it's continued portrayal of a rosy scenario and imminent success, press secretary Snow continues to dish out the glowing predictions and denies what everyone deems obvious with regard to world opinion. It is no wonder that many in the press and not just a few citizens as well, question if the administration is, perhaps, living in a parallel universe. What we see and understand is so radically different than what Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld and Snow seem to see.

Cognitive dissonance notwithstanding, the wheels have been set in motion and one can only speculate as to the potential for reversabilty for many of the policies that have been enacted. Sectarianism in the Muslim world is not new. In fact, the roots go back to lineage squabbles after the Prophet's death and have been the source of infighting and dispute for centuries. Of late, we have seen it's escalation dramatically in Iraq. It is worth noting that George Bush was completely oblivius to the fact that sectarianism even existed in Iraq as recently as one month prior to the U.S. invasion. Evidently, neither Cheney nor his advisors had apprised him of the Shia, Sunni and Kurdish tripartite nature of the community.

Iran, a country which has become increasingly stronger and is on the verge of developing nuclear capability, is predominantly Shia. This faction is far more fundamentalistic and extreme and many of the jihadists are Shia Muslims. Iraq, on the other hand, was prediminantly Sunni under Sadaam Hussein. Despite the barbaric and heinous practices instituted and executed under his regime, his Sunni Islam was far more secular and was anything but extremist in its interpretation of the Koran. Iraq most certainly acted as a buffer and impeded the Iranian expansionist drive. Sadaam had been "defanged", so to speak, by the U.N. and international forces and agencies. Now we are seeing some kind of Shia (an extremist version) hegemony in the region.

Needless to say, this is a simplification of a much more complicated and complex situation. I am omitting some important details...such as our involvment in the arming of Sadaam Hussein, our collaboration with Bin Ladin...our support for the Shah of Iran which led to his overthrow and the extreme and fundamental brand of Islam extent there currently. I have not highlighted our continued and repetitive support for tyrants and despots around the globe. And, I have not mentioned the effects of a corporatized administration with roots in the oil industry and the collusion with Saudi extremists who have been recognized as some of the worst human rights violators.

I have omitted the details of falsehoods and faulty intelligence perpetrated by this administration, it's obfuscation of the 9/11 events and it's perpetual conflation of what happened on 9/11 with what happened in Iraq. The consecutive excuses for our need to invade, preemptorily, another country would be laughable were they not the results so tragic...over 2,500 U.S soldiers, sailors and marines dead, over 15,000 wounded, half of them severely (read that as multiple amputations, brain damage, not to mention the continual and ever-present traumatic stress syndrome). Estimates of Iraqi civilian casualties range up to 100,000. Damage to infrastructure is virtualy unestimatable at this juncture. Our costs have topped 350 billion dollars...much of this frittered away through malfeasance and mishandling of funds, not to mention fraud and waste. Oh...I almost forgot to mention the Iraqi civil war which the administration denies...rather, it is "unfortunate scetarian violence" spurred by non Iraqi provocateurs.

After all is said and done...it is the long range implications that are scariest. No Sadaam to act as a buffer...a strengthening Iran which now feels unfettered and free to spread its influence. Conflict between Israel and both Palestine and Hezbollah which continues unchecked and which could very easily spread. Has the region EVER been this unstable? Can we EVER hope to put the genii (Iranian fundamentist expansion) back in the bottle?

The domino theory used to be popular amongst anticommunist hawks in the Vietnam era. Now...we have a new kind of domino theory and George Bush, under the guise of fighting terrorism, has set these dominos in motion. How many will have to fall before we can restore some semblance of peaceful coexistence? Newt Gingrich has even gone so far as to call this the beginning of WWIII.

It must be obvious that we are further along than at the juncture of two paths. We have chosen the wrong road and are pretty far along. Is it too late to turn back? This is unknowable. What IS knowable, however, is that to continue down this road is not feasible and to continue to inhabit this parallel universe in which the Bush administration dwells can have no constructive or beneficial purpose. The time for change is NOW.

trickster108