Bush Shouldn't Be Allowed to Use the Word 'Logic', Ever...
From his speech in Charleston, SC, yesterday:
Some note that al Qaida in Iraq did not exist until the U.S. invasion -- and argue that it is a problem of our own making. The argument follows the flawed logic that terrorism is caused by American actions. Iraq is not the reason that the terrorists are at war with us. We were not in Iraq when the terrorists bombed the World Trade Center in 1993. We were not in Iraq when they attacked our embassies in Kenya and Tanzania. We were not in Iraq when they attacked the USS Cole in 2000. And we were not in Iraq on September the 11th, 2001.
And we were not in Iraq when the British burned down the White House in 1814. Yeah, I know...Huh?
What Bush refuses to admit is that US Foreign Policy is frequently cited by Osama bin Laden & Al Qaeda as the number one reason they wage jihad against us. His 1996 fatwah is a good starting point (albeit a PITA to read) for that understanding. But why let the facts get in the way of good propaganda and an attempt to legitimize one of the greatest foreign policy blunders in American history?
Note that this does not translate to a) Al-Qaeda was/is justified to attack us or b) we deserved what we got. Those anti-liberal talking points are as tired as Cheney trying to tie Al-Qaeda to Iraq (and 9/11) pre-invasion. I don't apologize for anyone who uses violence to achieve their political objectives (including us), especially against innocent people. But to somehow ignore the concept that our actions (re: U.S. Foreign Policy) do not have consequences (re: the quagmire in Iraq) borders on lunacy.
Al-Qaeda in Iraq exists because we helped create it and future generations of terrorist organizations like it. Not recognizing that is like walking into a Bee Keeper's farm without a suit and wondering why you got stung. Owning up to that fact isn't the solution to the problem we face, but its the first step in that process. Maybe if we explained it to this administration in "12 step" terms, they might understand?
Some note that al Qaida in Iraq did not exist until the U.S. invasion -- and argue that it is a problem of our own making. The argument follows the flawed logic that terrorism is caused by American actions. Iraq is not the reason that the terrorists are at war with us. We were not in Iraq when the terrorists bombed the World Trade Center in 1993. We were not in Iraq when they attacked our embassies in Kenya and Tanzania. We were not in Iraq when they attacked the USS Cole in 2000. And we were not in Iraq on September the 11th, 2001.
And we were not in Iraq when the British burned down the White House in 1814. Yeah, I know...Huh?
What Bush refuses to admit is that US Foreign Policy is frequently cited by Osama bin Laden & Al Qaeda as the number one reason they wage jihad against us. His 1996 fatwah is a good starting point (albeit a PITA to read) for that understanding. But why let the facts get in the way of good propaganda and an attempt to legitimize one of the greatest foreign policy blunders in American history?
Note that this does not translate to a) Al-Qaeda was/is justified to attack us or b) we deserved what we got. Those anti-liberal talking points are as tired as Cheney trying to tie Al-Qaeda to Iraq (and 9/11) pre-invasion. I don't apologize for anyone who uses violence to achieve their political objectives (including us), especially against innocent people. But to somehow ignore the concept that our actions (re: U.S. Foreign Policy) do not have consequences (re: the quagmire in Iraq) borders on lunacy.
Al-Qaeda in Iraq exists because we helped create it and future generations of terrorist organizations like it. Not recognizing that is like walking into a Bee Keeper's farm without a suit and wondering why you got stung. Owning up to that fact isn't the solution to the problem we face, but its the first step in that process. Maybe if we explained it to this administration in "12 step" terms, they might understand?