Perhaps you have followed American Politics under George Bush. In that case you may have heard of John Bolton. Bolton was Bush's candidate for the post of United States Permanent Representative at the United Nations. He did not survive all the criticism so after he filled the Permanent post Temporarily(...) he left the job before the Senate could throw him out.
As somewhat informed people know, the US government/Obama has decided to put the 9/11 mastermind(Khalid Sheikh Mohammed) on trial in New York. This has resulted in a lot of criticism from the Republicans(of all people!). They think that it is not wise to put a foreign moslim terrorist on trial in the US. The reasoning behind this criticism is that the trial may be the/a reason for other extremists to strike again.
I find it utterly ridiculous that the same political group that started the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq now crawls under their tables out of fear for more attacks. These people are the bloodspitting over-the-top militaristic warmongers of 6 years ago yet they come up with 'security-reasons' to prevent terrorists from being tried in the US.
Anyway : I found this article about John Bolton's hypocrisy. It is just as valid for a Hell of a lot of Republicans.
Host Melanie Morgan: Given the nature and danger of bringing these terrorists to American soil, where do you think is the most safe place to be when they get here and this trial begins? Where would you put your family?
John Bolton: Well, not New York City, I'm afraid to say. This is part of the callousness and the really, lack of professionalism and judgment to put them on trial anywhere in the United States in civilian courts.
Declaring that you are 'afraid' of trials in the US is downright cowardly. Terrorists have already been on trial in Germany, the UK, Spain, etcetera. I guess the people in those countries do take their responsibilities.
The US Republicans apparently don't have the stamina to go through with this. Instead, they are organizing 'Tea-parties'. As Marie Antoinette said : "Let them eat cake".
Update : As an extra : one of the sublinks in the article goes to this German site.
In Paris, the headlines and the political talk I heard and read did not focus on our president or our prospects, but on the selection of a new — and no longer merely symbolic — leader for a United Europe. Europeans were talking to each other directly; Americans were not, as far as I could tell, very much a part of the conversation.
The narcissism of the 'American Elite' is indeed strikingly misplaced. For once I fully agree with the German(s) :
Look, man, the fact that your mom and your dad happened to conceive your pasty white ass on the hunk of soil known as the United States of America doesn’t make you Luke Skywalker. Grow up and get real.
Indeed.
4 comments:
Republicans are quintessential politicians, whose visions are governed by whatever seems most opportune at any given moment. Upbraiding them for hypocrisy is like blaming grass for being green. And seeking consistency in politics is like trying to find the Holy Grail: a tempting and glorifying illusion, but an illusion nonetheless.
I think that you describe the situation as it is, not necessarily how it should be. The definition of politician has been warped in recent times.
I would rather use this definition :
"Persons of the dialogue"
( http://www.ellopos.net/elpenor/greek-texts/ancient-greece/plato/plato-politicus.asp )
Politicians in general have been woefully inadequate in this respect.
And well, as long as they spend my money I cannot respond very cynical or stoic to what the hell they are doing.
So perhaps the name of this weblog was meant to be cynical after all... ;)
Man has corruption in his genes. He shouldn't, but he has. Politicians are opportunists. They shouldn't be, but they are, not because they digressed from the etymological definition of 'politician', but because it's man's work. Humans are flawed, and the ultimate cynisism of it is that they're well-equipped to recognize this, but they just can't help themselves, they fall prey to it - because it's in their very fabric.
I never took you for a romantic ;)
Yes, but in my opinion some of those politicians should turn into statemen. And I don't see that happening anymore.
Romantic in your definition : nah. But I admit that I am still way too much an idealist. 8-)
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