OP/ED: Democracy Quest: Europe

Bush's "Hunt for bin Laden" mutated into the "War on Terror" sometime last year. Now, it's morphed into an evangelical calling to "Spread Democracy Round the World." Kind of a cowboy Democracy Quest. Bush is in Europe trying to drum up military support. High on the agenda: the USA needs a few trillion dollars more to keep going. The US National Debt is over $7.7 trillion dollars and rising by $2.2 billion in interest every day. The value of the US dollar is falling, and creditors are getting nervous. So Bush is linking America's economic credibility with his war for peace agenda. In that light, this week's European engagement is more an evangelical Billy Graham-like Tour and less a diplomatic mission. Bush is in Europe preaching the gospel of democracy, according to US corporate imperialism. He wants US allies to give their testimonials, get saved and put their money in the pot.





It's not an easy job. Bush's lack of credibility is already hurting the USA's status in the world. In one of his first meetings, "the audience at the European Union's headquarters literally laughed out loud" at his doubletalk.

Some Europeans are clearly suspicious that Bush is already gearing up to attack Iran. And when Bush passionately denied that yesterday - but then immediately said he couldn't rule anything out, either - the audience at the European Union's headquarters literally laughed out loud.

Smiles Belie Fault Lines

Suffice to say, the plea for pledges is not going that well. So every minor civilized assurance is hyped in the US media as a major victory.

President Bush, working to push U.S.-European relations beyond the period of divisiveness over Iraq, hailed NATO's modest pledge to help train security forces there, saying "every contribution helps."

Europe: Bush hails NATO support for training of Iraqi security forces

And Bush just keeps shooting his own feet. Like all fundamentalists, Bush allows no middle ground. Anything less than absolute devotion is met with dire warnings about fire and brimstone, and the wrath of Congress. China and Russia are high on the list of sinner-slackers - but Bush's lack of credibility and the USA's weakening economic position pretty much neutralize his bullying tactics.

Russia and China are standing up to Bush politely, but firmly.

Russia's Putin intends to remind Bush that his record is not so great either, "by raising his own concerns about American torture of Iraqi prisoners - and Bush's own contested 2000 election."

Amid the smiles, the backslapping and cheerful joint statements coming out of President Bush's European trip, some troubling international fault lines are also coming into focus:

• In an overt show of teeth, Bush expressed "deep concern" over Europe's plan to lift the arms embargo against China, warning that any action that could threaten Taiwan might enrage the U.S. Congress.

• And Bush meets tomorrow with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who by some accounts is prepared to respond to any further criticism of his rollback of democratic institutions by raising his own concerns about American torture of Iraqi prisoners - and Bush's own contested 2000 election.

Smiles Belie Fault Lines

Bush wants China to toe the corporate line, and isn't at all happy with Europe's plans to lift its 15-year arms embargo against that country. China is responding to Bush in a polite and civilized manner.

In Beijing on Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan said that abolishing the "erroneous and outdated measure" would help move forward China-EU relations. "We hope the U.S. side will follow the trend set by China-Europe relations instead of setting any obstacles to this process," he said.

Europe: Bush hails NATO support for training of Iraqi security forces

The US-facilitated corporate takeover of Iraq has not escaped the world's notice, and it's considered much less than Christian. Most non-Americans accept that Bush is free to rip off his own country's citizens and give their assets, taxes and profits to his buddies - but they draw the line at his looting and pillaging other nations. No way is he getting a Free Pass to keep going.

The world watches and sees, Iraq was ripped apart and divvied up faster in one summer than Latin America has been in 3 decades.

...before the fires from the “shock and awe” military onslaught were even extinguished, Bremer unleashed his shock therapy, pushing through more wrenching changes in one sweltering summer than the International Monetary Fund has managed to enact over three decades in Latin America.”

...In his first major act on the job, Bremer "fired 500,000 state workers, most of them soldiers, but also doctors, nurses, teachers, publishers, and printers. Next, he flung open the country’s borders to absolutely unrestricted imports: no tariffs, no duties, no inspections, no taxes. Iraq, Bremer declared was “open for business,”

Before the war, Iraq’s non-oil-related economy consisted of 200 state-owned companies, that produced everything from cement to paper to washing machines. In June, Bremer attended an economic summit in Jordan and announced that the firms would be privatized immediately. “Getting inefficient state enterprises into private hands,” he said, “is essential for Iraq’s economic recovery,"

In September, to entice investors to buy the state-owned companies, Bremer enacted a new set of laws. For example, Order 37 lowered Iraq’s corporate tax rate from roughly 40% to a flat 15%. Order 39 allowed foreign companies to own 100% of Iraqi assets outside of the natural-resource sector.

Investors could take 100% of the profits they made in Iraq out of the country. They would not be required to reinvest and would not be taxed. Under Order 39, they could sign leases and contracts that would last for forty years. Order 40 welcomed foreign banks to Iraq under the same favorable terms


Source

A word to the wise: Americans would do well to pay attention to what the rest of the world says about Bush and US foreign policy. Other nation's attitudes will affect America's economy, and American's standard of living.

Poll: Should the US Spread Democracy?



Bottom line: American fundamentalist Christians might buy Bush's "message", but the rest of the world is not that gullible. Most of the world is just worried about how to keep Bush under control until the end of his term.

The agenda:

1. Stop him from starting any more wars, especially a nuclear war; and

2. Prevent him from letting America's debt spiral out of control to cause a world wide depression.


As hard as it may be for some Americans to accept, the larger world's agenda truly is in our very best interests.



.

[edit on 24-2-2005 by soficrow]

"Democracy Quest"? Sounds like the middle age crusades! We're going to force "democracy" and every unsavory thing that comes with it (Western style consumerism, ad nauseum) down thier throats whether they like it or not, just like the crusaders did to their pagan victims, all validated by the now widely familiar Bush smirk. And who pays for this NWO-in-disguise campaign? The American taxpayer. Wake up folks before the burden crushes you into unrecoverable servitude.

[edit on 2/24/2005 by dubiousone]

Originally posted by soficrow


Russia's Putin intends to remind Bush that his record is not so great either, "by raising his own concerns about American torture of Iraqi prisoners - and Bush's own contested 2000 election."

Go Vladimir. Sock it to him

Great thread. Very interesting.

The Xtian fundamentalist 'Crusade' of GWB2 will break itself upon the same rocks that the old crusades did and then when he's gone life can go back to normal.

Originally posted by dubiousone
"Democracy Quest"? Sounds like the middle age crusades!

From Michael A. Fletcher of the the Washington Post:


Bush calls on Europe to join democracy quest


.

another good post soficrow

boy howdy...
that cowboy can sure embarass himself (and our country)

he has got balls though... to ask for help from the same people he has been ignoring...

I don't think he has the proper begging stance to get much accomplished though.

now for the meat of the matter:
what does bush know that we don't? or is he truly just a moron?
He has made some very obvious manuevers that tie him to unethical acts and corruption... he either doesn't care, or is doing so because he knows something we don't and can't tell us...

it smacks of irresponsibility or desperation... which is it?
we can understand the desperation in one way (need of money) but bush could put a stop to the waste and critism, anytime he wants to... just by saying "no more waste" to all his advisors and investors...

it really makes me think, that he wouldn't be doing what he is doing unless he knew there really was some ominous threat that he can't mention...

someone mentioned that 2006 is a big year for something... what?
is there some pressing world event that is making Bush piss off the civilized world and then have the balls to ask for more money?

I actually ALMOST hope there is some unknown event, becuase i would hate to think that we really did have a grade A moron as a president who caters to his money men.... and those seem to be the only options...

Bush is finding excuses for the deficit budget of our nation on the fight on terror and the spreading of democracy and we have to sacrificed our nation for his crusade. But he omits the facts that are some groups around that are profiting for this “wars”

Yes the way Bush has been on the “attack” on Iran about the nuclear program tells a different story about the intentions of the administration when it comes to the “possibility” of invading or attacking another sovereign nation.

When people laugh at Bush reassurance of not attacking Iran, it shows how much they trust his words.

I find funny that other countries will help with the training in Iraq, but it has to be outside Iraq, I guess even “them” know how bad security is in Iraq even after the “democratic elections”

China was supposed to help with our economy but it seems that China has other plans in mind and is going to take advantage of our failing dollar, who said China cannot play the game in business matter after all.

While Bremer got a medal for his work in Iraq by Bush, people had forgotten the nine billion dollars that when missing under Bremer "reconstruction of Iraq" watch.

Meanwhile more of our tax payer money keep rolling to Iraq and to the private American contractors like Haliburton that still with accusations of misconduct, Will get the money.

Nice thread Sofi as usual.

Point of references in this thread.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

it really feels like the middle ages,
when "great kings" called the help of fellow europeans,
to help them fight these infidel arabs!

but in that time they were searching for the cup of christ.
and this time it is the quest for the barrel of oil.


..and then god turned coke to pepsi...

[edit on 24-2-2005 by Souljah]

Thanks Laz and marg.


Despite the doubletalk and predictable backtracking - I'm glad Bush at least tried diplomacy. ...If he keeps working at it, he will get better. Then who knows? Maybe some real good will come out of it all.



.

I am in an optimistic mood.
I really have some hope... it all depends on who the president is listening to for his diplomacy.
His start with Russia didn't particularly go well. "rocks...glass houses, come on George" If he thinks he can do this himself, I feel scared.
If he gets ol Condi to check his approach, and maybe calls a few favors from the late great General Powell...he could do well, and maybe reclaim his testicles in the bargain.

The whole cowboy approach wont go over well except maybe in Japan...

I REALLY hope Bush stops listening to the wrong people, because i actually like the guy...but he hangs with the wrong crowd. I think part of the reason he does play well to certain crowds is that he is "one of the guys"
with all his very human foilables...
he is likeable... until he opens his mouth and spouts someone elses nonsense.
Whoever writes his material, is just downright insulting to a large portion of america. He speaks to the weakest link, and assumes the rest will fall right in with the sheeple. I really hope the president is just "paying back his favors" as all presidents do, and not falling in with the whole NWO thing...
It just seems like he would have been a natural born rebel to such an idea... he was the "black sheep of the family" afterall.
well, here is to hoping he saves America, and pulls off the miracle to secure the economy of the US without selling us out...(toast with screwtop wine... hard times, ya know)

.
.
I have my fingers crossed. From recent announcements, sounds like Bush is going to back off in Iran and Syria, give diplomacy time and a chance.

Yea team!


[Note the perfect timing on Canada standing firm on the missile defense thing - Rice and Bush got the message while they were in Europe. ...Looks to me like the civilized world is working together, and they just roped a cowboy. ]



.

YEEE HAWWW
ride em civilized coutries...
get that little doggie in the corral... slap your brand on him, and this country might just make it...

like i said...
word to bush: listen to the bright, reasonable ones, not the greedy, rich ones... and you might just be a positive mark in the spotlight of history...

Originally posted by LazarusTheLong

word to bush: listen to the bright, reasonable ones, not the greedy, rich ones... and you might just be a positive mark in the spotlight of history...

Meantime, certain factions in the military and associated industrial complex keep pushing for hostilities to continue. ...and of course, manipulate public opinion as a lever, mainly by scare-mongering.

[sigh]



.