Mumia
Abu-Jamal's Radio Broadcasts
[Col. Recorded
4/15/04]
The sight of
George W. Bush, holding a rare live press conference was a national
embarrassment.
Rambling, stumbling,
tripping and triangulating, the nation's chief executive gave a
performance that was sure to do many things, but boosting national
confidence wasn't one of them.
The White House
press corps is an unusually well-trained bunch. They are usually
senior reporters, those with the ear of management, who want to
treat their subject (the president) with respect and even a touch
of subservience.
Even before
this largely hand-picked group, the president was clearly out of
his depth.
Once, when
a guy tossed him a softball, 'how do you feel' - type of question
(for example, can you think of one mistake you've made in the time
since 9/11?), the president couldn't even bunt.
"Well
—- gee whiz — Oh boy — I wish I'd received this question
in writing
beforehand —," the president stumbled.
"I can't
think of anything right now, but I'm sure something will pop into
my head before the press conference is over," he offered.
Hmmm.... How
about "WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION?"
But to 'Uncurious
George', even that remains an open question, for this suggested
it was still possible to find vast stockpiles, even after the nay
vote of his own former weapons inspector, David Kay.
He came across
as scared to death, his trademark smirk less a mask than a shield.
His forehead was wet with sweat, and there was a look of pain on
his face as he tried to make his case.
And what *is*
his case?
Essentially,
that Saddam Hussein was a 'bad man.' He repeated the administration
refrain that has now become common: "He used weapons of mass
destruction
*on his own people!*" (left unsaid, of course, is the clincher:
'provided by the U.S. government, to help you with your battle against
the Iranians!').
We have entered
the uncomfortable era of the 'bad guy' exception to international
law.
Call a leader
a 'bad guy', and leave it to the media to uncritically echo your
claims, rattle your sabers, and it's time for a nice, little war!
For millions
of Europeans, when they think of the guy who invades their peaceful
rest, more often than not, the smirking visage of 'Uncurious George'
comes to mind.
And Iraq has
arisen as a virtual basket case of resistance, rebellion, and anti-American
hatred. The too-glib words of American president, George W. Bush,
have done, and will do nothing to assuage that deep feeling.
For Bush and
his minions have taken the lie of 'terrorism in Iraq' and turned
it into a truth: they have energized an insurgency that threatens
to hurl the nation into civil war; a war that will have ripples
throughout the region.
Those who claim
to be U.S. Allies may yet rue the day they extended their hands
to the U.S. eagle, for they almost all sit upon kingdoms, fiefdoms,
or dictatorships that are cruelly resented, and hated by their people.
Their armies and security services aren't used to protect their
nations from foreign threats. They are armed against their own internal
opposition, who, increasingly, look to jihadis and Islamicists as
the way out from under their repressive regimes.
The wild adventures
of the Bush regime have not brought, nor do they promise to bring,
stability to the region. They bring distrust, hatred, roiling passions,
and clan, tribal vengeance, that will take generations to calm.
But 'Uncurious
George' doesn't seem concerned. He's made no mistakes. His cronies
in the oil industry and Halliburton are cool, and that's all that
matters.
'Stay the course'
— straight to hell.
Copyright
2004 Mumia Abu-Jamal
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Submitted by:
Sis. Marpessa
Text
© copyright 2003 by Mumia Abu-Jamal.
All rights reserved.
Reprinted by permission of the author.
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