67 online
 
Most Popular Choices
Share on Facebook 10 Printer Friendly Page More Sharing
OpEdNews Op Eds   

Deconstructing Bush Speech to Arab Nations

By       (Page 1 of 4 pages)   3 comments
Message Stephen Pizzo
Become a Fan
  (12 fans)


From: White House Web Site. Transcript.

President Bush Attends World Economic Forum
Sharm el Sheikh International Congress Center

(Entries in Red represent the real subtext.)

THE PRESIDENT: I know these are trying times, but the future is in your hands –-

Because, as you may know, I will be hauled out of the Oval Office next January.

America is a much younger nation, but we've made our mark by advancing ideals as old as the pyramids. Those ideals of liberty and justice ...

Which my administration has pruned way back and/or openly violated in recent years.

This hopeful movement made its way to places where dictators once reigned and peaceful democracies seemed unimaginable: places like Chile...

Of course we did have to assassinate Chile's democratically elected President and turn the nation over to a brutal military dictator first...

And people of faith (in those countries)are finding the blessing of worshiping God in peace.

Of course only those who accept Jesus Christ as their personal savior, as I have, will be going to heaven.

(The Middle East) is home to energetic people, a powerful spirit of enterprise, and tremendous resources.
It is capable of a very bright future -- a future in which the Middle East is a place of innovation..

I mean, look at how the insurgents in Iraq innovated new ways to blow up our armored vehicles with just a piece of devilishly shaped copper plate.

In recent years, we've seen hopeful beginnings toward this vision. Turkey, a nation with a majority Muslim population, is a prosperous modern democracy.

Of course the European Union doesn't see it that way, and is still refusing Turkey EU membership because they ain't buyin' any of this Muslim-nations-as-functioning-modern-democracy BS.

Afghanistan under the leadership of President Karzai is overcoming the Taliban and building a free society.

It's the world's smallest democracy, encompassing the immediate area around Karzai secured by Blackwater mercenaries.

Iraq under the leadership of Prime Minister Maliki is establishing a multi-ethnic democracy.

Ditto

We have seen the stirrings of reform from Morocco and Algeria ....

Refugees speak of atrocities in ignored Morocco conflict
AP -- Sunday, May 18, 2008: “There is no future under the Polisario. There is no freedom of movement. There is no freedom of speech,” Said Abderahman said in an interview. He is one of the refugees whose trip to the US was sponsored by the lobbying group, Moroccan American Center for Policy. “If you dare to talk they take you and put you in jail, and they bring you to a public place and they accuse you of being a thief, in front of society,” he said, speaking through a translator provided by Morocco’s UN mission in New York. (Full)

America appreciates the challenges facing the Middle East. Yet the light of liberty is beginning to shine.

Oh, not that light.. that's just the light from a phosphorous grenade.

In order for economic progress to result in permanent prosperity and an Egypt that reaches its full potential, however, economic reform must be accompanied by political reform. And I continue to hope that Egypt can lead the region in political reform.

Of course, if Egypt actually did what I just suggested, the country would be under the rule of the Muslim Brotherhood in no time at all, the same way Hamas won power in Gaza following their first free and open elections.

Your greatest asset in this quest is the entrepreneurial spirit of your people. Your economies will be more vibrant when citizens who dream of starting their own companies can do so quickly, without high regulatory and registration costs.

We did just that in the US by cutting regulatory oversight of banks, hedge funds and Wall Street bond traders and might have triggered the first worldwide financial collapse in nearly a century.

Your economies will be more dynamic when property rights are protected and risk-taking is encouraged -- not punished -- by law.

We've also pre-tested this concept by refusing to punish CEO's of companies that ran wild after we neutered their regulators. Hell, look at the guy who used to run the biggest US lender, Countrywide Funding. He not only ruined his own company, screwed millions of shareholders and left tens of thousands of their own customers on the street in front of foreclosed homes, but he got to take home over a $100 million in going away money too boot.

And your economies will have greater long-term prosperity when taxes are low and all your citizens know that their innovation and hard work will be rewarded.

Of course, while a handful of opportunists will do quite well thanks to tax breaks, your governments will be broke and unable to maintain the very national infrastructure that made those riches possible. Oh, and your poor and disadvantaged... you won't have any money to help them either. But then again, they usually don't vote. And those that do vote are easily confused into voting against their own interests by propaganda blitzes financed by the few that benefited from those tax breaks and regulatory passes.

One of the most powerful drivers of economic growth is free trade.

Next Page  1  |  2  |  3  |  4

(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).

Rate It | View Ratings

Stephen Pizzo Social Media Pages: Facebook page url on login Profile not filled in       Twitter page url on login Profile not filled in       Linkedin page url on login Profile not filled in       Instagram page url on login Profile not filled in

Stephen Pizzo has been published everywhere from The New York Times to Mother Jones magazine. His book, Inside Job: The Looting of America's Savings and Loans, was nominated for a Pulitzer.

Go To Commenting
The views expressed herein are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this website or its editors.
Writers Guidelines

 
Contact AuthorContact Author Contact EditorContact Editor Author PageView Authors' Articles
Support OpEdNews

OpEdNews depends upon can't survive without your help.

If you value this article and the work of OpEdNews, please either Donate or Purchase a premium membership.

STAY IN THE KNOW
If you've enjoyed this, sign up for our daily or weekly newsletter to get lots of great progressive content.
Daily Weekly     OpEd News Newsletter
Name
Email
   (Opens new browser window)
 

Most Popular Articles by this Author:     (View All Most Popular Articles by this Author)

Secrets Kill Too

Dying for Change

What's the Matter With Gaza?

Who You Callin' Un-American?

Worst Clinton Contributor Ever

I Was At the Birth...

To View Comments or Join the Conversation:

Tell A Friend