Americablog:What a difference a week makes.Just last Wednesday, Bush was at the Heritage Foundation extolling the virtues of freedom and liberty:
We are standing with those who yearn for the liberty -- who yearn for liberty in the Middle East, because we understand that the desire for freedom is universal, written by the Almighty into the hearts of every man, woman and child on this Earth. (Applause.)We are standing with those who yearn for liberty in the Middle East, because we know that the terrorists fear freedom even more than they fear our firepower. They know that given a choice, no one will choose to live under their dark ideology of violence and death.We're standing with those who yearn for liberty in the Middle East, because we know that when free societies take root in that part of the world, they will yield the peace we all desire. See, the only way the terrorists can recruit operatives and suicide bombers is by feeding on the hopelessness of societies mired in despair. And by bringing freedom to these societies, we replace hatred with hope, and this will help us to marginalize the extremists and eliminate the conditions that feed radicalism, and make the American people more secure.
This week, Bush's ally in Pakistan, the dictator Musharraf, has imposed martial law. He is brutally attacking protesters who are fighting for democracy:
The Musharraf government’s resolve to silence its fiercest opponents was evident in the strength of the crackdown by baton-wielding police officers who pummeled lawyers and then hauled them by the legs and arms into police wagons in Lahore.At one point, lawyers and police officers clashed in a pitched battle, with lawyers standing on the roof of the High Court throwing stones at the police below, and the police hurling them back. Some of the lawyers were bleeding from the head, and some passed out in clouds of tear gas.
But as Mark Mazzetti at the NY Times points out, Bush isn't defending democracy or those who "yearn for liberty" in Pakistan:
President Bush on Monday urged Gen. Pervez Musharraf, the Pakistani president, to hold elections and give up his army post “as soon as possible,” but gave no indication that the general’s imposition of emergency rule would bring about any significant change in American policy.
3 comments:
Speaking of bail, no bail for Ryan. Tomorrow will be Orange Jumpsuit Day. I believe I heard on the news that Conrad Black's appeal was denied.
Oh, thanks for letting us know, kittybowtie. I will post something tomorrow to wish Ryan a farewell party. ;-)
SPB the Gerbil better hope Osama doesn't become the new President of Pakistan. With all the problems now as Musharraf sucked up to Bush and did as he was told. Yes the Bush/Cheney team gave Pakistan Nukes now Bin Laden might lead Pakistan with those Nukes. Yes what a sight as Osama will meet with Bush as he becomes the leader of Pakistan. It was Bush/Cheney who made Osama Bin Laden a household name even women in the Middle East name their sons after him. Well Cheney did pick Osama to help the US once now let's see how this plays out. As the oil prices go up the Middle East is continuing to make deals with other countries to better their people. If the US continues this path I see the Middle East being one of the strongest and richest regions of the world.
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