Some Humans Ain't Human (John Prine)

I think it is really bizarre in a way that Europeans (and Germans in particular) like to colour themselves as if they were living in a society so much more fair than any other, where everyone gets not only an education but a good one in addition to that. Europe as Abel to the US as Cain so to speak (hope I didn't fuck up those two, somebody please tell me if I did). Don't get me wrong I think certain things about Europe are great and sometimes the US should definitly try to take a page out of our book, but at the same time I think we have to be aware of the fact that a lot of boasting about European standards (and again German ones in particular) are really only that unfounded boasting.

So, after alienating my European readership (all 7 of you) let's move on and try to alienate the American one (completing my dozen readers) as well.

The US is trying to promote democracy in Iran now (more so than before one should maybe say) at the same time that Bush is conceding that there are problems (some people would call these problems civil war but hey, since the whole mission was accomplished sometime in 2003 I guess this actually is a sign of reality dawning).

What I simply do not understand is the complete failure that the White House has been ever since 9/11, I mean there are so many intelligent people (exceptions do prove the rule: "If there's one thing that George Bush has done that we should never forget, it's that for us and for our children, he has shattered the myth of white supremacy once and for all," congressman Charles Rangel said.) working for them, does no one there realize what is going on?

To sum this up:
- The Operation Iraqi Freedom has turned a despotic regime into one of anarchy and misrule (with a Shiite majority dominating a Sunni minority (and let's remember that an authoritarian regime is one regardless of whether it is led by a person, a group or a majority of the people)).

- The Operation Enduring Freedom has established Hamid Karzai as the mayor of Kabul while it has failed in defeating the Taliban (who are actually regaining ground as of right now) or capturing Osama Bin Laden (who needs to be put in front of a court btw, not killed and made a martyr).

- Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo, Khalid El Masri, the secret prisons in Eastern Europe and that CIA case in Italy (with Italian courts asking for the extortion of 20-something CIA agents from the US) have shattered the positive image the US used to have in regard to human rights issues.

Bush claims that
"terrorists are losing on the field of battle, so they are fighting this war through the pictures we see on television and in the newspapers every day".

I am not going to dwell on the ludicrous assessment regarding the field of battle, but think about the second half of that sentence for a second. In the long run, what would you consider more important to the 'War on Terror' (if ever there was a misnomer, here it is) a couple of terrorists dead in Iraq or thousands of islamic youths enraged by what they see on television or the internet?
It is a well-known fact that Vietnam was lost not on the ground but in the eye of public opinion (whether it be in Vietnam bolstering the strength of the VC, the US or the rest of the world) does no one put two and two together here? Let's put it this way, the biggest facilitator that Bin Laden, Sarkawi and others have right now is none other than the Bush administration. By alienating the islamic youths of the world in their words (this whole christian refeerence crap) and deeds (see point 3 above) the US are driving them into the arms of religious fanatics all over the world and thus create their own future enemies.

Anyway, sorry for the length this gets me worked up. John Prine might be exaggerating, I like the song anyway.