The reactions of George W. Bush and Dick Cheney, as contrasted to those of Bill Clinton and Al Gore, when the Twin Towers and the Pentagon were attacked on September 11, 2001, shows who values a fearful populace and who seeks to calm the people’s fears. Bush was hustled into an airplane and kept there for a few days, while Dick Cheney ran the country from the White House basement. In the meantime, Clinton and Gore — both of whom had been out of the country the day of the attacks — made it a point to get home as fast as they could and then come straight to Ground Zero so they could walk the streets and cheer up frightened citizens, much as the British royal family had walked around London during the Blitz. (It was in fact the Clinton visit that shamed Bush into making his well-publicized stand with the bullhorn on the heap of rubble a few days later.)
Now those who would have us cowering under our beds — if not wetting them — are at it again. Check out Tom Friedman’s jonesing for another terrorist attack on Meet the Press this week: "…one more 9/11, one more massive attack inside this country, and that’s the end of the open society as we know it. You’ll be taking off more than your shoes at the airport…"
And get a load of the title assigned this AP article on Obama’s pledge to close Guantanamo and finally put the detainees held there for years without trial or even formal charges into the American criminal justice system: "Issue of terrorists’ rights to test Obama’s pledge". Why are we talking about "terrorists’ rights" (as opposed to detainees’ rights) when the vast majority of persons at Gitmo and other black sites weren’t terrorists at all when they were detained? This is not an isolated article, either: Hilzoy at Washington Monthly details other recent efforts to bang the fear drum.
What’s behind the fearmongering? Is it that the people who gleefully aided and abetted Bush, Cheney, and the rest of the PNAC Platoon’s rush to war in Iraq, who told innocent Iraqis to "Suck. On. This." as we bombed and killed them, are not only not as contrite as we might hope, but are in fact gearing up to do it all over again?
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I’m often intimidated by the intelligence of people who write about economics and public policy but when I hear Freidman speak, I feel like a genius that could do his job fifteen times better than he’s doing it.
Lordy, I wouldn’t want to see Friedman take off more than his shoes. What a dolt.
Republicans die a thousand deaths, while the brave will die but once.
ALL of the dots are connected here. The globalists don’t want peace, they want total war and global domination:
http://bigdanblogger.blogspot……-2009.html
Also note that Bush took the nation to war in Iraq for an objective (getting rid of Iraqi WMD) that had already been achieved by Bill Clinton without the need for war, no spilling of American blood and no waste of trillions of dollars.
It has brought him a good living.
You have to get your head around what the original 9/11 really was, and what it wasn’t, to comprehend Friedman’s actual statements:
http://homepage.mac.com/ardeshir/9-11.html
You also need to comprehend what the definition of terror is, and what it isn’t:
http://proliberty.com/observer/20000906.htm
From the September 2000 Idaho Observer:
RAND analyst admits Defense Secretary fits profile of domestic terrorist?
“Astute observation” begs question: “Who are the real terrorists?”
The Department of Defense’s definition of terrorism is:
“The calculated use of violence or the threat of violence to inculcate fear; intended to coerce or try to intimidate governments or societies in the pursuit of goals that are generally political, religious or ideological.”
“All acts of terrorism are politically motivated,”
“Why would Cohen, who has access to all chemical/biological weapons intelligence data, including that disseminated by RAND, scare the public with the imminence of a chemical/biological threat? Is he not mirroring the intent of ‘terrorists’ to leave a specific impression on a gullible public,” asked Don Harkins of The Idaho Observer.
Chalk gave a thoughtful and lengthy answer to Harkins’ question. Chalk explained that Cohen’s public announcement was undoubtedly prompted by lobbyists who used the Clinton cabinet member as political leverage to fund their anti-terrorism programs and research.
“Earlier today Dr. Hoffman stated that ‘all terrorist acts are politically motivated.’ What you just described to me is that Cohen’s threat of imminent chemical or biological attack was politically motivated. How, then, is Defense Secretary Cohen’s behavior different from what you guys have described as that of a domestic terrorist?” Harkins asked.
With a smile that seemed to say, “touchet,” Chalk said, “Your observation is very astute.”
FEAR MONGERING FOR POLITICAL PURPOSES IS BY DEFINITION TERRORISM.
Friedman lives in a 11,400 square foot house. He needs to keep his property taxes down. Taibbi explains a lot about Shopping Mall Mogul Tom Friedman here:
http://www.nypress.com/article…..-that.html
Yup.
Thomas Friedman, porn-stached resident of a positively obscene 11,400 square foot suburban Maryland mega-monstro-mansion and husband to the heir of one of the largest shopping-mall chains in the world, reinventing himself as an oracle of anti-consumerist conservationism.
Matt Taibbi is the Anti-Friedman. Reading him going after somebody like Friedman is like reading Mark Twain disembowelling James Fenimore Cooper with clean, crisp, elegant prose.
Anybody who thinks otherwise still believes in the tooth fairy.
Tommy needs another pie in his face.
More from Taibbi:
Approximation of Alexander the Great’s epitaph:
And now a tomb suffices him for whom all the world was not enough.
When right to lifers attack Planned Parenthood offices or abortion clinics that is terrorism. Is it religious or political?
It would seem that religion has become political, no? There may be a distinction without a difference. Zealots are zealots. It could surely be argued that Limbaugh advocates for his brand of (mis-named) “conservatism” as though it were his religion.
In the land we now inhabit, discerning reality requires that we seek the actual meaning of words used (frequently the opposite). Conservatism sure looks radical by the standards I grew up with.
Here’s what’s going on;
cheney and bush are watching everything they said over the past 8 years turn to a lie.
they have called in their favors and are having these idiots get on the teevee and use the same fear to ligitimise the actions of the previous administration.
Now here’s the scary part;
if there is no attack these people go unscathed, claiming bush layed the groundwork but the next president has to take heed.
if there IS an attack they will say, “see”..we TOLD you obama was doing this, HE NEEDS TO BE IMPEACHED”
this I guarantee
The Shadow Government already knows that it will attack again.
these people are cowards, they really are scared themselves, and anything that doesn’t fit their tribe’s culture must be attacked and destroyed.
PW !
Matt’s great but two references to Friedman is all I can take so early in the day.
I’ll go back to read the rest of the column
after I’ve made a Pitcher of Martinilaterthis is why we need to imprison cheney and interogate him
I do not mean “enhanced interogation” (but the thought has an irony)
cheney is a wealel and will through his cohorts under the bus in all of one month, and no, cheney is NOT the “master mind”, he is a moron…but he will tell us who the “masterminds” are (the pnac comes to the top of my head)
The fact is, there is no way to prevent all future acts of terrorism. All we can do is our best to prevent or minimize them. On the other hand, democracy and a free society cannot exist only at the whim or oversight of terrorists. |Accordingly, citizens have to be brave enough to continue being free and realizing that they may take some terrible blows. Enough of this cowardly, “We can’t stand another….”
terrorists’ rights. jeez. “Obama and the liberal democrats want them to be given Miranda warnings”
PW, is today an off day posting-wise for the MN election fiasco?
Dov Zakheim and Kobi Alexander
the reason terrorism will always exist is that it is not an enemy it is a tactic enemies use.
it can’t be eliminated, it’s effective, efficient and unermines organised forces.
terrorism is not an enemy and can not be defeated it can only be reduced
Friedman’s vast shopping mall business must really be sucking wind. No customers – tenants folding. Maybe people will buy his Flat Hot and Stupid Book. Maybe Friedman wants to collect the insurance money on his malls. But he can’t collect on all of them. Its not like the twin towers. All those eggs in one basket paid off.
I think the fear-mongering (in general, not just specific to Friedman) relates to a couple of things.
A. I think it is an attempt to keep tying our foreign policy to Israel – so fear, fear fear. That covers both fronts – keeping the war mongers going.
B. I think it ties in to the issue of “torture” – trying to justify it, because we’re so fearful, you see, and we have torture people to make us safer. We’re coming up to Wed’s Holder testimony and I think they’re priming the pump for that and what lies down the road.
C. I think it relates to war crimes and whether they are investigated, etc.
To me it’s all wrapped up in a nice little box: US & Israel, rationalizing torture and other war crimes at the beck and call of fear, in the service of “anything is ok to keep us safe.”
I happen to want the whole box opened up. The fear mongers don’t.
Good Monday Morning, Petro and All.
Anyone heard from Christy? Hope she and the family had a good trip, but it didn’t exactly sound like a relaxing vacation. *g*
Poignant analysis.
The MN court will be having hearings on the case starting at 1:00 CST. Probably should wait to later in the day.
And it is a total misnomer to declare a “War On Terror.” There can be no such thing. Declaring war against a politically motivated TACTIC is absurd.
The Returds and their friends to the rest of us: Boo!
That is all they have.
Yes, of course. Somehow we’ve managed to muddle through, knowing that we can never fully prevent hurricanes, tornadoes, forest fires, automobile accidents, etc.. But it’s somehow a reason to surrender our freedom because of the acts of some primitive relegious fanatics.
I was wondering, too. I have missed her writings and hope it was a good vacation. I think she ran into some cold weather, however.
You’re probably right, given the fact that the fear-mongers are almost all big supporters of Israel. But the logic of this is so bassackwards. It is well documented that one of the key reasons that we get attacked by people from the mideast is exactly our support for Israel.
Matt Taibbi, Matt Taibbi, Matt Taibbi
Say it three times and Friedman turns into a lump of coal.
But, but, they told us that Friedman is a liberal!
Hey, great minds think alike. Whenever somebody mentions Friedman now, I always think of the Taibbi smackdown.
I don’t know how the cold weather pups do it. I’m such a spoiled one here in Los Angeles. But, she also had her hands full with the car full. Still, the destination of that trip should be memorable.
I enjoy your writing too, Bev. Nice to have thoughtful and considerate comments in addition to the other kind. :)
David Gregory, Friedman and Hayes concur that Jack Bauer enhanced interrogation techniques are necessary tools to torture confessions from terrists which include everyone except themselves and the other Country Club Members.
Cold weather ? Cold weather ? We were happy that it almost got to zero on Friday … right now, we’re at minus 11 F and yes, I envy you ! *g*
MPR on recount
For a minute there, I thought you meant my logic was backasswards. (whew!)
I completely agree with your analysis. Every one of these wars has been predicated on scaring and smashing the other side. And what happens? Boomerang! (same policies, same effects, both countries)
You think they’d learn.
But right now it’s all about the cover-up. So dust off those nonsensical arguments and failed policies once more. If they don’t work on the “tehrists” maybe they’ll at least scare Americans away from the Rule of Law.
Meet The Press is Dick Cheney’s reliable choice when he wants to “get our message out”.*
*On record in Scooter Libby court transcripts.
M..m…m…mornin’, Petrocelli. Mighty cold in MN still. Could reach highs around 20 (above!) by midweek, though. Bring on beach clothes!
Inconceivable! Twice last week it was 90 on my front porch. Course, we have to put up with minor things like earthquakes and Fires. And, by the way, we’ve had enough rain in the last month that the hills are starting to get a green sheen going. Little patches of green growing around the burned areas of the neighborhood. It makes my heart sing and my soul feel hopeful. New Year. New President. New Growth.
Am I trembling because of the cold or because of fear? The Shadow knows. Bwahahahahahahaha….
Barbara !
The weather dood with his Billion$ worth of equipment had predicted a much milder than normal winter.
I guess he went to the PNAC School of Foresight !
It is well documented that one of the key reasons that we get attacked by people from the mideast is exactly our support for Israel.
They just murdered more than 1,300 Palestianians in cold blood, with our full assent, support and weapons. Like Juan Cole asks, I wonder who just made out their wills?
707!
I’ll tell you what really scares me. It’s that photo of Darth at the inauguration. I am so not kidding. That is a chilling image that I can’t seem to shake. Captures the essence of the man completely. Okay, that and the fact that I saw a stage production of “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” yesterday and now I think everyone is kinda creepy. *g*
*ahem* minus 19. Just sayin’
AND THE KILLIN’ GOEZ ON AND ON AND…
Citizen Phoenix Woman and the Firepup Freedom Fighters:
“Is it that the people who gleefully aided and abetted Bush, Cheney and the rest of PNAC…are gearing up to do it all over again?”
Rhetorical question, right? If the Likud behind Bebe The Brownshirt wins the election in Israel next month, then we have the second 9/11…and remember that Israel has the fuckin’ bomb.
The world is teetering on the edge of annhilation waiting to see if the Israeli people are really nihilists or if we can now get past past the middle ages.
KEEP THE FAITH AND PASS THE AMMUNITION, THIS MESS IS ALL ON US!!
Hi PW and Puppies.
Good one, PW!
I fear (heh) you folks have absolutely ruined Friedman’s fear factor for me.
Whenever I see him, I think, “Friedman Units” and dismiss every tarnished 2-headed nickle that spews from his forked tongue. the guy’s last week’s garbage. i kick him to the curb.
lessee. did i mix enuf metaphors to make a properly useless, clear-as- pea-soup concoction? *g*
purt near. *g*
We were there last night … care for a Martini ? *g*
12 degrees here.
Demi, you rascal. Enjoy your sunshine dear. We actually have some sun too. Makes the ice and snow sparkle purty. That’s all I got.
OH! Wait! Somethin’ else. Our local Red-shouldered Hawk has declared it to be SPRINGTIME! He’s soaring and swooping around, showin’ off and screaming his head off in self proclaimed glory. Works for me! Good on him!
google: “false flag” and note who the world’s foremost experts are.
“by way of deception”
Glenzilla has some very good stuff to say about the first week of Obama’s foreign policy, which included:
– an act of piracy by the U.S. Navy against an Iranian ship
– multiple missile attacks on Afghan and Pakastani villages that local officials say killed scores of villagers, including children.
Nice going Mr. President. Keep listening that pack of neocons you put in charge of your state department: http://www.salon.com/opinion/g…..index.html
There’s also a doozie of Gingrich also, in that huge interactive picture some kind doggie put up at FDL. (sorry, don’t know link right now)
Gingrich was glaring like a grumpy grandma at some errant soul who apparently had the audacity to sit too close to his lordship. boo hoo. heh
Adie !
Good on him. Yes. Oh, to be that free and proud.
And, good on you too, hon. I love your metaphors.
Thanks, saw that earlier too. This crazy neocon shit needs to stop now.
It’s so disgusting watching Obama lead the U.S. Navy to acts of piracy to help the Israelis piss on the Gazans.
I agree with you wholeheartedly PW, but I think it only fair to point out that, IIRC, Bush only spent a few hours riding around in a plane on 9/11 and was back in DC by that evening. As for fearful fearmongers (Friedman, Hitchens et.al.), I always think of this not-so-rara avis as “Yellow Bellied Thumb Suckers”.
DIGG is open.
Thank you PhoenixWoman for this important article.
I wuz once a werry serious-type science major, but so dang cauliflower-eared now from too much gardening that I have to keep looking up “metaphor” so I can try and figure out whatever it was some language major says I just did.
No. Really. Smith Coll., hang yer head. You let one go & even published her stuff. Must’a been a hole in the filter back in the dark ages. *blush*
yeah! there oughtta be a law, by gum!
oh wait.
there’s more than one ice cube in the tumbler.
shouting “fire” at a birthday party, then trampling grandma in yer haste to preserve yer own genetic potential?
source: george costanza, sorta
nutz, as nutz as wah on terrah. cain’t be.
there: this mangled enuf?
AND to Katymine, and many others….
yanking us back to reality, and those vulnerable to the spinoff from human activity: speaking of the free-flying hawk (mentioned in #57) who freely chooses to share our air- and woods-space with us in spite of the inherent danger of living close to humans, and to all others so vulnerable in today’s world who may be hurt from mysterious causes we can only guess at, unless and if only we had the motivation and support as a society to measure accurately the causes and effects of so-called modern marvels, we could and can make progress in combating AND avoiding many of today’s ills.
Yes, Katymine. It is a mystery what caused your illness, and it is quite possible it was caused by mankind’s activities.
I do hope Obama’s humane, caring approach to leadership means he will, as soon is he is able, stoke the fires of research, quality control, health care, and every other related field, so we can face the future with more confidence than we ever believed possible during the previous administration. Lots of the knowledge is there already, but we need to redirect support and caring effort, and more research.
It is time for caring and nurturing, planning, sharing, and pondering deeply just where we are heading with our shared future, and acting. I think we have a chance to do so under Obama.
Oh heck. That crazy, beautiful wild hawk is reacting to his “inner clock” which somehow tells him it’s time to fly and do this & that which happens to display his grandeur, based on increasing day-length. Who am I to argue. As long as the rest of us in his neighborhood behave ourselves and let him be, he’ll have a brood off the nest again next summer.