Wednesday, January 05, 2005
Bush administration disaster response: callous and calculating to the end
During his January 2 visit to tsunami-devastated Southeast Asia, Secretary of State Colin Powell declared: "If nations are poor, if they don't see hope, if they're riddled by disease, if no one is helping them, then radicalism takes over. This is an investment not only in the welfare of these people, which in and of itself is a good thing to do; it's an investment in our own national security."
Is it is telling that, even now, in this dark hour of epic human suffering, the Bush administration continues to spin “national security”, and “war on terrorism” nonsense—and push more inflammatory racist distortions and justifications for more preemptive war operations against selectively chosen populations.
Hundreds of thousands of people are dead, sick and dying—most of whom are in no shape to even sit up or open their eyes, let alone plot and carry out massive terror operations, as Powell seems to insinuate.
The Powell statement, the early non-response on the part of the “vacationing” Bush, the shamelessly meager aid that has been belatedly offered, and serious questions about foreknowledge of the disaster, are symptomatic of a greater moral bankruptcy that continues to defy imagination.
This bunch of cold-blooded war criminals cannot even do a good job faking concern.
Perhaps it is fitting that the tag team of George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton (and crime brother Jeb Bush) has been “hired” to oversee aid efforts. To a man, throughout their careers, not a person in this group has hestitated to plunder and corrupt other nations, and rain death on innocent people. This is humanitarianism, modern imperial style.
Then again, in light of four years of constant Bush administration destruction, it is necessary to view the tsunami disaster from the same twisted lens as the West's geostrategic policy makers. Consider the fact that the South China Sea and the Indian Ocean are key shipping lanes for oil and other resources. Consider that elites such as Zbigniew Brzezinski (in his book The Grand Chessboard) view Asia as the “seat of the world's greatest concentration of rising and recently awakened mass nationalisms,” and “unleashed political passions.” Consider the usefulness of large Islamic populations to politically manipulate (see Powell statement), and how an expanded and entrenched US military presence in Asia, under the cover of disaster relief and reconstruction, would benefit geostrategic control of the region. Consider the financial impact of the disaster, which, interestingly, follows a period of robust market returns. Consider any short and long term impact on China, the future “end game” for the West.
If it did not plan on a violent disaster in the region, the Bush administration isn't shedding tears. It will certainly find a way to exploit the tragedy and mass disruption to enhance its Pacific theater agendas.
Is it is telling that, even now, in this dark hour of epic human suffering, the Bush administration continues to spin “national security”, and “war on terrorism” nonsense—and push more inflammatory racist distortions and justifications for more preemptive war operations against selectively chosen populations.
Hundreds of thousands of people are dead, sick and dying—most of whom are in no shape to even sit up or open their eyes, let alone plot and carry out massive terror operations, as Powell seems to insinuate.
The Powell statement, the early non-response on the part of the “vacationing” Bush, the shamelessly meager aid that has been belatedly offered, and serious questions about foreknowledge of the disaster, are symptomatic of a greater moral bankruptcy that continues to defy imagination.
This bunch of cold-blooded war criminals cannot even do a good job faking concern.
Perhaps it is fitting that the tag team of George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton (and crime brother Jeb Bush) has been “hired” to oversee aid efforts. To a man, throughout their careers, not a person in this group has hestitated to plunder and corrupt other nations, and rain death on innocent people. This is humanitarianism, modern imperial style.
Then again, in light of four years of constant Bush administration destruction, it is necessary to view the tsunami disaster from the same twisted lens as the West's geostrategic policy makers. Consider the fact that the South China Sea and the Indian Ocean are key shipping lanes for oil and other resources. Consider that elites such as Zbigniew Brzezinski (in his book The Grand Chessboard) view Asia as the “seat of the world's greatest concentration of rising and recently awakened mass nationalisms,” and “unleashed political passions.” Consider the usefulness of large Islamic populations to politically manipulate (see Powell statement), and how an expanded and entrenched US military presence in Asia, under the cover of disaster relief and reconstruction, would benefit geostrategic control of the region. Consider the financial impact of the disaster, which, interestingly, follows a period of robust market returns. Consider any short and long term impact on China, the future “end game” for the West.
If it did not plan on a violent disaster in the region, the Bush administration isn't shedding tears. It will certainly find a way to exploit the tragedy and mass disruption to enhance its Pacific theater agendas.
