The Bush administration delights us daily with so many breathtaking moments of criminal duplicity and dangerous incompetence, it's hard to keep up. It's so overhwleming, sometimes you're just going to miss a great story. But now, with "The Sopranos," "The Shield," "Lost," "Deadwood" and "The Wire" (plus, I have to admit, "Desperate Housewives." Yeah, that's right. I watch it. And I'm still a man. Sort of.) no longer cutting into my time to read (it's pretty much just "Rescue Me" now), I have time to catch up on stories I missed.
Which brings me to the June 25th issue of Newsweek, the "Why Gaza Matters" cover. Michael Hirsh has the cover story and it only takes one paragraph for the Bush/Cheney gang to once again astound us with their clownish lack of preparation and absence of insight.
"The Israelis didn't want Palestinian elections back in January 2006," writes Hirsh. He says Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, was also concerned about the elections and "kept asking for delays." Why? Because Abbas knew he lacked the popular support to disarm Hamas. He told the Americans of his concerns. Hirsh reports "both Abbas and the Israelis saw Hamas was growing in power."
But, writes Hirsh, the Bush administration pressed on, "confident of the curative powers of democracy." That first paragraph finally concludes with this line: "Later, after Hamas stunned the world by winning control of the Palestinian Parliament, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice claimed: Nobody saw it coming."
Really? Nobody saw it coming, Ms. Secretary? Well, nobody except the two groups who knew Hamas best – two groups, both American allies by the way, who kept trying to warn you what would happen in a Palestinian election. Of course, those two groups, the Israeli government and the Palestinian Fatah leadership, were completely ignored. As always, when confronted with information they don't want to hear, the Bush administration looks away.
Want another example? You'll find it in that famous August 6th, 2001 presidential daily briefing titled "Bin Laden Determined to Attack in U.S." I certainly can't argue Bush, Cheney and Rice could've prevented the attacks, but I can unquestionably argue they didn't even try. Confronted with that memo, you can be damn sure Presidents Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush the First and Clinton would never have stayed on vacation the rest of the MONTH.
Thanks to the 9/11 Commission, the contents of the explosive memo were finally made public despite efforts by then National Security Adviser Rice to keep them secret. After the briefing's release, Rice discounted its contents, calling them "historical information."
Knowing this, it's not hard to believe Rice and company would dismiss the warnings about Hamas from Israel and President Abbas. It's what they do. It's who they are. This administration represents a terrifying combination of incompetence and confidence. It makes for a long, dangerous 18 months.
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Incompetence + Confidence = Bush Administration
Posted Jul 23rd 2007 1:33PM by Ben Mankiewicz
Filed under: Politics, George Bush, Young Turks
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Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 3)
1. This administration is the worst there has every been in the United States. Several years ago congress wanted to hang Bill Clinton for getting a Blow Job. Who did he hurt? But GW Bush and his band of Merry Man are to blame for thousand of America's young men and women to loss their lives over a lie. Which is the worst of all evil? Killing sperm cells or young people lives? I ask you America, wake the ---- up.
dewitt_willis at 9:26AM on Jul 23rd 2007
2. The people who write this website hate Bush more than they hate the terrorists.
We're all at war against Islamic jihadists and these silly people are more worried about getting political power.
These people hate Bush so much, they want us to lose a war. That's un-American.
Jim at 9:55AM on Jul 23rd 2007
3. BUSH&CO, THE PEOPLE BEHIND HIM THAT CALL THE SHOTS, STARTED A WAR ON FALSE PRETENSES, AND IF GEN. PETRAEUS DOES NOT SUCCEED, ITS BECAUSE BEFORE HIS COMMAND, BUSH AND SEC-DEF RUMSFELD, BREMER, FOULED THINGS UP SO BAD THERE IS NO WIN TO BE HAD HERE. WHY IS SADR STILL ALIVE? WHY HAVEN'T WE UTTERLY DESTROYED THE MAHDI? OUR WORST ENEMIES HAVE FINALLY "AWAKENED" AND NOW ITS TIME TO CRUSH THE IRANIAN PROXIES THAT WILL BRING IRAQ DOWN. LET GEN. PETRAEUS GO, HE'S THE BEST WE HAVE. WAT WILL THE US DO WHEN THE T-BAN TAKES POWER IN P-STAN? THIS IS THE MOST DANGEROUS, MOST RABID MILITANT ISLAMIC COUNTRY IN THE WORLD. A FIRST STRIKE, AND RUIN FROM THE SKIES MAY DAMPEN THIER THIRST FOR WESTERN BLOOD. WE BETTER MAKE FAST FRIENDS WITH INDIA, COZ ITS SHAPING UP AS MOSLEMS VS. INFIDELS IN THIS NEW WORLD WAR. AND THTAS WAT IT IS-A WORLD WAR. NUKE P-STAN!!
Rhyno101st at 9:59AM on Jul 23rd 2007
4. Since when do the Young Turks want our presidents to listen to Israel?
OK, I'm with you let's listen to what Israel is saying and attack Iran today!
Jim at 10:02AM on Jul 23rd 2007
5. Being at war with "Islamic Jihadists" isn't an excuse for having incompetent leadership.
Damn right everybody with an IQ over freezing despises Dumby and his crew.
He lost the war.
What needs to happen is to impeach him, convict him in a fair trial - and if found guilty...
Hang his ass for treason.
Along with the rest of his crew.
BT at 10:28AM on Jul 23rd 2007
6. The Young Turks. I like the name of your group. Like a garage band I imagine you guys sat around a kitchen table and came up with your groups name. I'm sure at one point one of you suggested The Young Turkeys.Just how many "Turks" are involved in your left wing production? Cenk Uygur must be a Turk. He looks like a Turk who has consumed a lot of turkey. Ben Mankiewicz, that doesn't sound like a Turk to me. That name has a jewish ring to it, at least the Ben part does. The cute and sexy young woman who appears on your site could be a Turk but in my opinion, she's just too cute and sexy to be a Turk. J.R. Jackson is cool but it's a bit of a stretch for me to consider him a Turk. So, my guess is your employee payroll consists of one and one half Turks. The Young One and One Half Turks Show has a ring to it. What's my point to this post, you ask? The hard Left is just like the hard Right. On Friday's we get our paycheck, deposit most of it in the bank, maybe buy some groceries and some food, maybe pick up a porn movie for our evenings entertainment and go home. It's very possible President Bush may gone down in history as the worst President in the history of our nation. It is also possible he may down in history as one of our very best. To quote Keith Obbermann who was quoting John Wayne at the time said, " I didn't vote for him but he's our President and I hope he does a good job". In my opinion the American people have two choices. We can unite in BIG numbers to protest this President and his policies or like a marriage vow We can honor and respect the office of the President of the United States and support him. The Left bangs the Right. The Right bangs the Left and at the end of the day many of us are eating junk food for dinner and after the kids go to bed we click on the porn movie. My question? What's the mission of The Young Turks? To achieve your fifteen minutes of fame by mocking politicians, celebrities, music, sports figures and the like? I wouldn't be surprised if there was a snake skinned dress in one of your closets.
PS I enjoy your clips. Have a nice day.
Bill
Bill at 10:30AM on Jul 23rd 2007
7. First of all I am not really a bush supprter. I just think everyone is giving him way too hard of a time. Fact: as many americans died in Iraq under Clinton as Bush. Fact: Bush is the third president to attack Iraq, he is just the only one who didn't pull out when the polls droped. Fact: the recession we have been fighting started Bill Clintons last year in office. Fact: 9/11 was planned 2 years before it happened. Whlie Bill Clinton was getting it on with the help. Fact: the Florida State recall was because of an obscure Florida State law that demands recounts on close elections. It had never been used in a state wide election. So the hand recounts would of took forever. But the recount was not because of shady dealings. Not to mention it the ballots that were recounted on a few thousand votes were corrected. It would not have been enough to change the outcome.
If you hate Bush because he is a redneck, say it. If you hate Bush because he is a republican, say so. If you hate Bush because your a hippy with no real grasp on reality, that's ok. Or if you some whiney litte liberal that thinks there is no place for war in the modern war that's fine. But could you stop fabricating valid reasons to hate Bush. Because all the problems we have today started at least 30 years ago. Not to mention CONGRESS MAKES THE LAWS. and for 30 years the demodrats held power. And their silly notion of ignoring problems doesn't work. Like terrorism, there was bombings in the 70's. Our energy crisis, we had a gas shortage in the 70's. Huricane Katrina, New Orleans flooded in 1969 when a huricane hit.
I know your gonna blast me for this but remember one thing. Everything I wrote here today is facts that you can look up. Not inuendo and hear-say.
Charles Sheppard at 10:49AM on Jul 23rd 2007
8. If we the people,decide today to have the current administration should take a polligraph test,about the war ,and it goes public they will drop like flys with all their lies.
G Bedoya. at 11:23AM on Jul 23rd 2007
9. Any man who would openly admit to watching Desprtae Housewives has ZERO credibility on anything other than how to take it in the ass (which is why he fits in with these left-wing fags so well)
Eddie at 7:09PM on Jul 26th 2007
10. In all of my life..81 years...I have never witnessed a more confused,if not sheerly incompetent, government....For blatantly pushing it's agenda right in our faces and saying, ineffect, that's it..that the majority of citizens are finally voicing their disappointment and by doing so have empowered some of our Congressmen to finaly also speak out. not very strongly yet but it will grow...it has to................also there should be some sort of requirement agenda for a person simply to run for the Presidency....with the prime exclusion of money.........I'm looking for a miracle...
Lou at 8:08AM on Jul 24th 2007
11. Charles Sheppard::: If we agree with all you say, ultimately we have to still point out that this current President is unqualified for the job...He simply is too set in his ways to head a government that supposedly operates on debate and compromise.
Truly he will go down in history as the most unqualified person to ever win ??? an election..
Lou at 8:06AM on Jul 24th 2007
12. Hey Charles Sheppard. You omitted too many facts that prove "Bushit" to be a total village idiot.
As for his VP, well, he is a very dangerous and evil
man also. You need to pay better attention to this
corrupt admn. and grab a brain!!
mdembree at 12:22PM on Jul 24th 2007
13. I am an expert at the blame game. But, folks, we are the ones to be blamed for allowing Bush into office for the second time after buying the first one. We are also at fault fot allowing him to lie, lie, lie without censuring him along with Cheney, the real power behind the throne (oops! outhouse).
Removing him from office would require a 2/3 vote in the Senate--not very likely.
Tom Edgar at 11:36AM on Jul 23rd 2007
14. Jim. Remember WMD, the reason Bush stumbled into Iraq, not terrorists? Bush has created a threat to our country, both inside, and outside. We have lost respect as a nation in the international community
Tom Edgar at 11:41AM on Jul 23rd 2007
15. We were attacked by a group of terrorist lead by Osama Bin Ladden, using mostly men from Saudi Arabia. And no matter which political party you follow, we all came together as a nation and we all wanted justice from this criminals and we all wanted, and still want Osama's head. If fact the whole world wanted that for us and stood side by side with us. Then along comes IDIOT (Yes we hate Bush, No we are not on the side of the terrorist. Will you right wing citizenz Pleeeeeeeessssssea find a new talking point?? Please not only is this one old, it really is stupid!! Not as stupid as Bush, but pretty lame!!!) and brain wahes most of us good citizens of these United States with a story about Iraq and Saddam Husain, oh and also goes out of his way to scare the crap out of most of us.
So we go in and attack Iraq. Why??? Well, let's see. First he tried to sell the 9/11 attacks, with Saddam Husain, then there were the WMS, then when those were no where to be found it was Iraqi freedom, then it was, "WE MSUT FIGHT THEM THERE SO WE DON'T FIGHT THEM HERE. BULL" Somewhere in between there was.....'MISSION ACCOMPLISH'!!! Only, we are still there.
Now there are insurgents, and now AL Quada is there, more terrorist than ever before. Boy, don't we feel better knowing all of this, plus the whole world hating us..
Patty at 12:01PM on Jul 23rd 2007