Flagpole of Liberty

I heard Bush say "I firmly planted the flag of liberty, for all to see that the United States of America hears their concerns and believes in their aspirations" and I thought about it for a little while.

First of all, Bush didn't do anything requiring sacrifice. Our troops overseas are doing that and dying for it.

If he really wanted to plant the flag of liberty, he might try monitoring elections like Jimmy Carter. I'll give him credit for helping to focus world attention on the stolen election in Ukraine, but that is probably the only pro-democracy action on his watch. No protest that Putin is turning Russia back into a dictatorship, and U.S. backing to dictatorships in Pakistan and Azerbaijan.

I know that, by his choice of words, he was going for Iwo Jima. But the Rude Pundit conjures a much more appropriate mental picture here.

The Rude Pundit's not sure, but at his press conference yesterday, did President Bush threaten to fuck other countries who don't adhere to some vague notion of "freedom"? Bush said, "I firmly planted the flag of liberty, for all to see that the United States of America hears their concerns and believes in their aspirations," heightening the effect with a mighty flag-planting gesture, much like the placement of a little banner in the eighth hole at the Crawford golf course. So, like, he's fucked Iraq and Afghanistan with his lil' Flagpole o' Liberty. Who's next? Iran? Drop yer panties, Tehran, 'cause George is gonna hoist his mighty flag and plant it right in yer ass.

The press conference was the usual revolting display of arrogance and paranoia. Is Bush right that elections in Iraq with a modicum of openness and threat of overwhelming violence are preferrable to being raped and tortured by the thugs of a dictator? Yeah, sure, leaving our own raping and torturing out of the equation. It's like asking if you, as an American, would rather be imprisoned for dope possession in Pakistan or in the United States. Either way, you're gettin' fucked, beaten, and sold for cigarettes, but, hey, in the U.S., at least your family can visit you.