As the UK prepares to remove its Iraqi operations out in a couple of months — in a “humiliating” withdrawal — Decider George’s last visit to that ruined country this past weekend windows the disaster this past near-eight years has been. From a UK (Scottish) commentary:
- We can ask, nevertheless.
What has it all been for? In one sense, it has been “for” £8 billion, officially, though the actual cost has undoubtedly been higher.
It has been “for” the loss of 177 Britons killed, thousands maimed or mentally scarred and countless — the armies still refuse to count — Iraqis dead.
The other reasons why, mutating with every phase of the disaster, are familiar now, perhaps too familiar. First, non-existent weapons of mass destruction.
Next, Saddam’s non-existent sponsorship of al Qaeda. Next, the duty to follow Washington’s lead without question, and maintain that old special relationship. Next, the moral obligation to enforce regime change — “rid the world of a dictator” — that Tony Blair had rejected, explicitly, in the Commons, when he was still talking up WMD.
(Illustration found here).
And on top of that, Decider George’s arrogant, don’t-give-shit attitude in an ABC News interview.
After he blubbers on awhile about his legacy, including the most-important FACT that al-Qaeda made Iraq the front-line of terror, interviewer Martha Raddatz corrected him:
- Raddatz: But not until after the U.S. invaded.
Bush: Yeah, that’s right. So what? The point is that al Qaeda said they’re going to take a stand.
So what? Asshole!
And on the shoe-flinging:
- Bush: At least that’s what they told me on the way out, that it’s a person who works in the Iraqi press, stands up and throws his shoe.
And it was amusing. I mean, I’ve seen a lot of weird things during my presidency and this may rank up there as one of the weirdest.
No, you shithead — the weirdest and worse is having your sorry ass in the White House for way, way too long.
Shoe fly!