CATCHING A BIG FISH
COMEDY WRITERS SHAKE THEIR HEADS IN HAPPY DISBELIEF AT HOW EASY THEIR JOB IS
Not the best moment of Bush's presidency....but close.
President Bush has revealed to a German newspaper that while there have been many good moments during his reign as the most powerful man in the world, the absolutely best moment came when he caught a seven pound fish in the lake at his Crawford, Texas ranch.
Repeat. President Bush has met thousands of people, including world leaders, he's met the most dedicated charity workers in America, he's sat and talked with hundreds of injured and disabled US soldiers, he has travelled the world, had access to places that most of us will never even see photos of, he has dined with kings and queens, greeted popes, played golf with legends, listened to talks by some of the most inspired and inspiring people of the last century, he has comforted the humble, helped the needy, he has seen things we would never believe to be real, and yet, the best of all, the best moment of his presidency ocurred when he was...fishing.
You'd think Bush would be able to come up with something better than reeling in a big fish after spending five and a half years as the leader of the United States, but no.
What about the takedown by the passengers of Flight 93 from four September 11 terrorists, thus saving possibly hundreds, if not thousands, of lives in the Capitol?
Nope.
What about witnessing one of the most incredible moments of recent history when millions of Iraqis defied terrorists and went to the polls and utilised their new democratic rights to vote in free elections for the first time in decades?
Nope.
What about having one of his closest friends, Condi Rice, ascend to the role of Secretary fo State and become one of the most powerful women in the world?
Nope.
What about....oh, what's the point?
The man is obviously more interested in fishing than spreading freedom and democracy and bearing witness to some of the greatest moments of the 21st century, thus far.
Maybe all the good and great has been overwhelmed, blighted and banished, by the shocking, the horrors and the misery.
Maybe the fear and loathing he has tried to stop, and also helped unleash upon the world, has poisoned the many magical, brilliant and once-in-a-lifetime moments that should be rank well beyond merely the 'best'. And far above catching a fish.
Here's a few of the not-so-highlights President Bush probably wishes to forget :
- The loss of more than 2400 US soldiers, and the severe wounding of twelve thousand more in the War On Iraq.
- The racking up of more than $US500 billion in war costs, with eventual costs estimated to grow well beyond $US1 trillion.
- The sexual torture, ritual humiliation, brutal interrogation and murder of alleged terrorists at the Abu Ghraib and Guantánamo prisons.
- Using the National Security Agency to wiretap potential enemies, and also to spy on thousands of innocent Americans, all in complete violation of numerous laws.
- The complete breakdown of Bush's plans for social security overhaul.
- The rendition of terrorist suspcts by the CIA to Third World gulags for more sexual torture
and brutal interrogations.
- The complete non-existence of WMDs in Iraq, which Bush dismissed recently by claiming, "The intelligence was wrong..."
- The stunning ignorance shown towards the possibility of a violent resistance in Iraq, after the fall of the Saddam Hussein regime, despite warnings from numerous generals, intelligence agents, foreign government intelligence departments and the CIA.
- The deaths of more than 32,000 Iraqi civilians, whom the US were obliged to protect once they had invaded and occupied the country.
- The leaking of the name of an undercover CIA employee, who was monitoring the Iran nuclear development programs, by senior members of the White House in an attempt to re-spin the reasons for going to War on Iraq.
- Using the deaths of US soldiers in the War On Terror, such as Pat Tillman, to gruesomely
grandstand and spin total fabrications about how these American heroes actually lost their
lives.
- The complete lack of a coherent follow-on strategy for dealing with Iraq.
- The loss of an American city (New Orleans), and the deaths of more than 1400 people.
No wonder he said recently, "I can't wait to retire". He's knows the lake is there, waiting for him, and there might be even a bigger fish in there, next time.
The meltown of the Bush Administration continues....
