Intersting Must Read

From Smirky!

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'Why do they hate us?'

"The recent arrests that our fellow citizens are now learning about are a stark reminder that this nation is at war with Islamic fascists who will use any means to destroy those of us who love freedom, to hurt our nation." --President George Bush, August 11, 2006. That's why.

'What we are seeing in Beirut is the birth pangs of a new Middle East'.--Condeleeza Rice. That's why. Maybe.

'We don't do body counts.'--Gen Tommy Franks. That's why.

'We don't do torture'--President George W. Bush. That's why.

'George Bush was not elected by a majority of the voters in the US. He was appointed by God.' -General Boykin. Maybe that's why.

On U.S. sanctions against Iraq: 'We have heard that a half million children have died. I mean, that's more children than died in Hiroshima. And, you know, is the price worth it?' -Leslie Stahl

'I think this is a very hard choice, but the price--we think the price is worth it.' -- Ex-Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, 60 Minutes (5/12/96).

Could that be why?

Or:

Hiroshima?
Nagasaki?
Overthrow of Iran's Prime Minister Mohammed Mossadegh in 1952? The installation of the murderous Shah of Iran, 'King of Kings' and 'Light of the Aryans'? The brutishly savage 'SAVAK' secret police, American trained?
The 'School of the Americas' Coup and Torture College?
Vietnam?
Cambodia?
Laos?
Operation Phoenix (25000-50000 murdered)?
Nixon/Kissinger coup against democratically elected government of Chile?
Nixon/Kissinger assistance to Greek junta?
Invasion of Grenada?
Invasion of Panama?
Iran-Contra fiasco? Dirty war against Guatemala?
Dirty war against Nicaragua?
Reagan's nun-butchering 'Freedom Fighters' of Nicaragua?
Dirty war in El Salvador?
Reagan's good friendship with the likes of President 'Blowtorch Bob' of El Salvador? Gulf War I?
Depleted Uranium?
George H.W. Bush's 'Highway of Death'?
Invasion of Afghanistan?
Destruction of infrastructure in Afghanistan?
Bagram?
Gulf War II?
The vilification of Islam? Shock and Awe?
The destruction of infrastructure in Iraq?
The use of cluster bombs?
500 pound bombs?
The use of white phosphorus?
The bombing of ambulances and hospitals?
50-100,000 dead Iraqi civilians?
Abu Ghraib?
Secret prisons?
Extraordinary renditions?
Torture?
Virtual suspension of the American Constitution?
The imposition of American economic policies on third-world countries?
Abrogation of international treaties governing nuclear non-proliferation, first strike use, etc.?
Rampant American triumphalism, racism, ignorance and arrogance?
Blatant hypocrisy regarding non-existent American 'values' of freedom and democracy ?

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This list is far from comprehensive, but at least offers an alternative to BushCo.'s pathetic 'They hate us for our freedoms and our beliefs.' America is hated for what it does, not for what it believes, unless one can take that to mean America believes it can do whatever the hell it likes.

There is currently a convergence of three inter-related lines of attack in the Middle East, any one of which could easily result in nuclear conflagration. First is the PNAC (Project for a New American Century) Iraq invasion plan, predating 9-11 and under discussion just ten days after Bush's 'inauguration. These plotters were busy through the Reagan, Bush, and Clinton years, and finally achieved perfect purchase with the selection of George W. This patient group includes Cheney, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, Perle, Cambone, and others determined to invade Iraq in a 'cakewalk'. Rose petals were flying in their fertile imaginations. Saddam and Osama were bosom buddies. Saddam had weapons of mass destruction and a mushroom cloud for Condi. They hoped for a new 'Pearl Harbor type event' to scare the crap out of Americans. They got it, by hook or by crook. Next they want to invade Syria and Iran, quite likely with tactical nuclear weapons. Russia and China might not appreciate this, but the Bush administration is so mired in Iraq and war crimes and crimes against humanity, not to mention domestic lawbreaking that it is desperate for any distraction. They are becoming reduced to a strategy of 'nothing left to lose'. Pile crimes upon crimes and hope the sum is just too overwhelming. But prepare certain domestic ...measures at the same time.

Secondly, there is the all-powerful Israel lobby within the US, (conveniently overlapping with some of the PNAC people--Wolfowitz, Perle, etc.) which was also in favor of the Iraq invasion and helped to drive it, and now also wants to move on Syria and especially Iran. Israel, for all its legendary brutality just lost the battle in Lebanon, but no matter, because America will do the dirty work in Iran, and Israel will benefit in terms of hegemony and oil. Perfect! Of course there are certain gambles involved, but when did Israel ever shy away from gambling with other peoples' lives? Israel has 200 or so nuclear weapons and no hesitation to use them. Iran may have one in about ten years. Danger, danger!

Finally, there are the Crocodile Christians. They have been patient also, slowly building their base within government so that now they can even claim the President as one of their own (sort of). Having long since disposed of Gentle Jesus on the trash heap of history, the Crocs for Christ want Armageddon, and they want it now, dammit. Haven't they earned it? Why wait? They're here to give Crocodile Rambo Redeemer a boot in the ass to get Him going, if that's what it takes. Nobody ever said Armageddon couldn't be nuclear, and if the Christian Crocs have to blow up the whole world (including you and me) to achieve their 'dream', well it's God's way, and the American way. No more waiting on some cold mountaintop for shit that isn't going to happen. Everyone knows Americans make things happen. Usually bad things.

Loads more in the entire piece.