Alawi votes. ©2005 UrbisMedia
It would be unseemly to, let’s say, wish for the Iraqi election to be a flop. You have to admire those people coming out to vote, walking, not riding in armored Humees or Bradleys, wearing flip-flops and not Kevlar vests, and risking their lives, not just having their ballot rejected for hanging chads. The Bush administration wants us to see this as vindication for all the lies and deaths up to this point (they aren’t over by a long shot). Iraqis haven’t had an open election for 50 years and they came out to vote for one of the 100 political parties they know next to nothing about, candidates without any platforms, for a 275 seat assembly that is supposed to create their new constitution, whatever that will be, in a “free and fair” election that is taking place under occupation by a foreign power that refuses to say if and when they will leave their country.
The Bushies have us in a tough position. A preempted position. They play the game better than anybody. Why? Because they have a callous disregard for the truth, that’s why.
Preemption No, 1: They preempted any real opposition for opposition to going to waranywhere by calling their war a “war on terror.” It’s not, but vote against giving Bush that power and you ride with Osama, man. (Osama who? Well don’t ask Bush.)
Preemption No. 2: They preempted any opposition to their war by preempting the weapons inspection process. Let’s face it, if Blix had found no weapons then where was the case (the initial one) for invasion.? How do they preempt that: just keep saying that they are there WMDs, but Saddam won’t let us find them. So we gotta go in and get them because, even though he never threatened us with them, he is a danger to our security. See, you’ve been preempted.
Preemption No. 3: Once they get the troops in there you are preempted again. Say anything against the war and you are “not supporting the troops.” You may want to bring them home, but George needs them over there, and he needs some of them to die because that “proves” that there are terrorists there, even though our troops are the main attraction for terrorists that weren’t there before. You’ve been preempted, again.
OK, you still with me? No? We then you’re a red state moron; go to your Christian Monster Truck Rally and leave us alone!
Preemption No. 4. So the Bushies push for an election well before the country is ready for one. Having gotten Hamid Karzi installed as president of the nine blocks of Kabul and Afghanistan that aren’t run by warlords, the Bushies have experience there (and in Ohio) of creating the illusion of democracy. So how are you going to gainsay those courageous Iraqis coming out and voting. You can’t; you’ve been preempted !
So you have to say awkward, convoluted things like: “I support getting the terrorists who caused 911, but not invading Iraq. I support our troops, but not what they are doing over there. I praise the Iraqis for voting, but we shouldn’t have invaded their country in the first place.” That’s pre-empted people talk. You can’t fight people who have a callous disregard for the truth with talk like that. You know, and they know, this whole thing is built on a lie, that two wrongs can make a right, that it’s a shell game of cocked-up justifications for a war that has ruined our reputation internationally.
Preemption No. 5: But worst of all, the Iraqis (not just Saddam) were preempted. We’ve killed may 12 or 14 thousand of you people, wrecked some of your cities and infrastructure, and are shoving broomsticks up some of your detained butts. Sure, that’s what Saddam used to do; but we’re doing it for a good cause, and we’ll leave someday. You can understand that can’t you? You would have chosen that if you could have, right?
No? Well, it doesn’t matter: YOU’VE BEEN PREEMPTED!
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©2005, James A. Clapp (UrbisMedia Ltd. Pub. 2.1.2005)