Sep. 25th, 2006

anthonybaxter: (Default)


The *very* *very* fine rant from the opening of the opening episode of Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip, Aaron Sorkin's latest venture.

But remember - it's just fiction, right?
anthonybaxter: (Default)
Fuck's sake. The US Intelligence community wrote a report confirming that, no shit Sherlock, the war in Iraq has increased Islamic extremism. Bush, Blair, and Howard pretend that we're all fucking stupid in their answers.

Blair:

TONY BLAIR: The biggest problem we have is in believing that we started this thing.

Look, 9/11, which is the worst terrorist act in the world's history, happened before Iraq or Afghanistan. And actually, if you go back to this movement, founded on a warped and perverted view of Islam, if you go back, the roots of it are deep. They go back decades, and it's going to take us a long time to root it out.


Nice try, Tony. The report didn't say "Iraq and Afghanistan caused Islamic extremism", but that it had fuelled it. Next time, answer the fucking question.


JOHN HOWARD: Well, my response is that there are many theories about the origins of terrorism and the factors that bear on terrorism. One fact is absolutely certain, and that is that Australia and the United States and many other countries were terrorist targets long before the military operation in Iraq.

I remind you that the 88 Australians who were killed in Bali were murdered before the invasion of Iraq, and I remind you that the first attack on the World Trade Centre took place in 1993, 10 years before the military operation in Iraq.

REPORTER: Does this back up what Mick Keelty said previously?

JOHN HOWARD: I think it's just another contribution to a debate that will go on for a long period of time. It's another view. You've asked me my view. I've given you my view.


Right. Because it's well known that every view is exactly equal. So, for instance, the combined judgement of the entire US intelligence community is precisely as valid as the desperate slimy hackery of an unprincipled politician.

[On another note - I just lost an hour's worth of writing on a piece about the new US government plan to legalise torture. I'm not not not happy. I might try to recreate it tomorrow. The subject is just far too upsetting and vile for me to redo it all again now]

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