In his new book, Peter Galbraith has revealed one possible reason : President Bush might not have even known that Iraq had religious sects.
A year after his 'Axis of Evil' speech before the U.S. Congress, President Bush met with three Iraqi Americans, one of whom became postwar Iraq's first representative to the United States. The three described what they thought would be the political situation after the fall of Saddam Hussein. During their conversation with the President, Galbraith claims, it became apparent to them that Bush was unfamiliar with the distinction between Sunnis and Shiites.If that seems too appalling to be true, remember that, at roughly the same time, Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz testified in front of Congress that Iraq had no history of ethnic strife.
Galbraith reports that the three of them spent some time explaining to Bush that there are two different sects in Islam--to which the President allegedly responded, "I thought the Iraqis were Muslims!"
"We have no idea what kind of ethnic strife might appear in the future, although as I have noted, it has not been the history of Iraq's past."
4 comments:
Another Great Liberal Fairy-Tale About Bush
http://ace.mu.nu/archives/189573.php
http://minx.cc/?post=189573
http://bamapachyderm.com/archives/2006/08/06/the-end-of-a-lie-how-moonbat-incompetence-created-a-joke-without-end/
I looked at all three of your links.
Nothing you posted contradicts Galbraith's story. They just call him and his father stupid.
The only evidence cited is this Bush line from 2002:
"“If the Iraqi regime wishes peace, it will cease persecution of its civilian population, including Shi’a, Sunnis, Kurds, Turkomans, and others, again as required by Security Council resolutions.”
But reading a speech he didn't write doesn't prove that he understood anything. Shi'a and Sunni are religious distinctions. Kurd and Turkoman are ethnic/linguistic designations. Who's to say that Bush read that line not understanding what Shi'a and Sunni meant.
And what about Wolfowitz's line from the same period? You don't even bother with that.
Did Bush know the difference? Obviously we can't get inside his head and know. But the way the war has progressed so far indicates that Bush most certainly did not fully understand the severity of Iraq's sectarian divisions. 2,500 dead Americans and 100,000 dead Iraqis later, that's really all that matters.
And next time, please sign your name.
"Nothing you posted contradicts Galbraith's story."
Everything I posted contradicted Galbraith's story. Pretending otherwise doesnt make it so. I mean, even Galbraith isnt too sure. He writes: "to which the President allegedly responded, “I thought the Iraqis were Muslims!”"
Note the words "allegedly responded". And then he defends himself with: ""I found it plausible because it so fit the facts."
"They just call him and his father stupid."
Yes and no. They did call him and his Father stupid, but thats not ALL they did.
The only evidence cited is this Bush line from 2002:
"“If the Iraqi regime wishes peace, it will cease persecution of its civilian population, including Shi’a, Sunnis, Kurds, Turkomans, and others, again as required by Security Council resolutions.”
"But reading a speech he didn't write doesn't prove that he understood anything."
Fine. Prove that he didnt understand it.
"Shi'a and Sunni are religious distinctions. Kurd and Turkoman are ethnic/linguistic designations. Who's to say that Bush read that line not understanding what Shi'a and Sunni meant."
I'm to say.
And what about Wolfowitz's line from the same period? You don't even bother with that.
Thus far in this exchange:
Evidence that Bush didn't understand the distinction between Sunnis and Shi'a before the Iraq war.
1) The fact that he did not adequately plan to deal with Sunni v. Shi'a violence
2) Wolfowitz's testimony (linked above) indicating that he didn't understand.
3). Someone's personal recollection that Bush didn't understand.
Evidence that Bush did understand
1) That the words Sunni and Shi'a appeared in a list with Kurds and Turkoman in a speech he didn't write.
Should I assume that Bush's repeated use of the word "switchgrass" means that he knows how to make biofuels?
Please sign your posts.
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