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Diplomat: U.S. Shouldnât Impose on Iraq
Thereâs just so much mockable content here...Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher urged the Bush administration Friday to back away from its goal of helping to nurture a democratic Iraq as part of broader plan to promote democracy throughout the Middle East. Thanks for the lousy advice, Ahmed, but we finally have a president who understands the word "scam". "They will not be a model and no model will be imposed on them," Maher told a gathering sponsored by the Council on Foreign Relations. "Weâre a better model, really -- weâve run Egypt for thousands of years! We even think that the EU ought to adopt our model, since theyâre so impressed by age!" He called on the administration to "let Iraq be itself." Uh, isnât that the experiment we just shut down??? The administration is using its politically-dominant role in post-Saddam Iraq to try to instill democratic processes from the local to the national level as an alternative to the countryâs long tradition of violent extremism. And to subsidize the Egyptian government to the tune of several billion dollars every year... donât forget that, Ahmed! "I donât think that countries are eager to be models," said Maher, who noted that Egypt never had good relations with Saddam Hussein and had no reason to lament his demise. Particularly if those models donât allow our leaders to become disgustingly rich, and kill people who we donât like... He said the U.S. role as occupier of Iraq must end as soon as possible in the interest of avoiding an unstable situation in the region. Hey, we Americans like instability -- look at whatâs happening in California! On the Israeli-Palestinian dispute, Maher urged the United States to call off its "blame (Yasser) Arafat" policies and strive toward a more evenhanded approach." Okay, weâll be glad to include you and the other local kleptocracies in the blame game, if you insist. While asserting that Arafat is not an "angel," Maher said the Palestinian Authority chairman is an essential part of the solution to the ongoing standoff with Israel. If youâre suggesting that the roadblock itself is an essential player in removing the roadblock, Iâd have to agree wholeheartedly... He said it would be a mistake to regard the liberation movement Arafat has headed as incapable of living in peace with Israel once the "Liberation movements turn into governments and act differently," Maher said. "When theyâre all dead, weâll stop shooting at them!" While restating his friendship for the United States, Maher said it was "absolutely necessary" for the administration to lean on Israel from time to time instead of focusing its wrath on the Palestinians. He said Egypt does not allow the Palestinian to go "scot free" when they engage in wrongdoing and the West should do the same with Israel. "Hell no, we give them a stern talking-to and make them re-read the Protocols of Zion!" As an example of what he described as the pro-Israeli posture of the United States, he cited the examples of Israelâs destruction of seven- and eight-story buildings where Palestinian noncombatants live. They only destroy the buildings that attack them... some of those darn buildings are pretty trigger-happy. In response to those incidents, he said, "We havenât heard any clamor in the West." Weâve subcontracted our clamoring to KCNA... He added: "Israel considers the death of an Israeli child to be one thing and the death of a Palestinian child to be another." Another subtle reference to the Protocols?? Maher also took aim at the wall that Israel is building in the Palestinian territories, contending that it shows an unwillingness by Israelis to pursue the goal of living in peace with Palestinians. Itâs actually a pretty creative way to attain that goal... Beyond that, he said, the wall wonât achieve the Israeli goal of greater security because "Palestinians have missiles which can fly over walls." Sharon: "Guess what... weâre going to need a higher wall..." Posted by: snellenr 2003-09-26 |
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