374 lines
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374 lines
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| | c o m m u n i c a t i o n s | |
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| |________________________________________________________________| |
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|____________________________________________________________________|
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...presents... A Kinder, Gentler Nation
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by Tequila Willy
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>>> a cDc publication.......1991 <<<
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-cDc- CULT OF THE DEAD COW -cDc-
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______________________________________________________________________________
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PROLOGUE:
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"...[we] have no choice but to drive Saddam from Kuwait by force. We will
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not fail."
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-- President George Bush, January 16, 1991
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Perhaps it would not be entirely incorrect to speculate that certain
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individuals who hold special jobs in our United States government are holding
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the opinion that the general public is exceedingly stupid (stoooooopid),
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uneducated, and will accept just about any shitty slop as an explanation
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justifying American policy. Perhaps, just maybe, President Bush is among these
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slop-shovelers.
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As the author of this file I am not against the war with Iraq and I am not
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for it. As the author of this file I am merely attempting to analyze
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President Bush's language to come to an understandable conclusion as to why our
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nation is at war with Iraq.
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You might think you know why we are at war, or you might be just as
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confused as I am. If the war is of interest to you (since the odds are you are
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a male of potential draft age) then this file may prove to be very interesting.
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______________________________________________________________________________
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DECEMBER 1990:
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Language, like many other things, is a tool, and it's a tool used to
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communicate ideas. As diverse as our thoughts and ideas can become, so is
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language. And as is the case with many tools, when we need to accomplish a
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different task we can simply adapt language to accomplish our goal. For its
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masters, language can be a powerful weapon and to its novices, language can be
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so overwhelming that deception is easily concealed.
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For example, if you went temporarily insane and strolled through the park
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late at night screaming, "BLOW YOUR MOTHER, YOU MOLDERING LOAVING BUTT-KISSING
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CRYPT MAMA'S BOYS!..." you might have the mishap to encounter a few of the
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nefarious Crypt ("Crip") gang members. Let's just say they didn't appreciate
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your humor and decided your ears would look better stuffed in your mouth and
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they subsequently pulled out their knives. In this case the knife is a tool.
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Language has the potential to be just powerful as the knife is in this case,
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yet its use is much cleaner and can bring bigger and better benefits. And
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saaaaaay, isn't that the same as "the pen is mightier than the sword"? Sorta.
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But what, what is my point?
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Saudi Arabia. You've heard of it. Lots of American troops are stationed
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down there. In fact, as of this writing, we're at war with Iraq and Saudi
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Arabia makes a convenient launching point. But why were our troops sent there
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in the first place? President Bush has stated why, waaaaaay back in August.
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Well, kinda.
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On August 8, 1990, President Bush delivered a speech at the White House
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explaining why he deployed American troops to Saudi Arabia. He concluded his
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speech by saying, "Standing up for our principles will not come easy....
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Standing up for our principle is an American tradition....it will take unity of
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purpose." Pretty patriotic stuff, right? The highly emotive language, "[it]
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will not come easy," and "American tradition" is designed to change your
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attitude from a potentially negative one to a positive one. The word
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"tradition" could easily be substituted with "throwback", "routine",
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"observance", or "notion" but these words would not generate the same
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persuasive tone. Positive emotional generation is very important in a critical
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foreign policy issue -- issues which may otherwise throw the public into a
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screaming rage. As this file unfolds, consciously note the deliberate use of
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emotive language in President Bush's words.
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President Bush becomes very creative with emotive language when he
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describes the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait; "...Iraq's tanks stormed in blitzkrieg
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fashion through Kuwait in a few short hours." Blitzkrieg fashion? Does this
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drum up images of Hitler? During a news conference in Orlando, Florida on
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November 1, 1990, at least one reporter wanted to know. President Bush was
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asked, "Can you tell us what Saddam Hussein has done that compares to the
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Holocaust?" In his reply he stated, "I see many similarities by the way the
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Iraqi forces behaved in Kuwait and the Death's Head Regiments behaved in
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Poland." This is strong emotive language attempting to emphasize the potential
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threat of Saddam Hussein.
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This is all a great emotional charge but it does not explain or relate
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information as to what our initial purpose in Saudi Arabia was.
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President Bush's emphasis of the word "clear" in the speech he delivered
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implies that he understands that many Americans might not be sure exactly why
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American troops were sent to Saudi Arabia. "Let me be clear," he emphasized.
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"The sovereign independence of Saudi Arabia is of vital interest to the United
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States." He then went on to explain, "I want to be clear about what we are
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doing and why. America does not seek conflict, nor do we seek to chart the
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destiny of other nations. But America will stand by her friends. The mission
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of our troops is wholly defensive."
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Though language is a tool to communicate ideas clearly, sometimes, as
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demonstrated by President Bush, it falls short of this goal. In order to
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clarify language even further, sometimes it is beneficial to set up an
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artificial symbolic language. To further clarify President Bush's attempts to
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be clear, we shall use artificial symbolic language to analyze his words.
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According to President Bush, it is not the case (~) that America seeks
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conflict (C) and it is not the case (~) that America seeks to chart the destiny
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of other nations (N) -- so, President Bush, what is the intent of America?
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America will stand by her friends (S) and the mission of our troops is wholly
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defensive (D). This can by effectively diagramed as:
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~C and ~N
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S and D
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We are left guessing that the reason President Bush deployed American
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troops to Saudi Arabia is because "...America will stand by her friends."
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Since troops have been deployed to Saudi Arabia, this implies that Saudi Arabia
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is America's friend. This deployment has the greater implication that Saudi
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Arabia is in danger of being attacked by military forces because the mission of
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our troops, as explained by President Bush, is "wholly defensive". Certainly
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defense does not exist without attack. Who would order an attack on Saudi
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Arabia? Saddam Hussein?
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President Bush, while trying to justify his actions, attempts to
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demonstrate that America's friend, Saudi Arabia, is in danger of being attacked
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by the Iraqi military. The actual argument used by President Bush is as
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follows:
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"But we must recognize that Iraq may not stop using
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force to advance its ambitions. Iraq has massed an
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enormous war machine on the Saudi border, capable
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of initiating hostilities with little or no additional
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preparation. Given the Iraqi government's history
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of aggression against its own citizens as well as its
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neighbors, to assume Iraq will not attack again would
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be unwise and unrealistic."
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Currently the premises do provide conclusive evidence that "...we must
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recognize that Iraq may not stop using force to advance its ambitions." The
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key word here is that the conclusive evidence supports the idea that Iraq may
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attack. It's important to understand that the premises establish the idea
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that "Iraq has massed an enormous war machine" and "it would be unwise to
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assume Iraq will not attack" and these completely support the idea that Iraq
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may attack or it may not.
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However, as President Bush stated during his August 8, 1990 speech,
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American troops are not in Saudi Arabia merely because "America will stand by
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her friends," but because "...the Saudi government requested our help." So,
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according to President Bush..
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American troops are in Saudi Arabia because "America
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will stand by her friends," and "...the Saudi government
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requested our help."
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Does this imply that if Lithuania requested our help then we would be
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rushing troops to defend them against the Soviets? Somehow this fellow doesn't
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think so.
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President Bush has deductively argued that Saudi Arabia may be danger of
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being attacked by Saddam Hussein's military -- which is, as President Bush
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thoughtfully reminds us, "...the fourth largest military in the world."
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American troops are in Saudi Arabia to defend against any possible attacks.
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Keep in mind, Iraq might attack Saudi Arabia and it might not. We're just
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there to make sure Iraq doesn't attack Saudi Arabia.
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At least that's the way President Bush has explained it to us.
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______________________________________________________________________________
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JANUARY 10, 1991
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The 5:00 o'clock news program on KCRA Channel 3 (Sacramento, California)
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announced an interesting story on January 10th, 1991. A Modesto, California
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businessman had obtained a government contract with the military. There is
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nothing unusual about this event by itself except when you stop to consider
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that this businessman owns a business which manufactures body bags and the
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government contract called for an order of 20,000 (twenty thousand) of them.
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It might appear that our government plans to be sending some of our boys
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home soon. However, as of this writing (January 10, 1991) that is purely
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speculative. Hey, it would be presumptuous to interpret this as a sign that
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the U.S. plans to initiate hostilities against Iraq. However, we should also
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not discount the consequential implication of this report.
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______________________________________________________________________________
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JANUARY 16, 1991
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"Our objectives are clear. Saddam Hussein's forces will leave Kuwait.
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The legitimate government of Kuwait will be restored to its rightful place.
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And Kuwait will once again be free."
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-- President George Bush, January 16, 1991
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Wait, wait, wait! What's all this talk, George!? I thought you said the
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mission of our troops was wholly defensive!? In fact, I'm sure that's what you
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said. Certainly you don't expect troops on the wholly defensive to remove
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Hussein's forces? Wouldn't that be the job of offensive troops?
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In fact, President Bush surely recalls those powerful words he uttered
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just a few short months ago, and now, if he is going to muster the support of
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the American public, he is going to have to present a strong argument for
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declaring war on Iraq. What exactly did he say to enlist the support of the
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nation?
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"Some may ask, 'Why act now? Why not wait?' The answer
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is clear. The world could wait no longer."
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-- President Bush (January 16, 1991)
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That, what you just read, is the crux of President Bush's argument for
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declaring war. And, isn't it a fine reason? Who wouldn't die for impatience?
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Immediately following this statement comes the emotive charge for making
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impatience seem like an excellent reason to wage war on Iraq.
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"Sanctions, though having some effect, showed no signs
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of accomplishing their objective. Sanctions were tried
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for well over five months. And we, and our allies,
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concluded that sanctions alone would not force Saddam
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from Kuwait. While the world waited, Saddam Hussein
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systematically raped, pillaged, and plundered a tiny
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nation no threat to his own. He subjected the people of
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Kuwait to unspeakable atrocities. And among those maimed
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and murdered; innocent children. While the world waited,
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Saddam sought to add to the chemical weapons arsenal he
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now possesses and an infinitely more dangerous weapon of
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mass destruction, a nuclear weapon. And while the world
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waited, while the world talked peace and withdrawal, Saddam
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Hussein dug in and moved massive forces into Kuwait.
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While the world waited, while Saddam stalled, more damage
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was being done to the fragile economies of the third world,
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the emerging democracies of eastern Europe, to the entire
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world, including to our own economy. The United States,
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together with the United Nations, exhausted every means
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at our disposal to bring this crisis to a peaceful end.
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However, Saddam clearly felt that by stalling and
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threatening and defying the United Nations, he could
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weaken the forces irate against him. While the world
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waited, Saddam Hussein met every overture of peace with
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open contempt. While the world prayed for peace, Saddam
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prepared for war."
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In case you had trouble spotting some of those emotive words (and phrases)
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mentioned earlier, here's a quick highlight: "raped, pillaged, and plundered a
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tiny nation", "unspeakable atrocities", "murdered innocent children", "mass
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destruction", "massive forces", "fragile economies of the third world",
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"stalling and threatening and defying the United Nations", "open contempt".
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After that charge, who would dare speak out against President Bush's
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reasoning?
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Sometimes, in our attempts to better understand what people mean, it
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helps to cut away the vague, ambiguous, and emotive language so we can see
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what they're really saying. Sometimes it doesn't help.
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______________________________________________________________________________
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Before concluding this file there are two more important points President
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Bush makes which I believe deserve comment.
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"Our goal is not the conquesition of Iraq, it is the liberation of
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Kuwait."
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-- President Bush (December 16, 1991)
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The liberation of Kuwait? I'm not a historian so the facts here aren't
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quite clear to me, but many years ago (1950s I believe) it was the United
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Kingdom which set up the existing borders between Iraq and Kuwait. Kuwait was,
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in effect, set up by the British. Kuwait and Iraq were, before that time, a
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single nation. Is Saddam liberating Kuwait or is President Bush liberating
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Kuwait? Did the United Kingdom commit "unspeakable atrocities" or was it
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Iraq? I do not know, but I'd like to.
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"And Kuwait will once again be free."
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-- President George Bush, January 16, 1991
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Keep in mind, when President Bush refers to the freedom of Kuwait he does
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not mean in the democratic sense because Kuwait is a monarchy, not an elected
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governing body like we enjoy in the United States of America. So, are we
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really defending freedom? And how broadly do we define freedom? If one
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communist nation forcibly seized another communist nation, would we care so
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much? Maybe if they had oil....
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______________________________________________________________________________
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President Bush has used troops which he claimed were positioned for wholly
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defensive reasons to lead an attack with a coalition of nations against Iraq.
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He has claimed, or made implications and suggestions, that he is enforcing the
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United Nations' decision that Iraq should immediately depart from Kuwait.
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If that truly is our reason for war, why didn't he explicitly state that
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during his speech which announced our declaration of war with Iraq? Maybe it
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is because that is not the true reason. If "freedom" is not the reason for
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this war, then what is? Oil? Drugs? Sand? Whatever the reason it only
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seems fair that the public be informed. After all, it would merely be a
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reason for war and not a military secret which would endanger the success of
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the war.
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Because President Bush has not been clear in his reasons for declaring
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war, it would be highly unreasonable on my part to either condemn or endorse
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this war. As a citizen participating in this democracy I merely want to
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know President Bush's reason(s) for declaring war.
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______________________________________________________________________________
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If you've got a comment, I'd like to hear it. I can be reached at my BBS,
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Tequila Willy's Great Subterranean Carnival: 209/526-3194.
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______________________________________________________________________________
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YOUR HANDY QUOTABLE QUOTES (clip and enjoy!):
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"Let me be clear..."
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-- President Bush (August 8, 1990)
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"...all in the cause of peace."
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-- President Bush (August 8, 1990)
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"...after perhaps unparalleled international consultation and exhausting
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every alternative..."
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-- President Bush (August 8, 1990)
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"...no one should underestimate our determination to confront aggression."
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-- President Bush (August 8, 1990)
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"The sovereign independence of Saudi Arabia is of vital interest to the
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United States."
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-- President Bush (August 8, 1990)
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"The mission of our troops is wholly defensive."
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-- President Bushy (August 8, 1990)
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"Our goal is not the conquesition of Iraq, it is the liberation of
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Kuwait."
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-- President Bush (December 16, 1991)
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"YOW! I'm imagining a surfer van filled with SOY SAUCE!"
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-- Zippy the Pinhead (circa 20th Century)
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______________________________________________________________________________
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BIBLIOGRAPHY:
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Bush, G. (1990, September 1). Iraq invasion of Kuwait.
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Vital Speeches of the Day, LVI(22), 674-675
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Bush, G. (1991, January 16). President Address to the Nation.
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Bush reiterates complaints against Iraqi brutality.
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(1990, November 3). Congressional Quarterly, 48(44),
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3762-3763.
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Copi, I.M. & Cohen C. (1990). Introduction to Logic.
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New York, NY; Macmillan.
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My greatest regards to President Bush's speech writing staff for the skill
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demonstrated in their writing.
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_ _ ____________________________________________________________________
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/((___))\|Demon Roach Undrgrnd.806/794-4362|Grassroots..............new # soon|
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[ x x ] |NIHILISM.............513/767-7892|Paisley Pasture.......916/673-8412|
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\ / |Tequila Willy's GSC..209/526-3194|The Works.............617/861-8976|
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(' ') |Lunatic Labs.........213/655-0691|Ripco II..............312/528-5020|
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(U) |====================================================================|
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.ooM |Copr. 1991 cDc communications by Tequila Willy. 02/18/91-#161|
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\_______/|All Rights Pissed Away. |
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