USA for Africa (The Remix) - July 17, 2003
USA for Africa (The Remix) - July 17, 2003
In the 18 years since “We are the World,” debuted at #1 on the Billboard charts the U.S. stance on so-called relations with Africa has shifted slightly. You might say. We don’t care so much if people are starving anymore. Instead, the current administration is, apparently, focused on assisting Africa in dealing with its AIDS crisis. (Finally.) So long as they’re not supplying “evil-doers” with nuclear materials. But the claim, made by George Dubbya in his January State of the Union address, accusing Africa of doing just that has turned out to be as surreal as Cyndi Lauper yelping alongside Bruce Springsteen.
By the time the CIA figured out the claim was false (four, short months later) Bush had already fed it to the nation. So, Bush and Co. played an old fashioned game of Pass the Buck by attributing the intelligence to Britain and Condoleezza “Condi” Rice told reporters that if CIA Director George Tenet had any misgivings about that sentence in the president’s speech, “he did not make them known” to Bush or his staff. You don’t say. It may even be that the doubts around this misinformation are the reasoning behind Bush’s weeklong visit to Africa. Not to mention that wherever there’s civil war there’s bound to be Bush.
As of right now, the resignation of Liberian president, Charles Taylor, may or may not be partially overseen by the U.S., who has offered to send in “peacekeepers” to assist in bringing an end to the civil war. Including, dealing with the rebels, which the Bush administration undoubtedly views as a threat. White House spokespeople have even referred to Liberia as one of those failing countries that become terrorist training grounds.
But thanks to Bush’s usual Fast Clown dance, the headlines for his weeklong visit remained fairly focused on an AIDS relief package. Proving, once again, that the majority of the American media is asleep at the wheel. (See: BBC has the balls to butt heads with Blair). If the relief package is cut down to chump change it will still, in classic fashion, come at a cost to Africa. The U.S. will require the security of a proper government. Understandable, considering the history of embezzlement of blanket relief funds to Africa. Although, the idea of what the Bush administration considers to be a proper government is not so much mind boggling as it is bone chilling.
Meanwhile, a recently released poll conducted by the University of Maryland shows that 52 percent of Americans finally believe that the Bush administration stretched the truth or told outright lies about Iraqi weapons of mass destruction. For lack of a better word – DUH! Good morning, everyone. Glad to see you came out of your patriotic coma.
Hopefully as the Bush administration continues to flub, revealing its skeevy underbelly, the media and the public will begin to catch a clearer picture of what exactly we’re dealing with. Which, I suspect is not a kind-hearted guy with aims to help the sick and suffering.
In the 18 years since “We are the World,” debuted at #1 on the Billboard charts the U.S. stance on so-called relations with Africa has shifted slightly. You might say. We don’t care so much if people are starving anymore. Instead, the current administration is, apparently, focused on assisting Africa in dealing with its AIDS crisis. (Finally.) So long as they’re not supplying “evil-doers” with nuclear materials. But the claim, made by George Dubbya in his January State of the Union address, accusing Africa of doing just that has turned out to be as surreal as Cyndi Lauper yelping alongside Bruce Springsteen.
By the time the CIA figured out the claim was false (four, short months later) Bush had already fed it to the nation. So, Bush and Co. played an old fashioned game of Pass the Buck by attributing the intelligence to Britain and Condoleezza “Condi” Rice told reporters that if CIA Director George Tenet had any misgivings about that sentence in the president’s speech, “he did not make them known” to Bush or his staff. You don’t say. It may even be that the doubts around this misinformation are the reasoning behind Bush’s weeklong visit to Africa. Not to mention that wherever there’s civil war there’s bound to be Bush.
As of right now, the resignation of Liberian president, Charles Taylor, may or may not be partially overseen by the U.S., who has offered to send in “peacekeepers” to assist in bringing an end to the civil war. Including, dealing with the rebels, which the Bush administration undoubtedly views as a threat. White House spokespeople have even referred to Liberia as one of those failing countries that become terrorist training grounds.
But thanks to Bush’s usual Fast Clown dance, the headlines for his weeklong visit remained fairly focused on an AIDS relief package. Proving, once again, that the majority of the American media is asleep at the wheel. (See: BBC has the balls to butt heads with Blair). If the relief package is cut down to chump change it will still, in classic fashion, come at a cost to Africa. The U.S. will require the security of a proper government. Understandable, considering the history of embezzlement of blanket relief funds to Africa. Although, the idea of what the Bush administration considers to be a proper government is not so much mind boggling as it is bone chilling.
Meanwhile, a recently released poll conducted by the University of Maryland shows that 52 percent of Americans finally believe that the Bush administration stretched the truth or told outright lies about Iraqi weapons of mass destruction. For lack of a better word – DUH! Good morning, everyone. Glad to see you came out of your patriotic coma.
Hopefully as the Bush administration continues to flub, revealing its skeevy underbelly, the media and the public will begin to catch a clearer picture of what exactly we’re dealing with. Which, I suspect is not a kind-hearted guy with aims to help the sick and suffering.
posted by Carla at 8:38 AM
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