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September 2002—
It's amazing how much goodwill can be squandered in one year.
George W. Bush is a mean little bastard, and willfully ignorant in a time when it's the most damaging to have him in office. It's shameful.
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Fear for my country, I read the other day that 21% of Americans believe we should retaliate immediately, while some 70% believe we ought to wait until we identify the perpetrators.... |
In the days and weeks following September 11th, 2001, the international show of respect and empathy was vast and overwhelming—nearly unanimous across the globe. Ireland, for example, closed for business on the Friday after that Tuesday. Closed. Pubs and everything. Doesn't happen. The story was similar throughout Europe, from my understanding.
Good people of the Earth joined in observance of the human loss, and the national wound. America, to speak bluntly and pragmatically, had a great deal of emotional "capital" that could have been used to good effect in its relations with other countries.
But it didn't take long.
Bush and his small-minded administration have trampled and shredded every bit of that positive sentiment. Now it is gone. And what a waste, too. What an opportunity. But no; Bush has taken advantage of his opportunities elsewhere, and he's now drumming for the war he always wanted.
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— September 2002
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