I'm Starting to Look at the US Differently

I have always been a big supporter of the United States. When someone trashes the Americans I have always been quick to remind them about how much we owe to them as world leaders, but lately I am beginning to have some real concerns about how they conduct their affairs. Maybe its because as a Canadian we seem to put more value on things like honour, negotiating with a sense of fairness and believing that being polite and reserved are admirable qualities.

The squabble over softwood lumber that has been going on for years is a good example. I don't claim to have an understanding of that industry but I do know that there have been many decisions brought down in the dispute by trade regulatory bodies that rule the United States is clearly wrong in what they are doing. It seems that no matter what these agencies say the US is not going to abide by the rulings of the mechanisms they were instrumental in setting up say. It helps you to understand why there is such opposition to "free trade " with the US in other jurisdictions. They are becoming known as a rogue nation when it comes to living up to its standing agreements. The simple facts are, that they are imposing duties on lumber exports from Canada that apparently have no basis to be in place and then as an act of double dipping are paying these penalties out to United States lumber Companies. Thats the very worst kind of behaviour and blatent protectionism, shame shame on you.The US is becoming a classic example of "talk the talk" but can't "walk the walk" in a so many areas it is becoming part of the American culture.

It all came home to me when I was watching a documentary about a man on trial for war crimes. The man was Saddam Hussein and when his government was in jeopardy he ordered that his troops destroy their enemies and that included killing some of them. Suddenly it hit me, when the United States was in jeopardy George Bush ordered his troops to destroy their enemies and that included killing some of them. Apparently Saddams troops killed some innocent civilians, and apparently Georges troops killed some innocent civilians, interrupt me if I'm wrong but in both instances weren't the dead innocent Iraqi civilians. The difference is that Saddam is on trial for war crimes and George is portrayed as a defender of all thhings good and holy.

NOTE: I see on the news this morning that Saddam Hussein is beginning a process to have George Bush tried as a war criminal in the same fashion as he is being tried.

I have to stop for a while and sort this out in my head as suddenly I find it very confusing.

The part that I have real trouble rationalizing is that it just might be that George ordered the rain of destruction on Iraq for no valid reason, just like the US Dept of Commerce has placed duties on Canadian softwood lumber for, you got it, no valid reason.

Doesn't something seem a bit immoral here, its hypocritical to apply standards to others that you can't measure up to yourself.

Next item, the reconstruction of Iraq. During the first Gulf war the United States bombed the fuck out the Iraqi nation, basically destroying their infrastructure, oil terminals, roads, bridges, power plants, public buildings, the place was a wasteland. I remember General Swartzkoff and his famous pointer as he was showing who he referred to as the "unluckiest man in Iraq" to the laughs of the press corps and his staff. There was a bridge and the screen showed a laser aiming point in the middle, suddenly a vehicle sped into the crosshairs and the bridge suddenly blew up as about a ton of high explosive landed on this poor guys head.. HA HA HA the room exploded with laughter. What if this was the situation, the poor guy has his pregnant wife in the vehicle who was in labour and his two kids in the back seat, he's crying as he speeds along trying to calm his terrified wife and kids and get to a hospital. Wouldn't be quite as funny would it. Isn't it great to fight an antiseptic war and kill all these poor bastards from 30,000 feet and watch it from half a world away.

From what I understand the destruction to Iraq was about the same in both wars, here is a list from the 1991 war of the destruction

Schools and scholastic facilities – 3960
Universities, labs, dormitories – 40
Health facilities (including hospitals, clinics, medical warehouses) – 421
Telephone operators, communication towers, etc. – 475
Bridges, buildings, housing complexes – 260
Warehouses, shopping centers, grain silos – 251
Churches and mosques – 159
Dams, water pumping stations, agricultural facilities – 200
Petroleum facilities (including refineries) – 145
General services (shelters, sewage treatment plants, municipalities) - 830
Factories, mines, industrial facilities - 120

The difference was that after the first war Iraqi engineers went to work and within two years basically had eveything rebuilt. Now after the second Iraqi war the United States who decided they couldn't depend on the unskilled Iraqi construction forces to rebuild so they insisted it be done with good old Markan know how. (I use to love Lyndon Johnston come on TV and say "MA FELLO MARKANS"). Well sixty billion dollars and three years later you still can't turn on a light on for more than an hour in Baghdad. But at least as George loves to say, "we are the friends of the Iraqi people."

I think the whole world is starting to think, "with friends like this who needs enemies".