The Bush Speech

I have read several articles and seen a few talking heads repeating the mantra that the Bush speech at the UN was intended for a domestic audience in the United States instead of the the assembled foreign dignitaries at the UN. According to the NYT Bush painted a "Panglosian" portrait of the situation in Iraq for consumption by the, presumably, easily fooled American public. Besides the fact that very few people (even NYT readers) are familiar enough with Voltaire to know what the hell the NYT is talking about, this theme is basically that unless Bush was going to the UN to grovel, he had nothing constructive to say to the Assembly. Rubbish!

Bush told them what he told them before. We did what needed to be done and we continue to do what needs to be done. We wanted your help then (didn't get and shame on you for it) and we want it now (we expect to get it, but we are not holding our breath). The NYT and sundry other commentators who still insist that we never tried to bring the UN along in the first place were hoping for a self flagellation on the part of the Bush administration for the whole world to see. Anything less is portrayed as more arrogance of the Bush administration.

It is the point of view of those who believe we were wrong all along and now it is time for apologies. It does not occur to them that we were right, are right and that continued obstinance of the UN to live up to its responsibilities does not reflect poorly on us but on them.


- posted by Anonymous @ 11:11 AM