Friedman - Iraqi Delegation Flees DC - Bush Admin like Saddam Govt

[RamboLiberal]

I know most of us here, including this poster, despise Tom Friedman for his cheerleading for this war and his naivety - but if you can get a copy of today's column - Leading by (Bad) Example, read it. And especially pass it on to the koolaid drinkers you know. I have to admit Friedman hits it out of the park in this column.

Since the idiots at the NYT have their columnists behind their stupid paid firewall - yeah I broke down and paid the extortion - I'll paraphrase.

A delegation of Iraqi judges and journalists cut short their visit to U.S. to study our democracy because while they are in their baby steps of attaining democracy what they saw from the Bush administration reminded them of Saddam and installed great fear in them. They didn't want to be tainted.

They were astonished that while the Bushies were lecturing them to separate religion and politics and government, the BFEE was touting Meirs religion as her bonafides for SCOTUS.

"How would you feel if you picked up your newspapers next week and read that the president of Iraq justified the appointment of an Iraqi Supreme Court justice by telling Iraqis: 'Don't pay attention to his lack of legal expertise. Pay attention to the fact that he is a Muslim fundamentalist and prays at a Saudi-funded Wahhabi mosque.' Is that the Iraq you sent your sons to build and to die for? I don't think so. We can't have our people exposed to such talk."

Abdul Wahab al-Unfi, a Shiite lawyer, who was tortured by Saddam and walks with a limp was encouraged by the Senate vote against torture but dismayed that Bush threatened veto. He said there was be no place for torture in the new Iraq and he was going home before they were corrupted by all this torture talk from Bush government.

Sahaf al-Sahafi, editor of one of Iraq's new newspapers, was astonished by the Bush/soldiers scripted photo-op. He said he had nightmares and this was right out of a "Saddam playbook" and the same staged talks Saddam had with his troops. He was also dismayed by the "paid news" of Armstrong Williams. He said Saddam had paid journalists all over the world.


I still dislike Friedman - but this was a great column.

[ngGale]

1. What an eye-opener...

the MSM should have a discussion about their opinions.

Darn, liberal media.

[Elidor]

2. Bush is like Saddam

Now there's a meme.

[JNelson6563]

3. Even a broken clock is right twice a day

so no big deal Friedman got one right.

As to the substance of the column, nobody knows despotism like those who have lived under it. America should listen to those Iraqis.

Julie

[RamboLiberal]

4. Damn Tom Friedman and my bleary eyes at 1am

I missed his last sentence of his column in my excitement.

(Yes, all of this is a fake news story. I just wish that it weren't so true.)

Well, I'm not like * - I prostrate myself to those at DU and offer the Mother of all Mea Culpas.

[thebigidea]

6. I think Friedman just got high inhaling the fumes from his moustache

what a useles waste of space - as if our little puppets would ever cut off their strings!

i think the point that Friedman doesn't even realize from his own gibberish is that America is in no position to lecture ANYONE about Democracy with a capital D, despite the cheerleading and white man's burdenism of Friedman & co.

[npincus]

5. GREAT column

but he admits at the end the "event" (Iraqis fleeing the U.S. to prevent themselves from being tainted) is manufactured, though all the facts he cites are, well, facts.