Posted on 11/21/2005 9:59:06 AM PST by Pikamax
TORONTO -- Years after 9-11 and the "crazy Zeitgeist" that permeated the United States, Americans have still not learned to know their enemies instead of just hating them, said American political journalist Chris Matthews yesterday.
In a speech to political science students at the University of Toronto, the host of the CNBC current affairs show Hardball had plenty of harsh words for U.S. President George W. Bush, as well as the political climate that has characterized his country for the last few years.
"The period between 9-11 and (invading) Iraq was not a good time for America. There wasn't a robust discussion of what we were doing," Matthews said."If we stop trying to figure out the other side, we've given up. The person on the other side is not evil. They just have a different perspective.
"The smartest people understand the enemy's point of view, because they understand what's driving them."
He said Bush squandered an opportunity to unite the world against terrorism and instead made decisions that built up worldwide animosity for his administration.
"We had a strong international unity coming out of 9-11. The world was never so united against terrorism and we lost that," Matthews said. "That is the great tragedy of the Bush era."
When asked what caused the U.S. to invade Iraq, he said it was a combination of factors.
"I think the father-son relationship with the Bushes is part of it. I think the oil thing is part of it," Matthews said of the current president and his father, George Bush Sr., who was president during the Gulf War more than a decade ago.
"Our friendship with Israel (is part of it) and 9-11 created a kind of crazy Zeitgeist in the country. Bush wanted to do something big. It couldn't just be tracking down al-Qaida. He wanted a big bang. I think it's a mixture of these things."
Matthews said the current president is guilty of not knowing enough about the world and not keeping up with current events, as was evident in the aftermath of hurricane Katrina and the slow reaction to the crisis in New Orleans.
We have figured them out, Chrissy, and came to the conclusion that they need to be killed.
Arrogant SOB
Bad-mouthing America to a Canadian audience... This guy really has guts.
Another perfect example of what is wrong with "journalism" in America. "We know better, the American people have it all wrong, just follow us writers and you will be fine."
So our enemies arent evil? Its just misunderstandings that cause heads to be chopped off. Right Chris? Dork.
That is simply not true. Read past the headline of the famous Le Monde "We Are All Americans" story from September 12, 2001. The Froggies were undercutting us from Day 1.
No MEGA Barf alert?
What!?!?!?!?! Murdering 3,000 innocent people by flying jumbo jets into buildings isn't evil?
The smartest people do not live in France.
Bull!
Incomprehensible.
Oh, that's the kind of thinking that won WWII.
Guess what? We still don't understand the Japanese, but they behave now.
Another left wing presstitute busy slandering his country abroad.
Americans that lament the lost "good feelings" that the world had for us after 9/11 have a bizaar form of Munchausen's Syndrome.
This man doesn't have enough sense to be a weather reporter. Just d*mn!
Hogwash.
They listed Chrissy Matthews as "policital journalist"...HAHA....
THAT is a hugh LIE...he is a bitter, bitter hack!
Yeah, we consider beheading barbaric; they don't.
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