Bush Laughs Off Critics Of 'Spoils Of War' Bidding

Independent (UK) ^ | 12-12-2003 | Rupert Cornwell

[blam]

Bush laughs off critics of 'spoils of war' bidding

By Rupert Cornwell in Washington
12 December 2003

George Bush poured fuel on the flames of the Iraq contracts dispute yesterday with a sneering dismissal of a suggestion by the German Chancellor that the decision to bar Germany, France Russia and Canada from bidding might violate international law.

"International law? I'd better call my lawyer," the American President joked in response to a reporter's question at the White House.

Gerhard Schröder had spoken earlier after a meeting in Berlin with Kofi Annan, the UN secretary general. Mr Annan called the decision by Paul Wolfowitz, the Deputy Defence Secretary, "unfortunate" and likely to damage attempts to rebuild transatlantic ties bruised by disagreement over the war. The EU is examining the legality of the US moves to stop countries that had not participated in the war from bidding for the $18.6bn (£10.7bn) of contracts, on vague "national security" grounds.

Democrats seized on the episode as further evidence of Bush diplomatic blundering. "How do we get a coalition together when we're putting it out on a government website that a country like Canada is a national security risk to the United States?" Marty Meehan, a Democratic member of the House Armed Services Committee, said.

[WhiteGuy]

Its our money.................

It sure is............

I'd like mine back please.............

[cwb]

The Left is scum. Hannity and Colmes are carrying on the debate, and along comes Alan to throw more gas on the fire by asking..."why did the US government exclude Israel from the bidding process." As if Alan gives a rats ass about Israel...other than to stir up anti-Jewish sentiment to get back some of those lost Jewish votes. Perhaps someone should remind Alan of the long, hostile relationship between Iraq and Israel...and how Jews being percieved as occupying an Arab (Persian) country might not look to good. But Alan knows this...and he knows that if Israel were granted a contract, he and his rat friends would be the first one's reminding the world of that fact and reprimanding the Bush administration for their insensitivity. Their duplicity and fake concern is so transparent.

[Snuffington]

An example of the "Dumb Brit" is on display in the headline. (Thankfully we have examples of the smart sort around to compare, as in FR's own Mad Ivan.)

The dollars the U. S. is spending to rebuild Iraq can hardly count as "spoils of war," since they are "looted" from the U. S. taxpayer via the IRS, rather than from the impoverished Iraqi's we "conquered."

Smart enough to get by the average London reader, I suppose. But it doesn't fly here.

Goes to further my contention that geo-political sophistication stopped being superior in Europe 'round the time they surrendered their empires. On average, Americans are far more sophisticated than Europeans about these matters, and have been for the last half century.

[Stonewall Jackson]

You will have to wait for a few days, Annan is still conferring with his esteemed colleagues in Paris, Berlin, and Moscow concerning the exact phrasing of this "new" law.

[arasina]

Good point. But President Bush is once again living up to his words of September 20, 2001, a portion posted below:

Americans are asking "Why do they hate us?"

They hate what they see right here in this chamber: a democratically elected government. Their leaders are self-appointed. They hate our freedoms: our freedom of religion, our freedom of speech, our freedom to vote and assemble and disagree with each other.

They want to overthrow existing governments in many Muslim countries such as Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Jordan. They want to drive Israel out of the Middle East. They want to drive Christians and Jews out of vast regions of Asia and Africa.

These terrorists kill not merely to end lives, but to disrupt and end a way of life. With every atrocity, they hope that America grows fearful, retreating from the world and forsaking our friends. They stand against us because we stand in their way.

We're not deceived by their pretenses to piety.

We have seen their kind before. They're the heirs of all the murderous ideologies of the 20th century. By sacrificing human life to serve their radical visions, by abandoning every value except the will to power, they follow in the path of fascism, Nazism and totalitarianism. And they will follow that path all the way to where it ends in history's unmarked grave of discarded lies. Americans are asking, "How will we fight and win this war?"

We will direct every resource at our command -- every means of diplomacy, every tool of intelligence, every instrument of law enforcement, every financial influence, and every necessary weapon of war -- to the destruction and to the defeat of the global terror network.

Now, this war will not be like the war against Iraq a decade ago, with a decisive liberation of territory and a swift conclusion. It will not look like the air war above Kosovo two years ago, where no ground troops were used and not a single American was lost in combat.

Our response involves far more than instant retaliation and isolated strikes. Americans should not expect one battle, but a lengthy campaign unlike any other we have ever seen. It may include dramatic strikes visible on TV and covert operations secret even in success.

We will starve terrorists of funding, turn them one against another, drive them from place to place until there is no refuge or no rest.

And we will pursue nations that provide aid or safe haven to terrorism. Every nation in every region now has a decision to make: Either you are with us or you are with the terrorists.

[LisaMalia]

I love our great President. He puts it in the plainest terms and the media doesnt get it. Its our money... International Law be damned... Why dont they get it???

I watched this earlier today, and I almost wept with pride! He made the media look like the liberal morons they are.

[cyncooper]

George Bush poured fuel on the flames of the Iraq contracts dispute yesterday with a sneering dismissal

President Bush doesn't sneer, but you can tell just by reading this that the author, Rupert, certainly does.

Poor Rupert Cornwell. Has an over-inflated ego and probably teeny tiny little feet.

[cyncooper]

When President Bush said, "International law? I'll have to call my lawyer!", I cracked up laughing in my living room! It was hysterical! LOL! CNN was so upset they did a poll on Wolfie's show...67% agreed with the President...and that's CNN!!!

I laughed, too, when he said this. The reporters were so....taken ABACK! LOL

I missed the CNN poll, though. Excellent.

[cyncooper]

Thank you for posting that.

I actually broke out in goosebumps reading that and remembering...

[Tennessean4Bush]

Hey Herr Schroder!

No, it does not violate international law to forbid non-coalition members from bidding on contracts.

But when did you care about international law? You certainly did not care about it when Sadaam broke it repeatedly and we tried to enforce those laws.

How does that bed you made feel now?

[Bob J]

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[Brimack34]

O.R. was defending Hitlery when she ripped the Pres. the other day from Iraq. Morris was trashing her. O/R has went completly mad.

[suzyq5558]

The appeasement/leftist scum's actions speak louder than any word's that might be spoken.thier actions are on view for all the country to see. even the dimmest can see it.
I dont believe that they need any more attention brought to them. Why encourage them to more outrageous behavior? ignore them like the idiots they are. IMHO

[Wait4Truth]

The American media is no different than the international media...they hate American and they hate the current American President. And they can't for the life of them figure out why we love the guy!

[Wait4Truth]

The American media is no different than the international media...they hate American and they hate the current American President. And they can't for the life of them figure out why we love the guy!

[Wait4Truth]

It's so great to read the words of President Bush again. It makes me want to drag out my tape and watch it again. I respect and admire this man so deeply.

[arasina]

Reading President Bush's speech again brought back all the horrific and sorrowful memories of those days immediately following 9/11, but it's good to re-read it every so often because it puts what is happening today in perspective for me. President Bush set out a vision and specific goals. By not including those nations who didn't assist in the liberation of Iraq, he is demonstrating his absolute integrity. He is a strong leader.

The element of that 9/20/01 speech that is particularly applicable today: "We will direct every resource at our command -- every means of diplomacy, every tool of intelligence, every instrument of law enforcement, every financial influence, and every necessary weapon of war -- to the destruction and to the defeat of the global terror network."

They didn't think he meant the financial influence part, eh? :o)

Also, even though I'm not a Brit, his laughing response today regarding supposed international law deserves a hearty "Hear, hear!"

[arasina]

If Israel had been included on the primary contractors list, Alan Colmes would then be saying "But Israel didn't help in the war! What about 'if you're not with us, you're against us' blah-blah- infinite-liberalgarbage-blah..." in his pathetic attempt to make President Bush appear inconsistent.

[cyncooper]

Hear, hear!

:)

[cwb]

You're absolutely, right. In fact, the counter puncher tonite mentioned that specific fact and how Israel could not get involved because of their precarious situation in the Arab Mid-East peace process. Even the most ignorant liberal must realize that having Jews participate in any facet of the coalition process in any Arab/Persian country would only be used to propogate the so-called American/Zionist conspiracy. And yet Alan is still bringing up this issue on his Foxnews Live radio show (someone please call him). He is doing this to try and sew the seeds of division between Israel/American Jews against Bush. The hypocrisy is that these liberals would be condemning Bush for just these reasons if he did this.