Dustin Hoffman: Manipulative Bush Going to War for Oil

MRC ^ | Monday, February 10, 2003 | Brent Baker

[fight_truth_decay]

Add actor Dustin Hoffman to the list of celebrities denouncing President Bush for his Iraq policy and arguing it's all about oil. After winning a lifetime achievement honor last week at the Empire Film Awards in London, the British news service Ananova quoted Hoffman as accusing the Bush administration of "manipulating the grief of the country" after the events of September 11 and charging that "this war is about what most wars are about: hegemony, money, power and oil."

In his "Best of the Web" column for OpinionJournal.com (www.OpinionJournal.com/best ), James Taranto on Friday highlighted the story in Ananova, a British service which provides news to mobile phone users. An excerpt of the February 6 Ananova story:

....He spoke out after receiving a lifetime achievement accolade at the Empire Film Awards in London.

"For me as an American, the most painful aspect of this is that I believe that administration has taken the events of 9/11 and has manipulated the grief of the country and I think that's reprehensible," he said.

"I don't think, like many of us, that the reasons we have been given for going to war are the honest reasons.

"If they are saying it's about the fact they have biological weapons and might have nuclear weapons and that gives us the liberty to pre-empt and strike because we think they might hit us, then what prevents Pakistan from attacking India, what prevents India from attacking Pakistan, what prevents us from going into North Korea?

"I believe -- though I may wrong because I am no expert -- that this war is about what most wars are about: hegemony, money, power and oil".

Hoffman pointed out that the U.S. had once funded Saddam Hussein's regime even as he killed tens of thousands of Kurds. He added that he believed all politicians were incapable of telling the truth.

"If I was asked what is the most important aspect of being a politician, I would say getting re-elected. And when that's the goal, then all bets are off with the truth."

END of Excerpt

Quite a tribute to democracy: Only liars win. Then again, as I assume Hoffman supported Bill Clinton, he should know.

For the Ananova story in full: http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_747771.html

I couldn't find any story elsewhere about Hoffman's comments.

The Empire Awards are online at: http://www.empireonline.co.uk/awards2003/

The site features an mp3 audio clip, lasting 30 minutes, of Hoffman's acceptance remarks during the February 5 ceremony. But other than a derogatory reference to "the suits that are trying to get us into a war," his acceptance comments did not go political. So, he apparently made the remarks quoted by Ananova at another time. But since I spent 30 minutes listening to the audio, I'll provide the address for it, though you should be warned that it is riddled with profanity as well as oral sex jokes: http://www.empireonline.co.uk/awards2003/winners/lifetime.asp

[fight_truth_decay]

Meanwhile in Berlin at the Berlinale 53rd Film Festival(motto:Toward Tolerance ) "Hollywood star Richard Gere (53) feels the war preparations of US president George W. Bush as bizarr. "it seems to give at all no basis for its behavior. I ask myself, from where this very personal enmity comes, said between George Bush and Saddam Hussein "the admitting Buddhist. "it is like the history of Kaept'n Ahab and the whale in ¸Moby thick '(Dick)." Germany no to a war Gere called absolutely correct position: "here there is no reason for a war." (Translated: from Richard Gere sieht keinen Grund für Krieg Ressort: Berlin-Boulevard)

http://morgenpost.berlin1.de/

DW-world radio/tv

Also of interest British director Michael Winterbottom would like to change the world. His film covers Afghanistan refugee asylum seekers.

Action hero Jackie Chan is shocked by the secrets in his family ..his father a spy and his mother an opium dealer. Said Chan about his film, : "when people see me not as Jackie Chan."

[In veno, veritas]

He sounds just like Saddam!

[fight_truth_decay]

Should you need a translator: http://babelfish.altavista.com/

[Puppage]

Hoffman pointed out that the U.S. had once funded Saddam Hussein's regime even as he killed tens of thousands of Kurds

We backed Stalin during WWII and he killed MILLIONS of his own people...what's your point?

AND, if it's about oil, what say we save on the airfare & conquer Canada or Venezuela for THEIR oil?

[The Wizard]

another one of these out of work celebrities who can only get face time time acting like an ass

why are so many of our stars flaming assholes....

Is something in the water out there...or are they all suffering arrested development and are 15 years old emotionally

[Blood of Tyrants]

Who is Dustin Hoffman and why should anyone care what he thinks?

[Free ThinkerNY]

Dustin Halfwit and Gere have all the political acumen of a retarded flea.

[Let's Roll]

"AND, if it's about oil, what say we save on the airfare & conquer Canada or Venezuela for THEIR oil?"

Yeah, they're much closer. Sure it's about oil just like it was in 1991 - I guess we just forgot to take it while we were there?

The rest of the article should have said something like: "Hoffman alleged, before driving off in his Lincoln Navigator". :)

[UncleSamUSA]

Not only should all these brainless celebrities shut their collective mouths (since all of them make their livings by simply repeating the words that SOMEONE ELSE has written for them)...

but why do so many of them bash America from England or Germany or France??? They all seem to want to leave the country first before speaking out. Wonder why???

I live in NYC and once passed Dustin Hoffman on the street, and the only thing I noticed about his was that he is very, very short. Maybe 5'-6" or so. Just thought you'd all like to know. I used to be a fan of his till I heard his rant.

He is so yesterday anyway.

[fight_truth_decay]

The fact is they are visible personalities known all over the world; thus when they speak out on foreign soils it helps aid and support more anti-American government rhetoric overseas.

[1Old Pro]

Add actor Dustin Hoffman to the LONG list of celebrities ....

Without the ability to think.

[Puppage]

To the victors go the spoils.

[Monti Cello]

hegemony, money, power and oil

I like all of these things!

[Blood of Tyrants]

I have heard that the directors prefer short actors because they can get a tighter camera angle and still catch the entire actor's body in the frame. Mel Gibson isn't very tall either. Ever see how short he is between the two cops in "Payback"?

[RAT Patrol]

Is something in the water out there... I remember hearing about a plan to convert waste water into drinking water out there. Maybe they've been doing that in Hollywood for years. That would explain the potty talk as well as the poop brains.

[liberallarry]

"I believe...that this war is about what most wars are about: hegemony, money, power and oil".

Not just about that, not all about that, but certainly about that.

Well, if he doesn't like hegemony, money, power, and oil maybe he should move to a third-world country where they have none of those things. Put crap in his tank as well - help ease the landfill problem.

If he does that I'd respect him as a man who has the courage of his convictions.

[Lunatic Fringe]

This war is not just about weapons. It’s not just about oil. This war is about human rights. The basic human right to be able to worship your own personal God. The right to food, and shelter, and security. The rights to buy, sell, and trade any good in demand on the global market. The right, as members of the human society, to exist in peace, free from the tyranny of evil governments, and bound not to the will of a madman, but to the destiny we prepare for ourselves.

[tessalu]

Just because someone acted in a movie, does not mean that they have good sense, or any insight to world affairs.
It is just one more stupid bloke blowing off steam.

[Mark]

Rainman

[Doc Savage]

Hell, if it's just about oil we could have just stayed in Kuwait and taken over the wells in Desert Storm!