Clooney on America and War: 'We can't beat anyone anymore'

Drudge Report ^

[Republican Red]

BERLIN (Reuters) - American actor George Clooney stepped up his criticism of George W. Bush's administration on Sunday, saying he feared a war against Iraq was inevitable but would ultimately only lead to more violence.

"America's policies frustrate me," Clooney said in a German television program. "I think a war against Iraq is as unavoidable as it senseless. I think it's coming. But I also think the real danger is going to be what happens after it."

Clooney, who in interviews with European newspapers has accused Bush of war-mongering over Iraq, is on a growing list of Hollywood celebrities to speak out against war. Others include Sean Penn, Ed Harris, Dustin Hoffman, Madonna and director Spike Lee.

"You can't beat your enemy anymore through wars; instead you create an entire generation of people revenge-seeking," Clooney said in the ARD television program "Beckmann."

"These days it only matters who's in charge," Clooney said. "Right now that's us -- for a while at least. Our opponents are going to resort to car bombs and suicide attacks because they have no other way to win."

Clooney, 41, said Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld was making a mistake to think a war against Iraq would be an easy win for the United States.

"I believe he thinks this is a war that can be won, but there is no such thing anymore," said Clooney, who starred in a film about the 1991 Gulf War "Three Kings" that took a dark look at the war to drive Iraq out of Kuwait.

"We can't beat anyone anymore," added Clooney, who has called it unfair that Americans opposed to war are being branded unpatriotic.

Clooney, who won fame for his leading role in long-running hospital drama "ER," has also appeared in films including "Batman and Robin," "The Perfect Storm" and "Brother Where Art Thou?."

[Republican Red]

This is the same guy who blasted a reporter for daring to call one of his movies "boring". He had the nerve to say to the reporter:

"You make a lot of films, do you?" Clooney asked rhetorically. "You make a lot of films yourself? Yeah, I'd like to see you make a film first before you get to talk about it. What a jerk!"

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=638&ncid=762&e=1&u=/nm/20030209/en_nm/film_berlin_clooney_dc

[ewing]

Solaris WAS boring! It got the lowest US audience rating by Cinema Score in the 20 year history of the survey.. an 'F' in every age group and category

[SamAdams76]

Yeah, I'd like to see Clooney fight in one war before he gets to talk about it!

[sonsofliberty2000]

Who gives actors credibility to talk policy?

"You run a lot of countries, do you?" sonsofliberty2000 asked rhetorically. "You run a lot of countries yourself? Yeah, I'd like to see you run a country first before you get to talk about it."

[Conservative til I die]

Clooney = douchebag. But he was aces in "The Facts of Life" as the hunky carpenter.

[Conservative til I die]

Yeah, I'd like to see Clooney fight in one war before he gets to talk about it!

But he did! Didn't you see "Three Kings!?!?!" That makes him an expert on war.

[ez]

Clooney, 41, said Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld was making a mistake to think a war against Iraq would be an easy win for the United States.

Here we go, Mr. Clooney has put his intellect on the line against Donald Rumsfeld's. It will be a fairly simple matter to look back and see whose analysis of the Iraqi engagement was closer to reality. (BTW Liberals are generally horrified to learn that more than half of the Iraqi army is just waiting for the chance to surrender...fun at parties...)

At that point, it will also be a fairly simple matter to use the result to paint the "mistaken" party as an intellectual amateur.

[SunStar]

"You can't beat your enemy anymore through wars; instead you create an entire generation of people revenge-seeking," Clooney said in the ARD television program "Beckmann."

You're right, George. Both Imperial Japan and Nazi Germany have been real problems since we achieved total victory in WWII. If we had only pushed for peace at all costs... LOL

[Mr. Mojo]

"Our opponents are going to resort to car bombs and suicide attacks because they have no other way to win."

That's why we're not going to rest until every last Jihadist in the world is dead. ...Every last one.

[SunStar]

"I believe he thinks this is a war that can be won, but there is no such thing anymore," said Clooney, who starred in a film about the 1991 Gulf War "Three Kings" that took a dark look at the war to drive Iraq out of Kuwait.

Yeah right, a "dark look". The movie was a fictional story about Clooney and Ice Cube stealing Kuwaiti gold from Saddam.

[Search4Truth]

"You can't beat your enemy anymore through wars; instead you create an entire generation of people revenge-seeking,"

Dead people don't seek anything.

I get a strange sense of comfort everytime one of those Hollywood neurotics speaks out. It serves to continuously differentiate them from us.

[PackerBoy]

I think Clooney is a pretty good actor, and I have enjoyed all of the films of his that I have seen.

That being said, his opinion regarding geopolitics and U.S. military capabilities is -- let's be charitable -- clearly an uninformed one. He enjoys a very nice living in a country that provides well for his protection, his ignorance notwithstanding.

[texasbluebell]

"You run a lot of countries, do you?" sonsofliberty2000 asked rhetorically. "You run a lot of countries yourself? Yeah, I'd like to see you run a country first before you get to talk about it."

You forgot the "What a jerk" part from the quote in #1.

So I'll add it here about George C.:

"What a jerk!"

[joesnuffy]

Another whorlywood idjot

Makes tons of money playing the part of a soldier

Yet calls defending the nation a criminal act and calls its commander in chief a "War Monger"

Clueless C 'looney or worse an enemy of our nation

The left seeks to steal the country the founders built for us..and turn it into one of their pagan third world trash heaps with themselvses safely ensconced on top..

Not giving one thought to their own demise...they dont even possess one itota of "enlightend self interest"

[Rensselaer]

Though I disagree with his views, I totally respect Clooney's right to speak his mind. But shouldn't he be trying to persuade Americans that he's right? Why is he over talking to Europeans? Isn't this the ultimate of what we used to mean when we said "politics stops at the nation's edge?" We disagree, we debate, we have elections - but regardless of the outcome of those debates and elections, we stand together before the world.

[sonsofliberty2000]

it fits Clooney fairly well. Can't believe I forgot it!

[SMEDLEYBUTLER]

Clooney

[texasbluebell]

Here we go, Mr. Clooney has put his intellect on the line against Donald Rumsfeld's.

I'd love to see Rummy slice & dice dumb little George. I'd pay to see that.

[dfwgator]

Yep, those Grenadians really hate us.