From: Mike Lorrey (mlorrey@yahoo.com)
Date: Sun Jan 26 2003 - 23:06:32 MST
--- Brett Paatsch <paatschb@ocean.com.au> wrote:
> The following article from the economist on American public opinion
> may be of interest. Poll data is from Jan 8-12th (before France,
> Russia and China -UN Security Council permanent members made
> recent statements opposing war without UN endorsement).
>
>
http://www.economist.com/world/na/PrinterFriendly.cfm?Story_ID=1548516
>
> "This gives [President Bush] a lot of options. If he goes to war,
> people will support him (indeed, the first effect will be a huge
> rally around the flag). If he gives inspectors more time, people
> will back that too. From the point of view of voters, a second UN
> resolution looks desirable, not essential. the only doubt is what
> happens in the unlikely event that
> Mr Bush decides not to go to war. In that case, his conservative base
> will doubtless accuse him of flinching, like his dad.
It is the conservatives which are even now dropping their job
satisfaction ratings of him because he is letting the europeans game
the UN against him so effectively. While pacifists are trying to claim
that "support for war is dropping" based on the dropping poll figures,
it is more a measure of the publics dissatisfaction with the utter lack
of action against Saddam.
Another thing I find so interesting is the turnabout in european
attitudes. In the 70's, 80's and 90's, europeans scorned the support
that the US gave to Augusto Pinochet and his regieme in Chile. As
Kennedy once said, "he is a son of a bitch, but he is OUR son of a
bitch".
Today, France, Germany, and Russia seem to be using the same sort of
"our son of a bitch" rationale for obfuscating and obstructing US
action against Saddam, while at the same time taking US to task for our
'lack of morality in our politics'.
While our support of Pinochet was a cost of fighting the cold war
against the Soviets, it seems that these european powers are playing
the "son of a bitch" game merely for profit. How moral is that?
=====
Mike Lorrey
"Live Free or Die, Death is not the Worst of Evils."
- Gen. John Stark
"Pacifists are Objectively Pro-Fascist." - George Orwell
"Treason doth never Prosper. What is the Reason?
For if it Prosper, none Dare call it Treason..." - Ovid
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