Terror fears, stoked by Bush, now bite him

[ProSense]

Terror fears, stoked by Bush, now bite him

By Alan Elsner
Reuters
Wednesday, February 22, 2006; 1:30 PM

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - For almost five years President George W. Bush has warned Americans to fear terrorism, but now those words may come back to bite him.

The president, who has cast himself as America's protector against terrorism and Islamic militancy, has been thrown on the defensive by a bipartisan revolt over his administration's approval of a state-owned company from the United Arab Emirates assuming operation of six major U.S. seaports.

Bush and his aides have argued that the United Arab Emirates is an anti-terrorist ally and that the company would have no security role. But even Bush allies, like South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsay Graham, have called the deal "politically tone deaf."

With Republican and Democratic lawmakers drafting legislation to block the port deal, Bush vowed on Tuesday to use his veto for the first time should any such law reach his desk, drawing the lines for a high-stakes political battle.

more...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/22/AR2006022201499.html?nav=rss_nation/special

Bush lies:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=490641&mesg_id=490641

[napi21]

1. That's absolutely right! Spend 5+ years trying to convince

everyone that Arab fundies are our enemy makes it really tough to then say "but, but, but, I meant all but THESE guys!"

[Dr Fate]

7. The "good" Bin Ladens. n/t

n/t

[Arkansas Granny]

2. I think the headline says it all. This is an instance of

be careful what you wish for, you might get it.

He has done such a good job of instilling fear in the American people that they are unwilling to believe him when he says that these are the good guys.

[ginnyinWI]

3. and how can he still be thinking that people still trust him?

That is the most incredible part of all of this. He knows he's at 39% and still acts as though he can just say "trust me" and it will work. Or else he just isn't able to come up with anything else.

[regnaD kciN]

4. True, but we should keep in mind...

...that the strength of this backlash is coming specifically from people who were "sold" by Bush on terra fears, and are convinced that "all Ay-rabs are evil."

In other words, this isn't about general disgust with Bush -- this is about their usual support for Bush being trumped by fear of "Ay-rabs."

And, once this particular incident is over, these same people will go right back to supporting Bush policies, particularly the most heinous "national security" policies such as Patriot Act expansion, warrentless surveillance, indefinite detention, pre-emptive war, etc., because it will be seen as a return to the "usual" situation of Bush "protecting us from Ay-rab terraists."

So Bush may lose this one, but it won't be because of us, and it won't benefit us. It will be because the fears he and his administration (among many, many others) have fanned turned out to be bigger than he is. And that's not a good sign for the future, because it means that such xenophobic hatred will surely live on, and continue to be a driving force in American politics, long after Bush himself is gone.

[radfringe]

5. gmta - I posted this early this morning...

either I was channelling Alan Elsner or he was channelling me...

------------

Since September 11, 2001 bush* and his choir have been waving the TERRA-TERRA-TERRA red flag at us.

dissent emboldens the terrorists... terrorists are listening... watch out for terrorists... report terrorist activitites... terror alerts... building evacuated...

we attacked Afghanistan because they harbored terrorists. We invaded Iraq because they supposedly had terrorist connections and WMDs. bush* is rattling war swords at Iran because they supposedly have nukes to lob at us.

you get the picture - he's played the fear card too well - and now we are really scared of the UAE taking over ports -- why? Because the UAE has terrorist connections and we are afraid.

bush* is spying on Americans without warrants because there MAY be a terrorist connection - yet he'll let UAE buy our ports?

Now they say if you are agains the UAE deal you're being racist.

yeah, right.... Iraq, Iran, North Korea, Syria, Cuba, Lybia etc. are not exactly white-bread countries - isn't being racist to just clump these countries into the axis of evil list? (http://www.state.gov/t/us/rm/9962.htm )

and what about torture? seen the latest pictures? any white guys standing naked with hoods on being tortured? isn't being racist to only torture non-white guys?

so if we are being racist because we're scared sh*tless - bush* only has himself to blame. he's now reaping what he has sown

[ProSense]

6. Terra Terra Terra.

The greatest country in the world should be able to protect its own shores (ports whatever).