The classic Bush rhetoric: we are doing [insert usually-questionable program name here] to protect America. President Bush uses it when talking about the September 11, 2001 or other terrorist attacks, when speaking of his wiretapping program, and when arguing his case for CIA interrogation legislation. An article (albeit, it is largely commentary and opinion) in The Nation a bit over a year ago explained it well:
Karl Rove has come under justified fire for once again trying to exploit 9/11 politically. ... [he] claimed that after the horrific attacks of September 11 conservatives were revved up to defend the United States and strike back while wimpy liberals wanted to "offer therapy and understanding for our attackers." ... the Bush White House accepted--and applauded--this divisive rhetoric. Asked about Rove's comments, chief of staff Andrew Card said, "All America came together to recognize how horrible that attack was on this country and that the war on terror is real....I don't think there's any doubt that Americans are united in making sure that what happened on September 11th doesn't happen again." Hold on there, chief. Black isn't white. Rove was saying that after 9/11 America was divided and that liberals were not committed to defending the nation against the terrorists. Card then remarked, "Karl Rove's speech was a speech that I think reflected some of the rhetoric that a lot of people feel."
I think the Rove and Bush rhetoric reflects "the rhetoric a lot of people feel" because, simply, many are still scared about a future terror attack, and the people in the Executive know how to exploit that fear masterfully. At least that is one plan they can execute well...
On a slightly different note...
Over five years after 9/11, and no morality and sympathy for non-Americans has changed. You would think that after an attack on our soil we could understand that the IRA, ETA, Hezbollah, Hamas, Israel (before they became more legit in their tactics), Al-qaeda, and more terrorist organizations come into being because of — usually — oppression because they were/are the minority, and these groups used their fervor from that oppression (or, for factual sake, alleged oppression) to launch a campaign against their 'oppressor'. Is the Bush administration — not using terrorism, but fearful rhetoric — trying to silence all critics (see here) of them with their fear-mongering statements? Isn't that form of oppression that some (but not all) of the aforementioned organizations felt in a physical sense, but used by the Neoconservatives in power as a mental oppression?
Now that the US has had its fun in Iraq, I do hope the people and government of this nation can have an epiphany that we are not the only ones who suffer; we are not the only ones who matter.
BushNewsUSATerrorismPoliticsCurrent Affairs9/11September 11RoveAmericaUnited+StatesCategories: Politics, Bush, USA, Terrorism, 911, September+11, Rove, America, United+States, Civil+liberties, Neoconservative, Neocon, Current+Affairs
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