WASHINGTON, D.C. (5/22)  - America and the world has been set on a dangerous course by a few men who have gained control of the White House and who have leveraged their positions, the power of the Presidency and the resources of America to pursue "ambitions" to make history by democratizing the Middle East and dominating the world. These ambitions go far beyond what is necessary and right to serve and protect America and our policies and the hubris about the new American empire has caused America to be hated and feared around the world.

The manner in which those "ambitions" are being implemented violates the duty entrusted to these few dangerous men by the American people. As these individuals pit themselves and their ideologies of dominance and repression against radical Islamic extremists and the world, a Pollyanna American public follows mindlessly a propaganda of fear designed to advance hidden agendas. 

 

An affront to traditions

 

This agenda, hidden in plain sight, embraces the rhetoric of freedom and liberty while it insidiously advances actions that are an affront to traditions that once contributed to making America great. They argue due process is not a human right. Evidence no longer matters. Accusation alone permits indefinite detentions without any hearing. The Geneva Convention is "quaint" and torture is justified in the name of security. Free speech is chilled by charges of anti-Americanism and charges of "unpatriotic." Reporters are jailed or face jail to assure secrecy in government.

 

The leadership of America now condones, justifies or advances  all of these actions in the name of America. These policies, in our name, sacrifice American principles for the "noble" goals of our leadership.  Regardless of the intentions behind these "noble" goals we cannot sacrifice what we stand for under the banner of freedom and expect to be what we are supposed to be.

 

Good intentions have paved the path to much death and destruction. As the Russian dissident philosopher Grigory Pomerants said in 1952, “The devil begins with froth on the lips of angel entering into battle for a holy and just cause.”

 

Healthy skepticism

Many Americans will not even consider that there may be those at the top who are acting for their interests rather then for the greater good of America and the cause of freedom. Most would not accept that these ambitious people believe, or act as though they believe, they have a call from God and history to change the world and impose their moral clarity on the objects of their design by military force. However, there are compelling circumstances which should require even the most avid Bush believer to at least ask: What's going on?

 

Source of current Bush policy

The apparent source of current Bush policy appears to be the "Project for the New American Century" ("PNAC"). PNAC is a non-profit educational organization dedicated to a few fundamental propositions: that American leadership is good both for America and for the world; that such leadership requires military strength, diplomatic energy and commitment to moral principle; and that too few political leaders today are making the case for global leadership. In other words, it is a strategy to dominate the world by military force.

Its charter members included: Dick Cheney and his top national-security assistant, I. Lewis Libby; Defense Secretary, Donald Rumsfeld and four of his chief aides, including Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz. Founding members also included half a dozen other rightwing political appointees in senior policy positions, such as Elliot Abrams and Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security, John Bolton, Richard Perle, the controversial former chairman of Rumsfeld's Defense Policy Board (DPB), whose main base of operations is the conservative think-tank American Enterprise Institute (AEI), which is also closely associated with PNAC.

The new American century will now begin with a war upon Iraq - a country that has long been in the sights of Bush and members of his administration. A partial list of "rogue" nations has already been provided, Syria, Iran, North Korea, Lebanon, and others have been targeted. Our nuclear hit list for preemptive attack announced last year includes Russia, China, and Cuba. The message is clear.

We are not just going to war with Iraq - the Iraqi war initiative has as its foundation, a much greater goal that is slowly infiltrating public acceptance. Oil, control of the Mideast, protecting America, and other alleged reasons for the war on Iraq appear to fall short of the ambitions of the Bush administration. A series of wars for world dominance appears to be the ultimate goal of this Administration. This grand strategy may have been the Bush agenda well before he was elected President and before 9/11 presented the opportunity that Bush is now purportedly acting upon.
 

Blind faith in a man

Certainly, even those that have blind faith in God, must be cautious about placing blind faith in a man. This is especially true when that man veils himself and his administration in secrecy and to often asserts, as in the run up for the on Iraq, "trust me," I know things I cannot tell. With trust so important in the war on terrorism, which by its nature requires a degree of secrecy, we must examine whether that trust is merited. For the sake of this country doubts as to whether that trust is merited should be resolved in favor of American ideals, not a man. We must trust what we stand for and seriously question anything that conflicts with those ideals.

 

Striving to take over the world

Throughout history there has always been those that strive for power or to take over the world. Alexander the Great, Attila the Hun, Hitler and some say Saddam are a few examples. The same may be said of the ambitions of nations. The ambitions for the glory of Rome and the colonizing efforts of the British empire had these goals. What makes anyone believe that today is any different or that because one is an American or a Christian that they are no susceptible to the lure of power and history.

There is a duty for us as American citizens and members of the world community, to at least consider the potentials. A wider lens view is a duty owed to America by all its citizens. The world is a stake and people are dieing every day. Even if one is a skeptic, if there is any sense of justice or still lingering support for the ideals for which America stands, hard questions need to be asked and honest introspection made. This is not about political parties. It is an issue that transcends such petty motives. It is about the security of America and the destiny of the world.

To dismiss concerns about George Bush and his administration out of hand as partisan politics or radical paranoia is a blinding bias which jeopardizes any real search for the truth. Contempt for ideas without investigation is an abuse of the rights of democracy, of freedom and of our duty as citizens of America.

 

Where America is now

Consider where we are right now. America is more hated right now than it has ever been hated during its entire history. This hate is not just by radical Muslims. It is deep throughout the people of our traditional allies around the world and even in America as some people talk in terms of "hating" George Bush. Whether the "hate" is misplaced is immaterial. It is there and must be taken into consideration. It is dividing America and the world. This cannot be good as hate translates into enemies, violence and death.

This hate is fed by fear, a sense for self preservation and concern about the motives and ambitions of the Bush administration, and, possibly more troubling, there is a growing divide and hostility between the Judea-Christian cause and that of the Islamic world.

There is a sense that the US has lost control of the situation. Bush has had one problem after another. A resistance to occupation has resulted in the deaths of over 800 American soldiers, the US trained Iraqi police have melted under attack, Sunni, Shia and Kurd fractions struggle for their places in the new Iraq, the Arab media is independent, al Sadr, independent militia, the Iraqi detainee abuse scandal, the controversy over the killing of 40 near the Iranian Syrian border, and now the Chalabi fiasco. Few would argue that Bush has much control of the situation.

There is criticism and questions about whether Bush has a "plan" for passing sovereignty in Iraq and for disengaging the US from what has been termed "a long hard slog" and a "quagmire." While placing importance on not being perceived as "cutting and running," the Bush administration is floating the idea of leaving if the US is asked to leave. That appears to be the exit strategy. Declare "mission accomplished" and go. Monday Bush is to outline the plan in a major speech. So far numerous members of Congress have questioned whether there is a plan on a bipartisan basis.

There are repeated questions about mistakes and misjudgments in the lead up to the war on Iraq. Misstatements and misinformation about the reasons for going to war in Iraq which shifted with the realities on the ground and the revelation, or lack of it, of evidence are an issue. There has been substantial criticism that Bush underestimated the resistance to US occupation, the number of troops needed, the problems of occupation, the wisdom of overzealous debaathification, delaying elections and shutting down newspapers.

The failure to get widespread international support for the war on Iraq has received substantial criticism. Many ask what the rush to war was about when Iraq presented no "imminent" threat to US security. Some are critical about Iraq as a distraction from the war on terrorism and of creating greater terrorism. There are numerous other perceived mistakes.

Possibly the biggest long-term problem created by Bush policies is the squandering of good will by many nations of the world who supported the US war on terrorism after 9/11. Bush policies and actions have not only alienated allies and potential allies for the cause, but, have forced them to create new and strengthened old alliances as a hedge to US hegemony.

Another problem that Bush has is "isolation" from both Republicans and Democrats in Congress. Bush has been criticized by both parties for not consulting with others. Because of the isolation, Bush and his administration have been accused of believing they "knows all things" by leading Senators such as Chuck Hagel (R) and Diane Feinstein (D).

You know something is wrong when Republicans openly criticize Bush. Trent Lott, Chuck Hagel, John McCain, and Pat Robertson have spoken out on various issues and are critical of Bush. Senator Pat Roberts (R), Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, recently stated, "In fighting the global war against terrorism ...we need to restrain what are growing U.S. messianic instincts -- a sort of global social engineering where the United States feels it is both entitled and obligated to promote democracy -- by force, if necessary." While stressing U.S. willingness "to use force unilaterally if necessary," he called it "time for some hard-headed assessment of American interests."

In a CNN interview with Senator Hagel about the reasons and urgency for the Iraq war, Hagel said, "Now, there's credibility involved here, there's our word, there's the trust of this country involved. ... Did, in fact, individuals high up in the administration shape and mold this analysis of intelligence to serve their own purposes? .. We need to get the facts out, because this is in the interest of this administration. There's a cloud hanging over this administration."

Senator Lugar, in a speech Saturday said the U.S. isn't doing enough diplomatically to stave off terrorist attacks and chided the president for failing to offer concrete plans for Iraq. Lugar said, by failing at "repairing and building alliances, expanding trade, pursuing resolutions to regional conflicts, supporting democracy and development worldwide, and controlling weapons of mass destruction, we are likely to experience acts of catastrophic terrorism that would undermine our economy, damage our society, and kill hundreds of thousands, if not millions of people."

It seems that bipartisan politics may be giving way to concerns about America and the direction it is going as the chilling impact of accusations of "unpatriotic," for those that dare to question Bush, begins to thaw.

The race for nuclear weapons
 

Moreover, Bush began withdrawing from the world community as soon as he took office. First, Bush withdrew from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty in 2001, then he personally launches a barrage of indelible word bombs infused into the global consciousness -- threats of pre-emptive nuclear attacks, nuclear hit lists, preventative war, and unilateral attack on Iraq and others (if Bush deems it necessary).

Bush has created a world much more volatile than it was before 9/11. The number of enemies and the the global nuclear threat are growing every day. Bush set the tone and by opening a nuclear Pandora's box.

The world reacts

It is unrealistic to think that the entire world will just cower to his threats. North Korea openly gears up to make more nuclear weapons and asserts that it will withdraw from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty . Russia announces it will begin making more nuclear weapons and announces it will withdraw Iran has just this week entered the race for nuclear weapons. Syria and Lebannon are alleged to be in the thick of the plot. Certainly China, the EU, and others cannot just ignore the race.

When Bush withdrew from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty decades of apparent progress were destroyed and Bush may have commenced an irreversible coarse towards Armageddon. The world is not safer for the rhetoric that Bush carefully chooses. His words resound around the world and will shape the world perception of the US for decades.

According to Daryl G. Kimball, the executive director of the Arms Control Association, "A policy that sets the United States above and apart from the rules that other states are expected to follow is ultimately unsustainable and self-defeating," Mr. Kimball went on, "Perpetuating U.S. reliance on nuclear weapons as a key component of protecting U.S. security will only make the acquisition of nuclear weapons more attractive to others, not less."

The war on Iraq just compounds all of the damage Bush did before the war. After a long line of threats to the world, other nations are preparing and the terrorists are increasing. This cannot make the world safer. It is much for volatile. The spark for the powder keg is George Bush and nothing he will do will diffuse the potential harm short of leaving office. The world faces a serious problem and he needs to be dealt with.

 

Something may be wrong

The circumstances that now exist compel at least a consideration that something may be wrong and require hard questions as to what we are really doing and the consequences we are producing. The conservative elements of the Republican party have been snowed into believing in and trusting a man (or backing a party that that man leads) based upon the perception that that man is a good man who can be trusted. Or, he is backed simply so that the republican party can maintain power.

 

The clash of civilizations

 

American and the world had better wake up fast because the wheels are turning very fast towards a direction - whether deliberately set or one we have lapsed into because of stupidity - that is alienating the world, creating more terrorists and may be jogging into the mire of uncharted territory called the clash of civilizations.

 

When Bush was elected President no one knew his true goals. There was not very little concern about his statements that he was answering a call from God nor was there any concern about him surrounding himself with people that had ambitions to change, if not rule, the world by military force. Now, the harsh reality of these ambitions is materializing and the US and the world will pay a heavy price for its inattention. There appears little that we can do.

The way things are going we are becoming a nation driven by right wing extremists that will let nothing get in their way. A clash of civilizations is considered a victory by them. They want to bring about an Armageddon to fulfill biblical prophecy and set the stage for the second coming. Although there is the question how far up this extreme view goes, there is no question that this body of thought exists and is advocated openly by some. For the less extreme of us, those in our government should provide as much alarm as those extremists that allegedly want to destroy our way of life. It is the same mentality on each side and the extremism of each feeds the extremism of the other. The end result is the control of extremist thought on the direction of the world which has hijacked the agenda on both sides.

The clash of civilizations is being salted by actions of arrogance by the Bush administration and its first resort to the sword as the arbiter to determine what shall be. Justice has little place as the ambition, the noble goal, the mission, is, in the final analysis, the compass by which our leadership appears to be guided. A might is right and a my God is stronger than your God mentality lures many unwittingly down the primrose path to destruction and the masses of the world have no control. They are crushed by the weight of the boots by those with their heads so high in the clouds they do not hear the crunch as the bones of humanity brake below.

 

In the name of spreading freedom

The destruction of our principles, of values, of respect, of the rule of law - in the name of spreading freedom - is the height of hypocrisy. It is the mission of people who have lost sight of what American truly stands for. They believe the ends justifies the means, but, that is the call of all who who justify abuse for the glory of their heady ambitions. This is wrong. We cannot beat the enemy by becoming it. We cannot give up what we stand for an expect to impose our ideals on others. We must be the example of what is right, not how right goes wrong. As one of our founders said, "If we give up our rights for security, we will neither have or deserve either."

Our actions should be carefully considered. They lead to the deaths of others who have no control of their fate - the people. It is us, we the people of the world that are swept away by the ambitions of the the few. It is we the people that pay the price of that ambition with our lives. There is a collective punishment for the world when the ambitions of a few at the top of the most powerful country in the world go astray. Whether by swell of heady missions to meet the call of God or just plain ole ignorance the damage is the same and we the people pay the price for the glory of the empire.