Hardly the way to dispel the ‘puppet of the U.S.’ charges

July 27, 2006

Who wrote Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki’s speech before a joint meeting of [tag]Congress[/tag] yesterday? It’s probably safe to say the wordsmiths at the [tag]Bush[/tag] [tag]White House[/tag] had a hand in the writing. It’s also worth remembering that this wouldn’t be the first time.

To be sure, [tag]Maliki[/tag] stuck to the points the administration and congressional Republicans wanted to hear. He told lawmakers that Iraq is the “front line” in the fight against terrorism; he vowed to make Iraq an “active player” in the security and stability of the Middle East; and he insisted that “Iraqis are your allies in the war on terror.”

It prompted Slate’s Fred Kaplan to wonder if the Bush gang wrote the [tag]speech[/tag]. His conclusion? Probably.

Maliki’s speech, which he must have read half-ashamed, half-relieved that almost nobody back home would be listening. It was a speech right out of George W. Bush’s playbook. It painted the war in Iraq as a struggle between democracy and terrorism. “Iraq is free,” he said, “and the terrorists cannot stand this.” Those who killed thousands of Americans on Sept. 11 are “the same terrorists” as those killing innocent Iraqis today. “Iraqis are your allies in the war on terror,” and Iraq is this war’s “front line.” […]

Did Bush aides write the speech? White House spokesman [tag]Tony Snow[/tag] said at his daily press conference that there had been “conversations about the speech” ahead of time –from which one could reasonably infer that they engaged, at least, in heavy editing.

When Snow was asked whether White House officials had advised the prime minister on what to say, Snow said, “I think the word ‘advise’ is a little strong. We have seen copies of it.”

Long-time readers may recall that this wouldn’t be the first time the Bush gang intervened to write a speech for an Iraqi prime minister.

In September 2004, near the height of the presidential campaign, then-Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad [tag]Allawi[/tag] also addressed a joint session of Congress, and — whaddaya know — his message dovetailed perfectly with the Bush campaign’s message.

Hughes, Dan Senor, and David Frum all denied White House involvement, despite the fact that Allawi’s choice of words was sometimes identical to Bush’s. A week later, the truth came out.

[D]etails have emerged showing the U.S. government and a representative of President Bush’s reelection campaign had been heavily involved in drafting the speech given to Congress last week by interim Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi.

In other words, as far as the president’s team was concerned, the Iraqi Prime Minister was a campaign prop to be used for partisan purposes.

Given the history, and Snow’s mild protestations, it’s likely the White House took pen to paper on Maliki’s behalf as well. Of course, if the administration is anxious to demonstrate that Iraq is a free, sovereign nation, capable of making its own decisions, it probably won’t help to have presidential aides treating the Iraqi Prime Minister as a [tag]puppet[/tag], repeating the talking points that suit the White House’s purposes.

“Iraqis are your allies in the war on terror,” and Iraq is this war’s “front line.”

I’m sure Iraqi civilians will be happy to know their prime minister has declared their country the “frontline”. Where the hell’s the “rear echelon”? Kuwait?

“…..he plans very soon to establish a free-market economy and to loosen restrictions on foreign investment.”

And I’m sure foreign companies will be beating a path to the War on Terror’s “frontline”.

Then again, maybe his plain is that the insurgents would then start targeting Baghdad Walmarts and BP stations instead of Iraqi-owned stores.

  • This speech was a transparent photo-op / campaign soundbite source for Republicans. The only thing missing was the “MISSION ACCOMPLISHED” banner.

    The Democrats that boycotted should have used this as a pretense instead of stupidl rebuking Malaki for failing to denounce Hezbollah.

  • One has the sneaking suspicion that if Maliki were to speak his mind, it would not only undermine the administration’s strategies but would suggest that, even now, Iraq may not fit the image we ordinarily have of “ally”.

  • The Bush Crime Family has been scripting the behavior of its “allies” — pulling the strings of its puppets — since Reagan’s First Inauguration was highlighted by the release of the Iranian hostages.

    The GOP would like us to think they are the key to national defense and guardians of God, the Flag and the (heterosexual white Christian) family. The fact is that they’d engage in treason in a heartbeat if there were a buck to be made.

  • I watched the speech for a while and found myself thinking right away, “There’s no way he could actually believe what he’s saying.”

    Never mind the ‘frontline’ BS. He was mouthing words about how economically prosperous the Iraqi people were becoming, buying washers and dryers and appliances as if they could just stroll over to the local WalMart like it was downtown Omaha.

    And it went on and on, as if he were talking about another planet. He never wrote that speech, no way no how.

  • Actually, there aren’t any Walmarts in downtown Omaha. I think the closest store to downtown is on Fort Crook Road off the Kennedy Freeway in Bellevue.

    But I disgress.

    It will be interesting to see what Maliki says back home about the US occupation. Do I sense a flip-flop?

  • I think our misadministration is guilty of much more. I think they have been bartering nuclear technology and materials in exchange for support on US policy on Iran.
    The last paragraph in this article mentions supporting the US policy on Iran as if it is a condition.

    India warns of US nuclear deal

    Regardless of what Maliki was coerced into saying, I tend to believe articles like this as a more likely outcome in Iraq.

    Sectarian break up of Iraq now inevitable

    I’ve come to the conclusion the relationship between Shrub the Bewildered and Dick Cheney could be likened to Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men. In our real life case, George is the name of the slow one depending on Dick for crucial ideas. When Slow George takes action on his own ideas, the occasional Harriet Miers transpires. By all appearances, someone with no regard at all for the future is at the wheel steering our government off a cliff.

  • Come on, we have all been asking for more transparency from this administration. Things are now so damned clear that we can foresee the future in the rear view mirror.

  • “By all appearances, someone with no regard at all for the future is at the wheel steering our government off a cliff.” – tko

    It’s the Thelma and Louise Solution. Reality is encroaching from all sides. Dick’s been raped by constitutionality before (Nixon administration) and he’s afraid it’s going to get Boy George this time.

    The problem, of course, is that this time Dick and George are taking all America and the World with them over the edge.

  • CB suggest that the Iraqi Prime Minister is not being genuine when he says: “Those who killed thousands of Americans on Sept. 11 are “the same terrorists” as those killing innocent Iraqis today.”

    But this is true. al-Maliki is a Shia. Al Qaeda is Sunni. They are attacking Iraq because they don’t want another Shia regime. So al-Maliki is telling the God’s honest truth.

    Of course, he may also be allied with Iranian sponsored Shite terrorists, but that’s another matter.

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