When Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi spoke to a joint session of Congress last week, the rhetoric sounded awfully familiar. Indeed, since the address was a de facto campaign event for Bush, it was hardly surprising that Allawi would use GOP talking points in talking about the war and insurgency.
But leave it to the Washington Post’s Dana Milbank to discover that Allawi’s rhetoric was not only similar to Bush’s, at times it seemed to have been written by the same person. I guess the White House speechwriters are getting a little lazy.
As Milbank suggested, someone may have simply gone “to the White House Web site and combed through some of President Bush’s speeches.”
A few of my favorite examples:
Iraq is “emerging finally from dark ages of violence.” — Allawi
“Iraq will never return to the dark ages of tyranny.” — Bush“I have seen some of the images that are being shown here on television. They are disturbing.” — Allawi
“The American people have seen horrible scenes on our TV screens.” — BushIraqi forces “are striking their enemies wherever they hide.” — Allawi
“We’re fighting these enemies wherever they hide.” — Bush“Creating a democratic, prosperous and stable nation . . . which lives in peace with itself and its neighbors is our highest priority.” — Allawi
“A stable, democratic and prosperous Iraq will no longer be a breeding ground for terror, tyranny and aggression.” — Bush“The world is better off without Saddam Hussein.” — Allawi
“The world is better off without Saddam Hussein in power.” — Bush