“I hate everything about this war, except that we’re winning it.”
-Andy Rooney
Well apparently Hell has officially frozen over, because Andy Rooney actually used his platform on 60 Minutes this week to say something interesting and relevant.
Wait, did I just say that?
He basically said to the administration, please don’t treat us like children. Don’t slap a coat of paint on what you’re doing, calling it “Operation Iraqi Freedom.” He also talked about a PR tactic I hadn’t thought a lot about: administration officials and the press constantly referring to “coalition forces.” It’s the Americans and the British, folks. I’m sure we’re all pleased Eritrea and Iceland are giving us the thumbs-up, but calling it a “coalition” is stretching the rubber band almost to the breaking point.
“The President, Rumsfeld and the generals ought to stop treating us like children. Tell us the truth. We can take it even when it’s bad.”
It’s bad, Andy. It’s bad.
I also liked how “60 Minutes” took some reasonable stances questioning treatment of Muslims detained after 9/11, possible post-Saddam Iraq scenarios, and detailing how the conflict is playing out in countries like Jordan, a historical ally in the Middle East who now questions the motives of the US.
On the same program, Bill Clinton followed the lead of other unwilling-to-stand-up-for-their-principles Democrats in agreeing with his nominal debate partner Bob Dole that dissent and questioning the Iraq war has no place while the fighting is going on. He also used his time to make a shot about how he was criticized for Kosovo. Yes, Bill, the war *is* all about you.
Way to go, Bill. You just helped create a “60 Minutes” broadcast that made me like you less and like Andy Rooney more. We live in strange times.
The next time someone says there is no place for questioning the war/president/etc while we’re fighting, could someone else please append, “… just like Vietnam?”
The government is our country’s institutional memory, and they seem to be making sure the citizenry are all amnesiacs. The same generation that protested Vietnam are largely the very people talking about supporting our troops now. It’s pigs and hippies all over again.
Excuse me, [www]???? In my experience, many of the people who are protesting this war are the people who protested the Viet Nam War. That war just reached out and touched everyone — not mainly poor kids who find the military to be their only way to get a higher education.
As I’m sure you know, at that time ALL boys graduating from high school were potential cannon fodder. You had a chance to get out if you were rich or highly connected enough — but everybody had friends, brothers, classmates, in that quagmire.
I think most of the people who are supporting this war are the same people who fell for the government’s disinformation campaign at that time. The others are the people who wanted the war but were unwilling to fight in it themselves (hence the name “chickenhawks” for Bush & Co.).
I really respected Muhammad Ali, when he refused to serve in Viet Nam because he refused to go over there and “kill other poor folks.”
Where were you shallow screws during the Bosnian War. Oh yeah, Clinton was President. Nevermind. It’s easier for you to call people stupid and underhanded, because then you don’t have to admit your worldview changes depending on who is in the White House.