Bush Refers to Butcher Karimov as a “Friend”
Bush Refers to Butcher Karimov as a “Friend”
On Tuesday, President Bush was finally asked to explain his silence about the brutal massacres ordered by Uzbek dictator — and White House ally — Islam Karimov. His response was remarkable:
VAN DE HEI: Two questions about the consistency of a U.S. foreign policy that’s built on the foundation of spreading democracy and ending tyranny. One, how come you have not spoken out about the violent crackdown in Uzbekistan? …
THE PRESIDENT: …In terms of Uzbekistan — thanks for bringing it up — we’ve called for the International Red Cross to go into the Andijon region to determine what went on, and we expect all our friends — [Bush pauses here, apparently realizing what he's just said] — as well as those who aren’t our friends, to honor human rights and protect minority rights.
This is the administration’s boiler plate response these days. As the New York Times points out, the White House claims it wants an investigation of the massacres, yet is “also making it clear that it intended to continue cooperating with Uzbekistan on counterterrorism.”
But referring to Karimov as a friend? Now that’s beyond the pale.
President Bush, here’s a tip: friends don’t let friends gun down hundreds of their own citizens “like rabbits” (in the words of one survivor), boil their prisoners alive, initiate police state round-ups of political activists, or run an oppressive dictatorship.
And here’s one more: any friend of a thug like Karimov is no friend of democracy.
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I like the way he always says, “…thanks for bringing that up…” like he’s been eagerly waiting for the opportunity to tell us his thoughts. Yeah, right!
June 2nd, 2005 at 2:11 pmSounds like Bush feels Karimov, like Putin, is his soulmate:
“I looked the man in the eye. I was able to get a sense of his soul. I knew that President Putin was a man with whom I could work.”
- President George W. Bush, November 15, 2001
“A dictatorship would be a heck of a lot easier, there’s no question about it.”
- President George W. Bush, July 26, 2001.
“If this were a dictatorship, it’d be a heck of a lot easier, just so long as I’m the dictator.”
- President-elect George W. Bush, December 18, 2000.
“You don’t get everything you want. A dictatorship would be a lot easier.”
June 2nd, 2005 at 3:04 pm- Texas Governor George W. Bush, July 1998.
Come on. Karimov is just the sort of role model Bush and Cox wishes they could be. Lavishly corrupt, siphoning millions upon millions of dollars into their personal accounts through encouraging any and all buyers to feel free to do so, and protecting it all with whatever massacres are necessary. Cox would love to be able to gun down like rabbits those pesky shareholders who complain about corporate malfeasence.
June 2nd, 2005 at 3:32 pmSpeaking of Dead People . . .
June 2nd, 2005 at 4:54 pmBush breaks silence on our man in Uzbekistan, Islam Karimov.
VAN DE HEI: Two questions about the consistency of a U.S. foreign policy that’s built on the foundation of spreading democracy and ending tyranny. One, how come you have not spoken out ab…
More on Bush and Karimov at http://dearkitty.modblog.com/core.mod?show=blogview&blog_id=600913
June 2nd, 2005 at 5:56 pmAnd Osama bin Laden is Bushie’s buddy too.
June 2nd, 2005 at 10:02 pmHe’s been on the run for over 1000 days and recieving dialysis somehow..
What? Does Bin Laden carry a dialysis machine with him everywhere he goes?
Uh, huh..
Osama Bin Laden is Bushie’s buddy..
You wanna know what?
Geroge Bush doesn’t know if he is afoot or horseback.
June 2nd, 2005 at 10:26 pmfriends don’t let friends… initiate police state round-ups of political activists
Are you saying we can’t round up Grover Norquist, Ralph Reed, Tom DeLay, Jack Abramoff, just to name a few, and all the other criminals hiding out in the Republican party? That really sucks. What if we promise not to torture them? Would it be okay then?
June 3rd, 2005 at 12:26 amGeorge Bush IS the back of horse!
June 3rd, 2005 at 10:57 amCertainly not the first asinine statement from King George and not the last. The question i keep asking and getting no response to is this; Just how frightening is it that a majority of Americans actually voted to keep this cretin in office? If I may,just one more question. How is it that nothing sticks to this guy? Where is the sustained outrage?
June 3rd, 2005 at 2:15 pmMike,
I truly think a second reality has been created by the right-wing echo chamber/propaganda machine, one in which the outrage has been deftly redirected away from issues critical to our democracy and toward Michael Jackson, runaway brides and Terry Schiavo.
June 3rd, 2005 at 2:21 pmYou assume that a majority of Americans did vote to keep the cretin in office Mike. I no longer make that assumption. No, that’s not true. I never did make that assumption.
June 3rd, 2005 at 2:24 pmhttp://blaghdadcafe.com/?p=116
President Bush has strayed over the line separating “those who play footsies with dictators� and “those who actively aid their crimes against humanity.�
He needs to be impeached.
Evidence: Bush Speech to the U.N. Tuesday, September 21, 2004; 11:44 AM
Bush: “Both the American Declaration of Independence and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights proclaim the equal value and dignity of every human life…That dignity is dishonored by oppression, corruption, tyranny, bigotry, terrorism and all violence against the innocent…�
MSNBC/Washington Post Article Saturday, June 4, 2005
“Uzbek security forces opened fire on crowds in Andijan that included anti-government demonstrators, Islamic militants and prisoners freed in a jail break.�
“U.S. officials are concerned that U.S.-trained military units might have participated in the Uzbekistan government’s suppression of unrest in Andijan on May 13…�
“An investigation would most likely show that Uzbekistan authorities ‘used a level of force that was completely unjustified and they killed many innocent civilians,‘ said Sen. John E. Sununu (R-N.H.)…Based on reports of U.S. Embassy officials there who gathered eyewitness accounts, Sununu believes between 500 to 1,000 people were killed in the unrest and that Uzbekistan Special Forces and regular security forces were involved� in the killings “which (Republican Senator Lindsey) Graham called a ‘massacre.’�
Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman, speaking for the President:
“When you look at the totality of what Uzbekistan has been doing, they’ve been a very valuable partner and ally in the global war on terror…�
President Bush at his Presidential Inauguration January 20,2004 :
“So it is the policy of the United States to seek and support the growth of democratic movements and institutions in every nation and culture, with the ultimate goal of ending tyranny in our world.�
“All who live in tyranny and hopelessness can know: the United States will no
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