Why won’t Iraqis accept our gift of freedom?
By on Aug 2nd, 2006 at 9:23 pm
Why won’t Iraqis accept our gift of freedom?
Rep. Jo Bonner (R-AL) shares his thoughts on the state of Iraq: “We may look back and say we gave it our best shot and we did everything we could do to make it a success. And at the end of the day we could not make people accept the gift of freedom.”
View Most Popular
Advertisement
What We're About
What We're Fighting For
What We're Fighting Against
Featured
Subscribe to the Progress Report
Topic CloudView topics sorted by popularity
Afghanistan
Bachmann
Beck
Boehner
Business
Cheney
Civil Rights
Congress
Corporate Ethics
Dobbs
Economy
Education
Election
Energy
Environment
Ethics
Fox News
Gingrich
Glenn Beck
Global Warming
Health Care
Immigration
International Relations
Justice
LGBT
Lieberman
Limbaugh
Media
Military
O'Reilly
Obama
Palin
Pelosi
Politics
Race
Radical Right
Religion
Sports
Steele
Stimulus
Tea Parties
Tea Party
Terrorism
Veterans
Women's Rights
Visit Our Affiliated Sites
Reports
In-depth studies on select topics
Got a hot tip?
Have a hot news tip? We'd love to hear from you. Use the form below to send us the latest.
ArchivesBlog Roll
The day that America awakes out of the grip of “spin” is the day we will start down the road to healing this broken country. Right now, spin still passes for reality. Until that stops, it’s hopeless. As long as Amreicans fall for it, they deserve the price. Sort of like porn. You can do it, but you have to pay the price of a shabby loveless life where people are your props. The Republicans have no respect for people in their own right. It is all about appearance, power, and sham. Shame on Jo Bonner and the Republicans. Shame and disgrace on them all.
August 2nd, 2006 at 9:29 pmUm, Rep Bonner? Idiot stick? They’re busy moving out because they got notes telling them to move out, with bullets taped to them. They don’t have any more room for the “gift of freedom.”
August 2nd, 2006 at 9:33 pmIn their rush to crown Lil’ Shrub emperor, the rethugs ignored history, laughed at their critics and proceeded with reckless abandon into the abyss that is Iraq. Now after a dizzying number of iterations, the misadventure that started out as a search for the ever elusive WMDs, is now fondly billed as Operation Iraqi Freedom. Who can blame these poor sufferers for rejecting so resoundingly, Shrub’s warped version of ‘freedom’? Incredibly, his bitter fruit of freedom is now being foisted on the long oppressed Lebanese people, via his neighbohood henchmen, the craven, blood-thirsty and barbaric Israelis.
August 2nd, 2006 at 9:45 pmderrrr, try starting lower on the heirarchy of needs,like safety/security,physical needs of food,basic comforts,shelter, theeen and only then cram freedom down their throats you moron RW’ers.
August 2nd, 2006 at 9:47 pmOh my God, a Representative from the United States Senate has realized that you cannot make people do something. That’s a good little Bonner, you get a smiley face sticker for that.
August 2nd, 2006 at 9:52 pmIs this person bright enough to walk and talk at the same time?
August 2nd, 2006 at 9:53 pmBecause Americans talk about the ‘gift of freedom’ same as the Soviet Union talked about ‘living in peace’. HL Menkcen, come on down:
August 2nd, 2006 at 9:57 pm
I’ll take my freedom giftwrapped to go, please
August 2nd, 2006 at 9:58 pmAlabama is clearly approaching perfection
August 2nd, 2006 at 9:58 pmBush did NOT give Iraqis any freedom > he gave them a fascist military occupation!
August 2nd, 2006 at 10:03 pmIn the future, we may find a better way to deliver the gift of freedom than shoving it up someone else’s ass while we kill his whole family.
August 2nd, 2006 at 10:03 pmI wouldn’t either.
Read 9/11 Live: The NORAD Tapes at
August 2nd, 2006 at 10:03 pmhttp://www.vanityfair.com/features/general/060801fege01
and Report: Some 9/11 Commission members mulled criminal referrals for military officials at http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/Report_Some_911_Commission_members_mulled_0802.html
Enough of running away from 911
It is getting time to suspend all activity by congress, senate and administration and pull all parties associated with PNAC before a grand jury and get to the bottom of this War on Terror BS which has become a front to kill the Constitution and Bill of Rights. FBI, Intellegence and DoD (Able Danger) needs to be asked a few questions as well. This GWOT crap is a war on freedom and liberty around the world and replacing it with a global military plutocracy. The people responsible for taking away the evidence should be indicted immediately. The FAA would have put the pieces together carefully if it was an air disaster. This is far more serious and questions need to be answered by all of the organizations that are suposed to represent or defend this country. They were obviously out to breakfast when the incedent happened and far too many coincidences of pre-attack positioning and organization were set up. It wasn’t like the people in high places were not told.
If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be.
Thomas Jefferson
August 2nd, 2006 at 10:04 pmSo as your raping someone you tell them you are giving them the gift of Democracy?
August 2nd, 2006 at 10:07 pmLoved the gift Bonner. Did you have to drop it on my head?
August 2nd, 2006 at 10:07 pmI think America re-gifted the Iraqi freedom.
August 2nd, 2006 at 10:15 pmHow many millions of Americans will be nodding their heads in agreement with this obscene non-sense?
August 2nd, 2006 at 10:17 pmYeah, this was incredibly shallow.
However…. notice the change in tone here folks. This is not “stay the course.” Essentially, this is an admission of defeat. Sure, they’re trying to say its entirely the Iraqis fault that things didn’t work out. If allowing Republicants to say that gets our troops home more quickly, I’m fine with it. Anyone with a half a brain (the only folks we should care about at this point) and a willingness to think critically knows what the real story is.
August 2nd, 2006 at 10:20 pm“As democracy is perfected, the office of the president represents more and more closely the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart’s desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.â€â€“H.L. Mencken
Comment by Jealous of Jeff
August 2nd, 2006 at 10:23 pm—————-
-shudder-
Well, if my freedom came wrapped in 500lb cluster bombs, and I had to pay it by allowing random searches of my home, killing of my family, indefinite detention and torture of friends and acquaintances, I suspect I wouldn’t want any part of that freedom either.
August 2nd, 2006 at 10:28 pmI am dumbstruck by this statement, not that I am smart, but this is the most ludicrous, assanine thing I have read.
Democracy is now something that must be crammed down the throat of humanity and bombed into existence? And if they choke to death on it, so what?
WTF!!?? Really, WTF is going on in the minds of these people?
I am so dissapointed in my government I cannot even form the words to match it….Anger? No. Sickened, I am sickened by this mans words.
August 2nd, 2006 at 10:31 pmWell, if my freedom came wrapped in 500lb cluster bombs, and I had to pay it by allowing random searches of my home, killing of my family, indefinite detention and torture of friends and acquaintances, I suspect I wouldn’t want any part of that freedom either.
August 2nd, 2006 at 10:46 pmI agree with you!!!
You invade a country and then tell them what their country will be like and you wonder why they don’t like America. Look at America now our country is run by a liar and theft.
August 2nd, 2006 at 11:12 pmThe GOP follow the orders for stolen money. Using God’s name for lies and torture.
What example are we now to any country. We had great leaders that brought honest and pride to America only to lose all of it with President Bush. So the Iraq people are looking at the US and see us for who we really are not what we want to think we are.
I think our gift of death, destruction, corruption, Bremer, Rumsfeld, and civilian murder are pushing freedom out of the gift category.
August 2nd, 2006 at 11:16 pmWe may look back and say we screwed this up as badly as it could be done and we did everything we could do to make it a mess. And at the end of the day we could not impose democracy from the barrel of a gun.â€
August 2nd, 2006 at 11:28 pmI’ve noticed the “Usual Suspects” (Mighty Aphrodite, Chase, et al) don’t post in these types of threads. Have they not received the talking points or is the common sense catching up with them???
August 2nd, 2006 at 11:37 pmThe following quote perfectly describes the leadership of American under bush/cheney:
August 2nd, 2006 at 11:57 pm
#27 I’ve noticed the “Usual Suspects†(Mighty Aphrodite, Chase, et al) don’t post in these types of threads.
I’ve noticed the same thing, that there are times when the pro-Bush kool aid drinkers here seem to be at a complete loss for words.
August 3rd, 2006 at 12:03 am“Our gift of freedom”? After listening to bullsh*t from a Texas cowboy for the past 6 years what makes this blithering hayseed from alabama think anyone cares what he has to say? Stick to picking your feet at the dinner table mr.bonner and sell crazy someplace else….weez all stocked up heyah.
August 3rd, 2006 at 12:16 amThe Bush lover trolls are meeting with Karl Rove in emergency session to figure out how to respond to some of the TP thread subjects, so they will be back in here in force this morning > lol.
August 3rd, 2006 at 12:29 amWhat a complete jackass!
Is this an admission of defeat?
August 3rd, 2006 at 12:31 amPossibly, but not to the point of abandoning our precious bases in Iraq.
It’s going to take an Iran-inspired Shiite government to drive us out.
It’s just a matter of time. Just like Vietnam.
Some people don’t learn.
It reminds me of the basic flaw of humanity for the ancient Greeks – hubris (pride).
Seems Santayana is being proven right once again – those who do not learn from history are destined to repeat it.
God! Please tell me that this stupid asshole Bonner is not from MY home state. HelllPPP!!! I’m being represented by a Bush clone! Help Me God! Please!
August 3rd, 2006 at 1:07 am#27 & 29:
Mighty Aphrodickhead and Chase will not be missed. Please don’t jinx us. We dn’t need trolls messing up our perfectly civil tread.
August 3rd, 2006 at 1:15 amThat is unless you want those dittohead Micheal Savage-loving enigmas of modern science to come back.
August 3rd, 2006 at 1:16 amMaybe the Iraqi people would like our ‘freedom’ more if it didn’t come with a boot at their throat.
August 3rd, 2006 at 2:48 amThe palestinians would surely love that wonderful “gift” of american freedom but of course recipients of this freedom are selective purely for political expediency.
August 3rd, 2006 at 6:23 amThis is the typical racist argument, that we, the civilized western people, is our duty to share our values to poor barbarians that are incapable of organization to overthrow tyranic governments. Thats how Africa was divided and plundered. Thats how North, Central and South America was conquered and plundered.
From an interview to Chomsky:
August 3rd, 2006 at 6:42 amThe psychology behind this is kind of transparent. When you’ve got your boot on someone’s neck and you’re crushing them, you can’t say to yourself, “I’m a son of a bitch and I’m doing it for my own benefit.” So what you have to do is figure out some way of saying, “I’m doing it for their benefit.” It’s like when you punish a child. “It is for your good, I have to do it. It is my responsibility.”
And that’s a very natural position to take when you are beating somebody with a club. I’m sure it’s probably close to universal. And I think that’s the kind of intellectual and moral content behind colonization.
Rep. Jo Bonner (R-AL) is a total idiot where did he come from
August 3rd, 2006 at 7:39 amI didn’t think Iraq set up a gift registry at “Target”, after all.
August 3rd, 2006 at 7:47 amThe UGLY AMERICAN IS ALIVE AND WELL.–sarcasm off.
August 3rd, 2006 at 7:57 amThe New Democracy…the gift that keeps on bleeding. It’s not your father’s democracy.
August 3rd, 2006 at 9:07 amThis must be one of the folks Bush keeps referring to when he says that there are those who don’t believe the Iraqi’s are capable of freedom.
August 3rd, 2006 at 9:23 am“We tried to beat God into him but he was too tough”
-from “Take The Money and Run”, Woody Allen
August 3rd, 2006 at 9:37 amBoner sees the light fading at the end of his tunnel. He and the lot are preparing for their eventual demise unless boy emperor and his israeli henchmen can pull off expanding this middle east catastrophy. Hold on to your hats as we approach the next election cycle.
August 3rd, 2006 at 9:56 amGoddammit if they won’t accept our gift of freedom we’ll blast em until they do!
August 3rd, 2006 at 9:56 amWhen an occupying army is kicking down doors, bombing TV stations and shooting journalists, and starts a rolling street battle shutting down a newspaper, when THAT is called “freedom,” then the word is worthless.
August 3rd, 2006 at 10:00 am.
#27, 28 – When they get their butts kicked over on this post, they show up on Huffington Post and annoy the universe over there. Faux names ddh, Captain America, Jon Quixote, BJClinton, and about twenty others.
August 3rd, 2006 at 10:00 amHowever…. notice the change in tone here folks. This is not “stay the course.†Essentially, this is an admission of defeat. Sure, they’re trying to say its entirely the Iraqis fault that things didn’t work out. If allowing Republicants to say that gets our troops home more quickly, I’m fine with it. Anyone with a half a brain (the only folks we should care about at this point) and a willingness to think critically knows what the real story is.
Comment by DrSinker
This is the way it is going to have to be if any change is to happen soon… Republicans like the idiots that got WWI started are more concerned with “saving face” than “saving lives” of American soldiers still in dangers way despite no real plan or goal for them to work towards. Its like Vietnam all over again… some people just cant say “I was wrong” … they would rather let other people die than to say those simple words. So to get this over with quickly the republicans NEED to blame someone… let them blame the Iraqis so that their weak and shallow egos can finally let go and start doing what is right for everybody.
August 3rd, 2006 at 10:02 am#47 – Well said, Grand Moff Texan.
August 3rd, 2006 at 10:35 amThe sad part is that the entire intellectual community in Iraq was wiped out in the process.
August 3rd, 2006 at 10:41 am#33 – Maybe he is from your state, because if the truth be known, there is no “God”.
August 3rd, 2006 at 11:12 amLet me get this correct. If Canada decides to give us the gift of freedom in the form of a parlimentary government by marching over our border with tanks and munitions, we should be OK with that and accept Canada’s gift of freedom. What a mind numbingly stupid and ludicrously simple-minded statement that was. For the love of God, are we in that much of a decline that people cannot dismiss this fool summarily and get him out of a leadership position. He isn’t fit to manage a Radio Shack — and apologies to all Radio Shack managers.
August 3rd, 2006 at 11:20 am[...] Donald Rumsfeld continues to slide down the slippery slope of senility as he claims “Iraq isn’t a civil war because it’s nothing like our Civil War.” Although compared to others in the GOP, he sounds pretty normal, as Rep. Bonner sums up the problems with Iraq being “They’re just too stubborn to accept our gift of freedom.” [...]
August 3rd, 2006 at 11:45 amBonner may be correct. You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make it drink. Many of those in the anti-war movement in the months, weeks, and days before liberation argued that Arab Muslims were incapable of creating and sustaining a democratic state. Were they right?
August 3rd, 2006 at 1:44 pmFreedom is not a gift. You have to want freedom bad enough to die for it. To this day I’ve yet to see or hear one Iraqi cry for freedom on any documentary or news broadcast. No doubt they never knew or believed you have to work you butt off to get and remain free. At the end of the day, maybe their heart was just never in it.
August 3rd, 2006 at 2:02 pmFreedom is just another word for nothing left to lose.
August 3rd, 2006 at 6:02 pmMission accomplified!
Yup, those ungrateful louts. After all the bombs we dropped on them, torture in Abu Gharib, rapes and murders, that they don’t appreciate all that we did to them. sarcasm on.
August 3rd, 2006 at 7:39 pmfreedom, or the illusion thereof, is a relative term.
death, on the other hand, has a distinct permanence about it.
i suspect that many of those whose bodies are currently fertilizing iraqi soil, as the direct result of our noble effort to liberate them, would gladly exchange our “gift” for an opportunity to live within the parameters of a dictatorial regime?
life is the gift.
August 3rd, 2006 at 10:51 pm