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What is the Color of the
Sky
in a Liberal Ideologue's World
The Fifth Column/Frank
Salvato, Managing Editor |
March 11, 2005
- It seems that when one amasses wealth into the
millions or billions of dollars their acquaintance with reality becomes less
about the actualities and more about ideology. After all, if you are sitting
in traffic in the back of a limousine getting a manicure your perception of
the traffic is much different from that of your driver’s. While the
passenger may be able to sympathize with the driver there is absolutely no
way of knowing the actualities of what the driver is experiencing. The same
can be said about millionaire and billionaire ideologues and their less than
intimate knowledge of reality.
George Soros, the Hungarian-born billionaire who finds it quite alright to
be a capitalist when it’s all about amassing a fortune but a socialist where
everyone else is concerned, was recently overheard on a Spanish radio
station saying that the American policy toward terrorism is "dangerous” and
"creating anger and resentment around the world.” He made these comments the
day the International Conference on Terrorism opened in Madrid, Spain. He
went on to say that Spain had a very different response to terrorism, "a
healthier response.” If by ‘different response’ he meant running from the
battlefield with their tails between their legs and crumbling in the face of
terrorist threats, I would agree with him, Spain’s response was certainly
different. But one could argue how much safer it left its people.
Soros’ comments have to leave more than a few clear-thinking people
wondering just how in-touch he is with reality. It certainly leaves me
wondering whether or not the guy ever reads any newspapers other than the
New York Times or watches anything but al Jazeera.
In recent days the buzz around world and in the media – both
mainstream-liberal and new-media-balanced – has been that President Bush’s
"freedom initiative,” his policy toward terrorism, seems to be working.
Events from Indonesia to Hillah, from Beirut to Bahrain and Cairo, even
statements made in Washington DC lend credence to this thinking.
Although you wouldn’t have known it if you’re not in the habit of reading
well into the pages of the mainstream liberal media, over 2,000 people took
to the streets of Hillah, Iraq to protest terrorist actions in that town. In
the face of terrorist reprisal they marched calling for an end to terrorism,
Baathism and Wahabbism. It seems to me they were actually embracing their
newly found freedom of speech to voice their outrage at the senseless
killing of terrorists. I am hard pressed to understand how that could be
construed as angry and resentful.
In Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim country – and until now a country
that looked upon Osama bin Laden as some sort of twisted "Robin Hood” – a
new poll demonstrated a significant shift in public opinion toward the
US-led War on Terrorism. For the first time a majority of Indonesians
support the US-led efforts. Another significant result from the poll shows
that their support for Osama bin Laden has dropped from 58% to just 23%.
That’s about the same percentage as among American college professors. While
this turn-around can be attributed to the American relief effort in the
aftermath of the tsunami – relief that for the large part came directly from
the American people – the results are what they are. Fully 71% of those who
were pro-bin Laden are now pro-US with the highest percentage among people
under 30 years of age. Taking a step back I am not sure if "angry” or
"resentful” defines the sentiments of the Indonesia people.
Starved for freedom under the thumb of oppression, thousands of Lebanese
have taken to the streets of Beirut protesting against Syrian-dominated rule
and demanding democracy. If they are angry or resentful I believe it would
be fair to say that they are so toward the totalitarian regime of Syrian
President Bashar al Asad and Syrian occupation and not the United States.
In Saudi Arabia, people voted for the first time since 1963 when municipal
elections were held this past February. And in Egypt, President Hosni
Mubarak promised that the next elections for the office of president would
be contested elections. I bet it would be hard to find someone in Bahrain or
Cairo who was resentful that freedom was on the march.
In fact, as hard as it may be to fathom, Senator Ted Kennedy was heard
saying on ABC’s ‘This Week’ that President Bush deserved credit for what
seemed to be an awakening of democracy in the Middle East, not an awakening
of anger and resentment. ''What's taken place in a number of those countries
is enormously constructive," Kennedy said. ''It's a reflection the president
has been involved."
Soros went on to say in his interview that, "There are more people wanting
to kill Americans than there were before. These people didn't think like
that before the Americans arrived and did what they did.” I couldn’t
disagree more.
While Mr. Soros implies that the policies of the United States created
terrorism I believe it was created independently. The preaching of hate to a
generation by Islamo-Fascists, radical Islamists and the rest of the zealots
of the Middle East, for no other reason but for power and control, has
created a generation of those indoctrinated to hate the West, especially the
United States. Rhetoric offered up by those of Mr. Soros and his ilk
perpetuates the myth of the evil United States when in fact the US has
repeatedly demonstrated it stands for freedom over oppression and democracy
over totalitarian rule.
Note to Mr. Soros: There aren’t any more terrorists because of the actions
of the US in the Middle East. But, because of the actions of the US in the
Middle East, there will most definitely be more free people.
Related Reading:
US Terrorism Approach ‘Creates Hate’
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,12489688-38200,00.html
Clintonista Admits Dems Rooting for Terrorists
http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2005/3/5/65606.shtml
Poll: Major Change of Public Opinion in Muslim World
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/050304/dcf001_1.html
2,000 Protest at Iraqi Bombing Site
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20050301/D88IBT884.html
Changes in Mideast Blunt Bush’s Critics
http://www.boston.com/news/world/middleeast/articles/2005/03/07/changes_in_mideast_blunt_bushs_critics/
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