Buencamino does foreign and political affairs analysis for Action for Economic Reforms. This piece was Editorial in Today, 14 July 2004 edition.
If we were asked, “Given the chance, what are the questions you wouldpose to US Vice President Cheney regarding his views on Iraq?”, wewould reply that we have only one question in mind.
That question would be: “Mr. Cheney, the Bush-appointed 9/11 commissionand the bipartisan Senate Intelligence Committee reported that Iraq hadno links with al- Qaeda, no weapons of mass destruction, and no nuclearweapons program, yet you continue to believe and insist otherwise. So,Mr. Cheney, do you also believe that Elvis is still in the building?”
Bush invaded another sovereign country under false pretenses. Iraqposed no imminent threat to America. As someone said, “the ‘mushroomcloud’ in Condoleeza Rice’s pictorial warning of what could happen ifSaddam was not overthrown turned out to be nothing but smoke blowingout of the Bush administration’s collective ass.”
When Arroyo told Bush, “Friends don’t ask why, they ask how,” it wasbecause she believed a friend’s claims. She cannot be faulted forbelieving the “best available evidence” provided by that friend. Butnow that the truth is out, the choice is clear. An unprovoked attack onanother sovereign country is a crime, pure and simple. If she stayswith Bush in Iraq, she will be a party to a continuing crime.
Nowadays, Bush has been shifting gears from making false claims aboutSaddam to telling allies that pulling out of Iraq is wrong because itwould be a sign of weakness and lack of resolve in the war on terror.Moreover, he claims that the occupation of Iraq ended when sovereigntywas handed over. This, even as coalition troops remain in place becauseit’s what his Iraqi appointees want in their fight against those whostill believed in the previous regime. It’s difficult to know if themajority of Iraqis accept Bush’s gift of sovereignty and if his chosenfew are also their choice, but history offers many interestingcomparisons to what today’s conquering “hero” is saying.
Sixty years ago, Japan claimed the Philippines was suffering underWestern domination. Accordingly, Japan invaded the Philippines,appointed a new government, and handed over sovereignty. Japan kepttroops in place because the newly liberated Philippine Governmentneeded help to fight those who still believed in the previous regime.
A century ago, America claimed the Philippines was suffering underSpanish domination. Accordingly, America… and the previous verserepeats itself as you go back and forth through time in thenever-ending fables of conquering “heroes.”
President Arroyo must continue to wage war on terrorists but not byremaining in Iraq. She must draw a clear line between the war onterrorism and the war based on lies. Blood, especially that which isshed in the commission of a crime, does not wash off easily. As LadyMacbeth said, “Here’s the smell of blood still: all the perfumes ofArabia will not sweeten this little hand.” Arab perfumes may notsweeten a murderess’ hand but Arab oil has certainly burned America’s.
If Bush asks his friend why she is walking out, Arroyo can say, “Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice shame on me.”
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