Sarah Morgan
With the disclaimers: one, this was an email forward, so who knows whether it’s the truth; two, this is a very subjective bunch of quotes; three, I’m biased; and four, our president is an asswipe.
Quotes of the Week
“God told me to strike at al Qaida and I struck them, and then he instructed me to strike at Saddam, which I did, and now I am determined to solve the problem in the Middle East. If you can help me I will act, and if not, the elections will come and I will have to focus on them.”–President Bush to Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas, as reported by Abbas to the Israeli newspaper Ha’aretz.
“There are some who feel that the conditions are such that they can attack us there. My answer is: Bring ’em on. We’ve got the force necessary to deal with the security situation.” –President Bush, as reported in the Washington Post.
“Bush’s comment was unwise, unworthy of the office and his role as commander in chief, and unhelpful to American soldiers under fire. The deteriorating situation in Iraq requires less swagger and more thoughtfulness and statesmanship. – press release by Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., three purple hearts, Vietnam
“I am shaking my head in disbelief. When I served in the army in Europe during World War II, I never heard any military commander – let alone the commander in chief – invite enemies to attack U.S. troops.” – press release by Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-New Jersey.
“As a mother of one of our brave troops in Iraq, may I just say, Mr. President, perhaps you truly do believe in the invincibility of our military; however, the next time you invite attacks on my son, and others, kindly stand in front of our soldiers, rather than hiding behind? – soldier’s mother quoted in an online forum in the Nashville Tennesean.
“The world expects something more of an American president than to prance around on a flight deck dressed up like [a] pilot. He’s expected to be a leader. That’s my fundamental issue with it. It doesn’t reflect the gravitas of the office. Furthermore, it’s a little phony.”–Gen. Wesley Clark in Newsweek speaking of Bush’s aircraft carrier landing.
“U.S. officials need to get our [expletive] out of here…I say that seriously. We have no business being here. We will not change the culture they have in Iraq, in Baghdad. Baghdad is so corrupted. All we are here is potential people to be killed and sitting ducks.”–Staff Sgt. Charles Pollard, 307th Military Police, as reported by Anthony Shadid in the Washington Post.
“I don’t really know what to think now. We have lost Saddam Hussein, but I have lost my daughter. They came to kill him, but killed her and the other children instead. What am I supposed to make of that?”–Juma Septi, of Fallujah, Iraq, speaking of his 10 year old daughter Rahad, mistakenly targeted by an American A-10 bomber while playing hide and seek. Reported by Ed Vuillamy in the Observer of London.
