Vague Pitch Leaves Mostly Puzzlement

[cthrumatrix]

Vague Pitch Leaves Mostly Puzzlement

By Glenn Kessler
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, September 24, 2003; Page A01


UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 23 -- In his speech today to the U.N. General Assembly, President Bush tried to walk a fine line between defending a war deeply unpopular in much of the world and looking for help from reluctant countries to rebuild Iraq. The result left diplomats and lawmakers puzzled about his ultimate intentions.

Bush, in fact, sidestepped direct answers to many of the questions that have arisen since the administration said it would seek a Security Council resolution that would expand the United Nations' role in Iraq and call on countries to contribute more troops and money. How quickly would the United States grant sovereignty to the Iraqis? Would the administration grant any decision-making role to the United Nations in exchange for its imprimatur? Or does the administration simply want assistance without giving up much in return?

more

"The United Nations has just weathered one of its most serious trials in its history: respect for the Charter, the use of force, were at the heart of the debate," Chirac said. "The war, which was started without the authorization of the Security Council, has shaken the multilateral system."

snip

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A54800-2003Sep23.html

[izzie]

1. From what I am hearing this speech went over like 10 lbs. of shit.

Bush goes over like day old fish. I have not heard one good word yet but then I have not read Freepa site yet.

[WillParkinson]

2. USA Today...

Headline was "Bush invites help from UN" or something like that. "Invites"? Whatever.

[teryang]

3. American tyrant damages collective security

...by violating international law. That would be a better headline.

<But in two speeches that bracketed the president's address, Annan and French President Jacques Chirac suggested that it is the administration's doctrine of "preemption" -- the promise to strike against emerging threats -- that threatens to spread chaos across the globe. Both men bluntly said that the Bush administration is undermining the collective security arrangements that have governed the world since World War II.>

[Rose Siding]

4. "tepid, almost perfunctory applause for Bush...."

At least they wrote it.

[trogdor]

5. I got "exerpts" of the speech from the NSDA...er...RNC

I was hoping to mine it for Bushisms - it would be kewl to find them in something the RNC gave me, but they already sliced it to bits, leaving a bland pap that not even diehard Republicans would read.

[Blue_Roses]

6. this is usually what one does when

he has NO basis for this war. After listening to his speech, I thought, "What the hell was that?" It was the biggest sidestep show I have ever seen him do.

He knows he has no basis for why he went to war, so it's no wonder there is so much vagueness in this speech.

[DemonFighterLives]

7. The arrogant tough Cowboy stuff may have played well to his followers

But on the world Stage, killing them off and Taliban No More sh*t doesn't play so good. Smirk, smirk Bring em on and you good nations ought to contribute, Smirk.

[Barrett808]

8. What got me was the appeal to stop the child sex trade

We all can agree that would be a good thing, but it has nothing to with Iraq, for "Bob's" sake.

I was also yelling at the TV when he started talking about legislation to stop arms proliferation. You idiot, the laws are already on the books, they're just widely ignored.

Imbecile.