John Bolton on TV in the UK last night

[kiki]

OK, so the Crazy Moustache was on BBC2's Newsnight yesterday evening, being interviewed by Jeremy Paxman. Paxo said something to the effect of "You keep saying that Saddam being gone is 'undeniably' a good thing, but what you've done is removed a dictatorship and created a failed state that's also a haven for terrorism - two things that Iraq never was before." To this, Toupee McHitler chuckled (yes, actually chuckled; so adorable) and replied: "Well, I'd rather live in a failed state than in a dictatorship. Wouldn't you?" Touche!

Three points immediately came to mind:

1) Love the way Johnny Boy skimmed right over the "haven for terrorism" point. Didn't say a word about it.

2) I think people need to get past this childish idea that anything - literally, anything - is better than a dictatorship. Is a smoking hole in the ground better than a dictatorship? Is the death of everyone in the entire country better than a dictatorship?
Imagine you had to make a choice, not just for yourself, but for your partner, your kids, your parents - everyone you care about. Do you want to all die in a hellhole, or live in a dictatorship? Even if you'd take the first option just on principle, is it right to drag everyone else along with you?

3) I call bullshit on you, John. I imagine you lose it if your wake-up Martini isn't stirred just right - you'd shit your pants if you ever found yourself in a failed state. And, more to the point, you'd fucking love living in a dictatorship, as long as someone told you whose boots to lick.

[woodsprite]

1. Well, *HE* prefers living in a pending dictatorship that he helped create.

So apparently he doesn't think living in a failed state is better than one.

[GCP]

2. God, I wish we had a Jeremy Paxman over here

He's relentless when he senses bullshit. I once heard him say "are you seriously trying to tell me ......."
When did an American interviewer EVER treat a politician like that?

[kiki]

3. Yeah, he was pretty good...

He looked genuinely pissed off as he asked the question. Kissed and made up with Johnny Boy in the last five seconds though, and they shared an amiable laugh together... I guess he ultimately has to manitain protocol.

[T_i_B]

4. You heard him say that only once?

It seems like he says that every time I watch Newsnight!