Bush Orders Flag Tribute to Tsunami Victims

[Goathead]

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=376415

CRAWFORD, Texas (Reuters) - President Bush, seeking to bolster America's humanitarian image after the Asian tsunamis, called on Saturday for flags to be flown at half-staff next week to honor victims of the disaster.

It's never about the innocent lives and always about his image. George Bush is no Christian(By their fruits ye shall know them) and could care less about those who lost their lives in So. east Asia.

On edit: bad link

[tuvor]

1. But not for American soldiers.

Niiiiiiice.

[proud2BlibKansan]

2. My thoughts exactly

My God, his middle name should be 'Photo Op'.

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. It's all about image

and the photo op for jebbie

[Cha]

11. My very first thought! Is there anywhere that

bush hypocrisy can be noted on a Nationwide basis?

[aikido15]

55. Oh, you are so right...that's sad...but...

Look on the bright side. Hopefully we will all live long enough to see the flag at half-staff at Bush's funeral!:party: (I'm ashamed that I said that, I have never wished harm on anyone, but then I have never hated anyone before Bush either)

[uppityperson]

3. why did it take a week to do this?

I am glad it finally will happen nationwide. Been wondering why only individuals have done this so far. Why did it take a week?

[nadinbrzezinski]

5. Because Bush boy is concerned about image

this is another My Pet Goat Moment for bushco

Oh but he will never face any criticims here, as our no longer free press will not ask queetions...

[rodeodance]

7. another 'symbol' of our delayed compassion!!

[Pam-Moby]

8. I questioned that before.....why is *ush so slow?

A day late and a dollar short.

[48pan]

14. I'm Loving This

If he goes to half staff right away, we whack him with not lowering it for US dead in Iraq.
If he waits, we whack him as a day late and a dollar short.
If he doesn't do it at all we whack him as unchristian and insensitive.

Whatever he does, we kick his ass!

[nadinbrzezinski]

16. Having been in the trenches of disasters before

I know that usually the US government responds to major disasters around the world within hours.

He was late in his response...

Now for soem he canot do anything right, but if he had done the right thing, aka what we have done for years... he would get no criticism from me, but he failed to disapoint with another pet goat moment.

Oh and raelity is... the world will not soon forget that after Sept 11 we were all americans, but when the largest disaster in modern history hit, we tumbled our thumbs.

[zann725]

60. This is interesting. The last time he failed to act in a crisis...

(on 9/11), some say he "knew" ahead of time...and postponed acting on that knowledge.

And again this time, in another major disaster, he failed to act again. Certainly he sent aid to Hurricane victims immediately (via his brother Jeb...remember?) So what is different, or similar here...than just failing to act? I don't think it's JUST apathy.

[pacifictiger]

62. he probably hadn't a clue as to

what damage tsunami's can cause - too busy thinking about his coronation parties too. And of course, not one to read newspapers, getting news instead from faux tv ....... need I say more. It wasn't until some American tourist survival stories came to light that anyone even started noticing and his handlers decided it might be a photo op trying to look compassionate and 'in charge.'
I think possibly the Aussie PM might have rattled his cage too. They were pretty quick to respond with planes, supplies & personnel.

[48pan]

66. Right! Bush knew about the Tsunami and did nothing!

He's pure evil.

[Lorien]

21. I don't think we would have whacked him for doing it

right away. The Iraq mess has nothing to do with the tsunami dead. I doubt if flags remained at half staff during WWII, the Korean and Vietnam wars, for instance. I would have thought it quite appropriate to have lowered the flag last Sunday.

[Pam-Moby]

25. B*sh is unchristian

I feel our flags should be lowered to half mass until ALL of our men are home. That would show our soldiers just how patriotic we are as a nation. B*sh would never go for that when he can not even tell us when they die. Lies about the totals and such. If he was a christian he would!!!

[tabasco]

29. #1 does not apply

#2 is true.
#3 does not apply.

The Bush corporate cabal was shamed into devising a response, which came late.

Is there some reaon we should not continue to criticize him for war deaths, or should the disaster serve as a diversion?

Curious on your thoughts.

[uppityperson]

33. Flags lowered for catastrophes, not wars

You can always find something to bitch and whine about, and especially about political people. However, flags are lowered for catastrophes and not for war dead. He didn't. For a week. Remember all those pictures and messages from governments around the world after 9/11? Why was our government so slow? It is supposed to represent us, and our collective sorrow about this. (Don't bother with the cynical replies that it doesn't represent us as that was a rhetorical question and statement)

[Lost4words]

64. The govenor of NM has lowered the flages for war dead.

from this state, so I guess you are a little wrong.

[Bouncy Ball]

49. I wouldn't have whacked him for ordering them

at half-mast and half-staff right away, that would have been the RIGHT thing to do. And believe me, I LOVE bashing bush and he gives us ample opportunities.

But I was ashamed and embarrassed it took him so fucking long to order them at half-staff.

Egads.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

50. Because it takes time for compassionate advisors to

get word up the chain of command.

No joke...The man and his closest cronies have led such a charmed existence that they are incapable of compassion.

[signmike]

10. Rove must be on Vacashe, too... and didn't tell him

what to do.

I can't help but notice the "Born Again" prez never offers prayer

WTF? :shrug:

[Crunchy Frog]

27. Why offer prayer, considering that in his mind

most of these people are going to Hell anyway. I'm surprised he doesn't organize an emergency airlift of Bibles in order to insure that as many people as possible who are going to die, but haven't done it yet, will at least die saved.

[peterh]

28. This so-called Christian pRez offering prayers????

For victims that are largely non-christians that are already in hell because they rejected jeebuss….ain’t gonna happen…..but on a lower note, we have the Westboro Baptist church in Topeka Kansas celebrating the fate of 2000 Swedes in the catastrophe….the twit and his base really think their gawd is doing his will….there is nothing but hate and contempt in this base….


http://rawstory.rawprint.com/1204/westboro_tsunami_statement_1230.php

[patdem]

26. It will be TWO (2) weeks...NEXT Saturday...tomorrow it will be a week!

All the other nations have already put out black ribbons, flown their flags at half staff or whatever they do to show solidarity and sorrow...bush** wants to do it NEXT SATURDAY!!! What a wimp!

[patdem]

47. I think the link was fine..they just needed to clean it up in the mean

time. The original link DID say Next Saturday, but it has been fixed to say 'on Saturday for flags to be flown at half-staff next week'. The original post said to be flown 'Next Saturday' I am sure the paper got it wrong?

Jan 1, 2005 — CRAWFORD, Texas (Reuters) - President Bush, seeking to bolster America's humanitarian image after the Asian tsunamis, called on Saturday for flags to be flown at half-staff next week to honor victims of the disaster.

[NickB79]

63. More Americans probably died in the tsunami than 9/11

From what I've heard on NPR, thousands of US citizens who were overseas at the time are still missing. Yet this fucker sits around his ranch chopping firewood while they died. Finally, a WEEK LATER, he decides to give it the attention it deserves. This the decisive leadership we elected?!?! Incompetent prick.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

6. I'm sure those flags will make all those people in S. Asia feel better.

Feh. None of it will matter unless and until the "pledged" funds actually are paid out. Last year's earthquake victims in Iran haven't yet got the money we promised them. Don't hold your breath... the lowered flags "support" the tsunami victims just like the yellow ribbon magnets on all those big fat SUVs support the troops.

[wellstone dem]

9. Now I need to decide

whether I go through with this.

[Zero Gravitas]

12. Bush is a worthless excuse

for a human being. He is grudgingly doing now what he should have been doing 5 or 6 days ago. All he is concerned about is not projecting an image of the US being weakened by the quagmire of Iraq.

[GarySeven]

13. Jeepers, if we keep saying Bush isn't doing enough ...

... do you think we can get him to cancel his coronation party?

[AngryOldDem]

15. Was it just me, or was anyone else bothered

by seeing Colin Powell reveling with Mike Bloomberg and the masses in Times Square while on his way to the disaster?

I mean, celebrations around the world were muted by this tragedy, and rightfully so. I think it showed just a wee bit of bad taste for Powell to be in the thick of it last night.

Just struck me in some way as offensive. But maybe it's just me.

[TexanDem]

17. I'm so embarrassed at our admin's lack of compassion

Absolutely I agree with you. I was embarrassed at Powell, I was embarrassed that they were more worried about Dick Clark's well-being, and short of a moment of silence -- geez. Then when I saw on Anderson Cooper's show how all the other countries had toned down or even eliminated their celebrations, it just made me ashamed of how the administration has presented our country. As far as I'm concerned, it's too darn late to fly flags at half staff. Those people are now trying to pick up with their lives. The proper time has passed for that! It's just more of an embarrassment.

[AngryOldDem]

19. If Powell and Jebbie

aren't going over for any meaningful purpose...as in to bury the dead, look for survivors, or treat the injured, they should just stay home. I consider their trip to be grandstanding, self-congratulatory, and totally unneeded -- unless they plan to roll up their sleeves along with those who are there who DO care.

Photo-ops that are nothing more than self-congratulatory ego-stroking are just as bad (if not worse) than our response as a government has been thus far. That response, IMHO, has been shameful.

And as for the flags...another meaningless gesture. Way too little, way too late.

[la la]

35. Powell in NY

I don't watch much of the New Year celebrations - ever --but last night, in my flipping channels, I saw Regis, Colin and Bloomberg, chatting about Colin flipping the switch -- I must say, it made my stomach churn - in horrified amazement. Whatever possessed Powell to do this? A 'leaving to spend more time with my family' award ? What a disappointment he has turned out to be - at least in my opinion.

:puke:

[Lizzie Borden]

37. Yes. I was bothered

by it. This administration can't even fake a caring attitude. They get it all wrong, and it pisses me off because it reflects so poorly to the rest of the world. It's almost unbelievable.

[Dem2theMax]

45. Oh, it wasn't just you. That made me sick.

But we must remember, ALL photo ops have priority over ANY disasters.
:puke:

[WorseBeforeBetter]

51. Not just you - it was inappropriate

Those New Year's Eve shows are tacky to begin with and the "talent" questionable, and it seemed only more so last night. I honestly do not understand how folks felt like celebrating with over 120,000 fellow human beings dead and another 5 million suffering for lack of basic necessities. It's a classic example of American excess. Like the tasteless "buy your loved one a Mercedes for Christmas!" ads while men and women are dying daily in Iraq. (It's not likely too many troop family members are buying each other luxury vehicles for Christmas...) Or the NFL party on The Mall with no-talent Britney dropping trou (I actually agreed with George Will on that one and scared myself).

I'm no fan of Bloomberg, but was encouraged when I heard him say to not focus so much on the usual resolutions (losing weight, working out, etc.), but to focus on the disaster victims and how to help.

Please everyone - keep up the good fight! Does Jeb on this goodwill mission mean he's being groomed for 2008? I can think of 59,000,000 Americans just stupid enough to vote him into office b/c it would be "cool" to have a father and two sons as presidents. Ugh.

[AngryOldDem]

65. The second-most offensive thing to me in all this is...

...the stories wondering CAN IT HAPPEN HERE?

Anything can happen anywhere. The focus right now should be on the millions who are hurting, not on our self-centeredness.

But it's about US. It's ALWAYS about US.

:puke:

[WorseBeforeBetter]

67. Ah yes...activity off of the Canary Islands...

could WIPE OUT the ENTIRE East Coast!! I forgot about the corporate media jumping all over that scare while typing out my message last night. There's a very good article in the 12/09/04 Nation about increasingly powerful Old Europe. Perhaps "US" is in for a rude awakening.

[Skittles]

18. stupid asshole

NOW he's acting? Too little too late, moron, the damage has already been done

[shanti]

31. hee hee!

i see you've "turned the corner", skittles! ;-)

[Merlot]

20. Will the flags will be at half-staff for his coronation?

they should be...

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

34. No, upside down.

[Lizzie Borden]

38. Hey, there ya go!

Let's fly 'em at half staff on the 6th.

[ananda]

22. Bush is no Christian

"It's never about the innocent lives and always about his image. George Bush is no Christian(By their fruits ye shall know them) and could care less about those who lost their lives in So. east Asia."

So true. And his followers are just as bad. There seems to be some kind of psychic disconnect between their views of sexual morality and their actual inhuman treatment of real human beings.

I think that conservatives-- who deep down still believe in white prerogative, slavery, and greed-- use religion as both a buffer against their cruel, ruthless, inhuman thinking and behavor.. and as an excuse for it. Non-Christian, dark-skinned people who haven't learned how to make a lot of money and -act- white pretty much deserve whatever they get, which is mostly a lot of nuthin... though they definitely come in handy when a rich person or business needs their cheap or slave labor.

I will give Americans credit for contribution to the tsunami aid-relief efforts, but by all accounts aid, food, and medical care are not getting to these regions very efficiently, if at all.

I will give the American government, however, very little to no credit for the weak, sometimes slipshod, and often crass manner of dealing with this disaster. Our leaders have even been playing politics and economics over this fiasco, especially wrt the UN in an attempt to create a separate aid coalition of countries and .. even worse.. the way that the USA is looking to get contracts and arms deals out of this. It's just disgusting.

I feel slimy and smarmy just because my government is so slimy with its swamp creature mentality, so I feel as though I should shout very loudly: Bush and co. do not represent me! I've never voted GOP in my life! They are not doing -anything- in my name!

Sue

[Benhurst]

23. Bush dishonors the flag every day he occupies the office he stole. NT

[Pithy Cherub]

32. The flag, the American people, the military, the international

community, the planet, the solar system, all religions, and most weirdly of all * himself for knowing it and perpetrating the lie!

[Crunchy Frog]

24. My that's awfully generous of him.

Just think of all the people who will be helped by that.:eyes:

[oneighty]

30. Old Glory

has become a tool of the wacko right.

No more no less. Mine will never fly again I think, sigh.

180

[SmartBomb]

36. The delayed response speaks volumes about Bush's lack of humanity

Other world leaders didn't wait to cynically calculate a political response. Unlike Bush they let their compassion guide them first and foremost. I swear I don't know how much longer I can stand to be a citizen of the US.

[Malva Zebrina]

39. and what will be the result of all of this

unconcern and delay?

His followers will take it as the way to be "tough" and admire him for his unconcern. They will follow the man who is being talked to by a god. A god told him to wait to express any concern at all for this epic catastrophe.

Therefore this crass, unbelievable, distant behavior will be admired and emulated.It's cool. Watch this drive. It will snowball causing at least 35% of the people, and all of those relgious right literalists, to preach the same from their pulpit on national Teevee.

Soon, distancing from human suffering will be the norm. It will be rationalized as god's will and there must have been a reason for it because OUR president is being guided by the god.

As we have seen, already many are distancing themselves from the suffering going on in our own country. The elderly, the uninsured, the children in hunger, the homeless. I am living to see the "I got mine" generation accept this as part of their being.

all of the suffering will be a part of our society that will be forgotten, due to the example of our president.

[Goathead]

41. Indeed

Some postings from FR:

The United States will always be there when it is needed.
The world is coming to help and the United States is helping lead the way.

Leading the way? Freeper with his head in the sand

[Neshanic]

40. Presidential by the focus groups.

[liberal N proud]

42. Trying to make the world think he is compassionate!

I am sure he only did this for show on the world stage. Put that with the $35 million he has pledged from his coalition and it makes him a real upstanding guy.... NOT!

[Solly Mack]

43. I'm living in a really bad movie

[Politicub]

44. Don't trouble yourself, you stupid fucker, Bush

If I believed in Hell, i would hope that Bush burns in it for all eternity.

Bush and his admin's arrogant response to this disaster makes me hate him even more. I didn't even know that was possible.

[dave123williams]

46. Guess we're all done clearing brush in honor of them.

[goforit]

48. I guess he's a little concerned about his rock bottom image.

The question is how much sonic booming is going on under
the deep waters in this region and by WHOM!!!!!

[aikido15]

52. What the fuck is he sending Jeb boy for?

Since when does the governor of a state accompany the Secretary of State on a mission? Is this a precedent, or am I missing something???

[WorseBeforeBetter]

54. "Jeb 2008!" is my guess (n/t)

[aikido15]

56. HOOOOOOOOO, HELL NO!

:puke:

[WorseBeforeBetter]

59. I know--it's a terrifying thought...

but can't you just see them trying to pull if off?! A father and two sons in the White House - yeah! And aren't there two other Bush brothers who could be foisted upon us? One who helped bring down the S&Ls and the other with prostitutes magically appearing at his hotel rooms? Or are they one in the same? Gawd, I truly detest that family.

[Mr_Spock]

53. Who's "Bush" anyway?

Never heard of him so I guess this doesn't apply to me.

[aikido15]

57. Thanks for the song...

very true...I had to send it to my poor cousin in MI, he is surrounded by right-wing assholes at his job! He will love that!

[Mr_Spock]

58. I love it when sigs are turned on because many more can enjoy that

beautiful song.It makes me feel like there is hope in the world whenever I listen to it...

[Name removed]

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