Bush's great ambition: wealthy boredom

[EV_Ares]

Jimmy Carter has dedicated his life after the White House to conflict resolution around the world. Presidents George Bush the elder and Bill Clinton have campaigned together on behalf of communities devastated by Hurricane Katrina. So how does President George Bush junior imagine spending his retirement years?
"I can just envision getting in the car, getting bored, going down to the ranch," he says. He also has big plans for making money. "I'll give some speeches, to replenish the ol' coffers," says Mr Bush, who is already estimated to be worth $20m. "I don't know what my dad gets - it's more than 50-75 , and "Clinton's making a lot of money".

The president says to the writer that one of the failings of his prosecution of the war was that Saddam Hussein's army was broken up, in contravention of Washington policy and leading to looting and chaos across Iraq. "The policy was to keep the army intact; didn't happen," Mr Bush says.

But, Draper points out, it was Paul Bremer, the man chosen by the president to administer country after the invasion, who ordered the disbandment of the Iraqi army. What did Mr Bush think when he learnt of that?

"Yeah, I can't remember. I'm sure I said: 'This is the policy - what happened?'"

It gets worse. Mr Bush reveals that whenever he feels depressed about the death toll in Iraq, he turns to God for comfort. "I've got God's shoulder to cry on, and I cry a lot," he says. "I'll bet I've shed more tears than you can count."

Article's entirety continues @ link below:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,,2161205,00.html

[kurth]

1. "I've shed more tears than you can count"

Yep, like he cried a lot when he sent Karla Faye Tucker to her death...

[JohnnyLib2]

2. He's "stayin' the course."

Same as always.


Molly Ivins said it so well, years ago:

• Everyone knows the man has no clue, but no one there has the courage to say it. I mean, good gawd, the man is as he always has been: barely adequate.

:kick:

[tanyev]

3. George, your dad and Clinton are capable of stringing more than 10 words together

at a time in a manner that is comprehensible to their audiences. If your family is going to have to depend on your speechifying skills to pay the bills, you'd better get both of those daughters married off before you leave the White House. Laura can probably earn enough from her own speeches to keep her supplied with books and ciggies.

[moggie]

4. It's not always about you, George

It gets worse. Mr Bush reveals that whenever he feels depressed about the death toll in Iraq, he turns to God for comfort. "I've got God's shoulder to cry on, and I cry a lot," he says. "I'll bet I've shed more tears than you can count."

i.e. when asked about the incredible sacrifice and suffering of other people, his response is to talk about his own emotions. He probably doesn't even realise how inappropriate this is.

[JohnnyLib2]

5. Hey, let's chip in and buy him out!

The old golden parachute ploy; just might work.

[Tanuki]

6. He's paraphrasing his daddy's Iran-Contra"I was out of the loop" remark.

It is unbelievable that even GWB could have been this disengaged. What "policy"? Here is an interesting call-in interview with Michael Kirk, the director of a documentary called "The Lost Year in Iraq":
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2006/10/16/DI2006101600400.html

>>>>"Sacramento, Calif.: In making your film, what were you able to learn about who originated the "deep deBaathification" and the "disband the Iraqi army" decisions? Did you learn what motivated these disastrous decisions?

Michael Kirk: The idea of deBaathification seems to have grown out of the offices of Paul Wolfowitz and Douglas Feith at the Pentagon.

_______________________

Pittsburgh, Pa.: I would love to know WHO suggested Bremer for his post in Iraq. Who recommended this man? Bremer seemed out of touch with the military, CIA and Iraqis and completely out of control in his decision making.

Michael Kirk: Bremer told us he was called and asked if he would be interested in the job by Lewis "Scooter" Libby, from Vice President Cheney's office, and Paul Wolfowitz.

_________________________

Anonymous: Hello Michael, Great program. Thank you.

Who did you want to interview who wouldn't allow you to?

Michael Kirk: Richard Armitage of the State Department. General Tommy Franks. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. Dr. Condoleezza Rice, and Vice President Cheney. They all have important contributions to make to the national understanding of their conduct in the critical decisions about the war on terror." >>>>