Deconstructing Dubya

They misunderestimated me — George Bush, Bentonville, Arkansas, 6 November 2000
One of Dubya's countless Bushisms

You may hate him or love him but you cannot afford to ignore George W. Bush. He is the world's most powerful man and singularly responsible for much of world's present mayhem.

Frankly, I don't like him. I have a bagful of reasons to despise Bush. He sounds arrogant and stupid. Many Indian diplomats I spoke to seemed mighty pleased with Bush's charm but that can only pass as the presidential hangover. Aren't we bowled over by almost every foreign dignitary who comes visiting. Remember Clinton.

First things first. This straight-talking cowboy misled the entire world into believing that Iraq possessed deadly weapons of mass destruction, when there were actually none. He soon turned into a war-monger -- thanks to his hawk-team -- and invaded two sovereign nations -- one after another -- in his first presidential term. Innumerable innocent people lost their lives in Bush's unjust wars. He continues to recklessly fiddle with the world order.

Bush thrives on controversy. He began with controversy. The Florida recount issue -- that brought him into power back in 2000 -- was invalid because it violated the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment in the US constitution -- as different counties used different methods for determining voter intent. Bush had infact lost Florida by at least several hundred verifiable, legal votes. In a 5-4 decision, the U. S. Supreme Court put an end to the recounting of presidential votes in Florida, handing over the presidency to George on a platter.

He continued with controversy. 9/11 gave him a pretext to go marauding. He used every dirty trick to do that. There were attempts to impeach him in the US for misleading the nation. His blokes in the White house got indicted on felony counts for lying. He junked the Kyoto protocol, rubbished the International Court of Justice and often considers UN irrelevant. Intellectuals of the free world have no love lost for him. Chomsky to Finkelstein. Arundhati Roy to Harold Pinter.

He is -- however -- the golden boy of the right-wing club. He has a conservative mind and thinks like any Ayatollah of Iran.

However, despite himself, there is something about this man that calls for attention, if not admiration. True, he might lack the aura of Bill Clinton or the intellectual breadth of Al-Gore, Bush is no simpleton. I am sure, his policies and legacy will have a profound impact on the modern world. Politics to Economics.

Reverberations that may be difficult to snuff out very soon!

The man may appear bluffing to the world or to his beloved US but again he is always true to himself. He sticks his neck out everytime there is a crisis and stands by what he says. No wonder he often means business. That is one reason he appeals to many.

I am happy Bush gave India the best gift -- the civilian nuclear pact -- we could have ever anticipated. The move is likely to raise tempers back home in the US but as they say -- the man, lives off controversy! Loves it.

Thank you, mate!

sameer bhat