It's Not Barbarism When the Americans Do It

News that President George W. Bush, on his last European tour as leader of the world's only superpower, has listed saving 50 million people from barbarism as his enduring achievement, and expressed no regrets at his policies in Iraq and Afghanistan, came as no suprise to Nosher and me down on our little allotment in South Gloucestershire here in the good old Dis-United Kingdom.
'I believe the average death-rate amongst Iraqis since the invasion is now higher than it was before Saddam was toppled' Nosher remarked 'although the Americans aren't killing them all, of course. But that can hardly be cited as evidence that America brought civilisation to Iraq.'
We were sitting in our old deckchairs beside Nosher's even older shed, enjoying a glass of his home-made parsnip wine (very low alcohol content, I hasten to add, for those of you who disapprove of our drinking habits - but great flavour!).
The sun was shining, the birds were singing in the afternoon sun.
It seemed a million miles away from Iraq and Afghanistan.
'America has brought wholesale destruction to both Iraq and Afghanistan' I commented 'the incompetence of the post- invasion management in Iraq was such that what military might had not accomplished, looters, rebels and militia succeeded in doing. And on top of that there is the ever-present risk of having your home trashed by American GIs and disappearing off to some rat-hole of a prison for years on end merely on suspicion of having said something nice about someone the Americans don't like. And in Afghanistan the Taliban are now making a come-back - and they'll be fighting the Americans and British for as long as we are in their country.'
'Well, I hope the Americans never decide that we need rescuing from barbarism!' said Nosher.
More from http://www.overthegardenfence.blogspot.com/ soon.
Find out more at http://www.paulsturdee.co.uk/
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Have a good day - and be suspicious of any Americans offering to rescue you from barbarism!