I’m mystified why more hasn’t been made of Saddam’s assertion in his letter to the United Nations of the global threat of world Jewry. Here’s the key passage:
In targeting Iraq, the United States administration is acting on behalf of Zionism, which has been killing the heroic people of Palestine, destroying their property, murdering their children and seeking to impose their domination on the whole world, not only militarily, but also economically and politically.
Like the rest of the letter, this part is barely literate but its meaning is clear. Saddam is claiming that the U.S. is a tool of Zionist forces that are trying to take over the whole world! This isn’t like Hitler. It is Hitler. When a figure like this simply echoes Nazi language, why isn’t there universal shock and derision? Why isn’t that the headline? Or have we become completely inured to the fact that the 1930s are alive and well and centered in Baghdad and the West Bank?
41, 43 AND UNILATERALISM: Much is currently made of the contrast between the first Bush’s instinctive multilateralism and his son’s alleged go-it-alone recklessness. So I’m glad Jon Rauch tracked down this passage in George H.W. Bush’s memoir, “A World Transformed,” co-written with Brent Scowcroft. The passage begins with news reaching the president of Saddam’s invasion of Kuwait:
A few minutes later, I was on the phone with Tom Pickering, our U.N. ambassador. While I was prepared to deal with this crisis unilaterally if necessary, I wanted the United Nations involved as part of our first response, starting with a strong condemnation of Iraq’s attack on a fellow member. Decisive U.N. action would be important in rallying international opposition to the invasion and reversing it.
My italics. Methinks the contrast between 41 and 43 is overblown.
The Dish 