A (un)surprising source for the Bush candidacy

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After the controversy of whether Spain elected Zapatero as a statement of dissatisfaction with their government's joining the "coalition of the willing" or whether it was "capitulation to terrorists" this report pops up - Bombing Group Reportedly Wants Bush Re-Elected (3/18/04 The Omaha Channel).

An Islamic militant group that had claimed responsibility for the train bombings in Spain says it supports the re-election of President George W. Bush. The group said it needs what it calls Bush's "idiocy and religious fanaticism" to "wake up" the Islamic world.

Ho Ho Ho

Certainly many have claimed that the Bush "war on terrorism" (which seems to be heavily focused on the preemptive invasion of other nations for the purpose of "regime change" ) is unifying hatred against the US. Iraq has been turned into the "terrorist" magnet that the Bush administration claimed it was (but it wasn't) unfer Saddam Hussein. It isn't surprising that groups would hoped for the continued leadership and unilateralism of the Bush administration to draw more fighters to the cause.

Of course, it speaks volumes that the "coalition of the willing" is bailing - More cracks in US-led coalition as al-Qaeda takes credit for hotel bombing (AFP 3/19/04). Spain, Poland, Honduras, and South Korea are considering pulling their troops out of Iraq. But, Rumsfeld noted the other night when Spain announced it would likely withdraw its 1300 soldiers from Iraq with words to the effect of "It shouldn't make much of a difference."

I wonder whether Bush welcomes "Islamist" support for his reelection campaign. After all, he calls himself a "war president," and in this war if there aren't terrorists he'd have to make some up. The fact that his policies seem to be resulting in escalating and spreading violence on one hand, and are a great recruiting tool on the other do seem to go hand in hand. Since "we" don't wnat to be influenced by others in "defending our country," then our allies dropping us like leftovers in the bottom of the fridge, or terrorist groups supporting the Bush candidacy, should not be an issue. Afterall, as we have heard so many times, "we're safer now."

Posted by rowan at March 19, 2004 09:53 PM | TrackBack | Printable Version | [eMail this article!] |