As Russia Once Was, We Are Now
Condoleezza Rice said in today's New York Times:
"This is not 1968 and the invasion of Czechoslovakia, where Russia can invade its neighbor, occupy a capital, overthrow a government and get away with it. Things have changed."
I suppose the "things" she refers to are the date and the names of the countries involved. Switch 1968 with 2003, Czechoslovakia with Iraq, and Russia with the U.S., and we're good. Get it right Russia, it's like this:
This is like 2003, and the invasion of Iraq, where the U.S. can invade its neighbor, occupy a capital, overthrow a government and get away with it. Get it right Ruskies.
If you're an American, perhaps you don't consider Iraq your neighbor. Maybe that's the excuse far-right Christiomaniacs use for not loving them. But if you're in the right plane, you can get to Iraq from the U.S. faster than you can go by car from California to Iowa. Distance is relative. They're close enough for us to consider a threat. That's close enough to be our neighbor.
America has the greatest ideals in the world, and the worst track record for living up to them. We do not have the moral clout to tell other countries to not do what we ourselves do. Not even God gives commandments that he himself breaks. Doing otherwise is the definition of hypocrisy, the mainspring of sin for religious folk.
"This is not 1968 and the invasion of Czechoslovakia, where Russia can invade its neighbor, occupy a capital, overthrow a government and get away with it. Things have changed."
I suppose the "things" she refers to are the date and the names of the countries involved. Switch 1968 with 2003, Czechoslovakia with Iraq, and Russia with the U.S., and we're good. Get it right Russia, it's like this:
This is like 2003, and the invasion of Iraq, where the U.S. can invade its neighbor, occupy a capital, overthrow a government and get away with it. Get it right Ruskies.
If you're an American, perhaps you don't consider Iraq your neighbor. Maybe that's the excuse far-right Christiomaniacs use for not loving them. But if you're in the right plane, you can get to Iraq from the U.S. faster than you can go by car from California to Iowa. Distance is relative. They're close enough for us to consider a threat. That's close enough to be our neighbor.
America has the greatest ideals in the world, and the worst track record for living up to them. We do not have the moral clout to tell other countries to not do what we ourselves do. Not even God gives commandments that he himself breaks. Doing otherwise is the definition of hypocrisy, the mainspring of sin for religious folk.
Isn't it crazy how we can easily point out the flaws of other nations, but how resistant our own nation is to acknowledging ours?
ReplyDeleteAll this condemnation of Russia is pure hypocrisy. It's sad that we've put ourselves in a position to not be taken seriously.
ReplyDeleteAt the risk of adding fuel to the fire, and maybe even starting a family feud that may never heal... I just don't think I can hold my tongue any longer.
ReplyDeleteThe comparison just doesn't work. Motives are an important thing to consider.
Czechs were trying to rebel against a Socialist Russian government, and the Russians squashed it. And although the far left CNNmaniacs may tell you otherwise, the majority of Iraqis were not overjoyed with Sadam's reign either. A more appropriate comparison would be if Texas decided to be an independent nation, and we took out the revolution.
Apples to apples.
Yes, the U.S. would have justification perhaps if Texas tried to gain independence. But since Iraq was never a part of our union, the invasion there is therefore even more striking.
ReplyDeleteRegardless, the motives of both Russia and the U.S. governments are of a similar accord in my estimation: arrogance and pride. Both parties felt compelled to impose their will on a people who did not willingly align themselves with those parties. And since they are above the people whose lands they invaded, they felt no remorse for their actions.