Rick's Cafe Americain

The New York Times today reported that “[t]he Pentagon has barred French, German and Russian companies from competing for $18.6 billion in contracts for the reconstruction of Iraq, saying the step ‘is necessary for the protection of the essential security interests of the United States.’” This is, if you will pardon my Kerryan bluntness, a load of horseshit.  This petty, recriminative gesture can serve no useful purpose, and only further illustrates how crude and ineffective is this thuggish administration’s approach to international relations.  But what is really going on?

Rick reviews “The Little Red Hen”:

“Clearly the Little Red Hen’s decision to eat the cake herself is a retaliative gesture! I can only speculate, but her absurd statement suddenly makes sense: by excluding the other animals from eating the cake now, Little Red Hen will increase the likelihood that they will join her ‘in future efforts’. What future efforts? Blueberry muffins? Apple pie? Gingerbread houses? Whatever the motives, Little Red Hen’s dyslogic will only serve to heighten barnyard tensions and animosity!”

Beat me to the post Rick, couldn’t agree with you more. Feel like the whole world is taking crazy pills. 

Funny, but inapt Danny. Peace is not a pie.  I would be willing to die for a really good pie.  But I digress.

The analogy falls apart because your attitude is exactly what is wrong.  If you see the reconstruction of Iraq as the spoils of war you do more to prove that the US agenda is cynical and self-interested than we already have by waging war. 

At least we could claim noble goals in starting the war.  We can make no such claim to a higher purpose when we line our own pockets.

Danny’s not the only one to confuse children’s stories with foreign policy.  Check this out.

Thanks Rick.  I was beginning to think that nobody was going to back me up much over at Blogs for Bush.  It sure is steamy in that conservative snake pit.  It is just past time to start seeing Iraq as a nation of people instead of as just a source of profit.  I would almost say we could do both if we hadn’t already awarded the biggest contracts to corporations like Bechtel, spokesperson for the utter disregard to basic human rights in reconstruction projects all over the world.  It just disturbs me greatly, you know?

More importantly, if peace were a pie, what flavor would it be? I don’t like sweet potato and I am allergic to pecans. Blueberries look weird and I don’t think strawberries make very good pies… so I guess that leaves pumpkin and apple. Can I get a poll?

Rhubarb.  Maybe strawberry-rhubarb.

Peace is not a pie.

No, no, no...the metaphor is very simple, Ugarte. Don’t you see? The pie is plainly a future military operation against another murderous tyrant that supports international terrorism while attempting to shield his brutality in the name of “national sovreignty”.

Danny’s not the only one to confuse children’s stories with foreign policy

Yeah, well, I posted mine first. I’m also not quite as confused as someone who thinks $18 billion of American-funded contracts are “the spoils of war,” and denying those countries that did their damnedest to keep Saddam in power (and that still continue to obstruct the establishment of a secure Iraq at every turn) a shot at them is somehow deliterious to the Iraqi people.

Besides, it’ll just increace the trade deficit if we let that money go to non-US businesses. Thnk of it as a kind of anti-globalization move.

Have you no regard for the poetic thrill of alliteration, Danny?

In any event, you miss the point of your own analogy. The pastries play multifunctional roles.  The making of cake is waging war, but the eating of cake is enjoying the spoils of war through post-war reconstruction contracts. 

If you can’t keep up with you, how can you expect to keep up with us?

Have you no regard for the poetic thrill of alliteration, Danny?

No, not normally. Now no more niggling, needle noggin. Ugh...I need to nix this noxious nonsequiter now.

*chuckle*