by James Glaser
November 25, 2002

George Bush is trying to tell the Europeans that he is not like Adolph Hitler, no it is Saddam Hussein that is like Adolph Hitler. What ever. George compared the challenge of Saddam Hussein to the Nazi invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1938, which led to World War 2.

This week a top Canadian official said that George was a moron. A few months ago a top German official said that George Bush's policies were a lot like Hitler's. Many American writers have compared George and his staff to Adolph. For the President of the United States to run around Europe giving history lessons about WW2 is pretty Bizarre, especially George.

When the President of the United States gets down to the level of name callers I have to ask if just maybe that Canadian official wasn't right. George, please start acting like an adult.

If you readers don't know it already, Iraq and Saddam Hussein are very small potatoes. The country is small and filled with sand. Iraq is only about twice the size of the State of Idaho. Only 12 % of Iraq is arable land. Their population is about twenty four million, but 41 % of those people are under the age of 14.

Iraq has a per capita GDP of $2500 and a inflation rate estimated at 60%. Now get this America, The United States of America is Iraq's biggest trading partner. We buy 46,2 % of all of Iraq's exports. America and George Bush are paying Saddam Hussein to stay in power. Maybe that "Moron" remark was right on.

Iraq had a huge army by middle east standards, but compared to the might of the USA they are nothing. Iraq spends 1.3 billion dollars on defense which is about 1/290 th of our spending or to put it another way, Iraq's military spending is less than one half of one percent of the United States.

To compare Saddam with Hitler is pretty off base too. Hitler had the greatest armed forces in the world pre World War 2, the German people were behind him and so were most of the Army. Saddam has the north and south third of his country almost in open revolt, many of his Generals have defected and can be seen on American Public Television pushing their books, and his army is tiny, when compared to the rest of the world.

Really to compare Hitler with a 21st century figure, George is the only head of state that comes close. This "First Strike Bush Doctrine" could have been taken from Adolph's notebook. Also America's strength dominates the rest of the world. It is lucky that American Citizens aren't like WW2 German Citizens, well at least most Americans aren't, - I think.

Does anyone else find it strange that the Department of Homeland Security has been compared with the Gestapo so often and even the use of the word "Homeland" sounds like we are trying to emulate the Nazi era. "Homeland" has never been a popular American metaphor until now. It is starting to get scary. If they change it to Dept. Of the Fatherland, look out.

We are the worlds super power and at one time had the respect of most of the world. Jerk moves by our President, like this week in Europe only drops us a few pegs lower in the esteem of every one else. Presidents should at least act like statesmen and not fall to the level of common street thugs, but that is what President Bush is sounding like. Saddam has that "street thug" demeanor and it fits him. It doesn't look good on George.

The American media will talk about what a great week the President has had and how he got the backing of NATO for his war on Iraq, but the media will not tell you about how very small the Iraq problem is when compared to the rest of the world. Saddam "might" have Weapons of Mass Destruction, North Korea does have those weapons, as does China, Pakistan, India, Israel, and Russia, France, England, and America. Plus several other countries, but George Bush has decided to put the focus of the whole world on Iraq.

Right here at home over one million people will lose their unemployment benefits three days after Christmas. America has over 25 billion dollars set aside just for this type of problem, but George didn't think these people's problem was important enough to even talk about, nor did Congress.

Tens of thousands of Senior citizens will die before their is any Federal Relief for the cost of prescription drugs. And there are still about four million Americans out of work.

Does anyone remember that there are over 41,000,000 Americans without any medical insurance? How about this, does anyone in Washington think about the over 17,000 Americans that are killed by drunk drivers every year or the 25,000 Americans that are murdered each year. These people's loved ones think their killers are terrorists.

George Bush is fixated on Iraq and the rest of America's problems seem to fade into the background as he runs around talking about Nazis and Saddam while the Media follows with notebook in hand fawning on his every word.

Facts on Iraq from the "CIA Factbook"