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Kucinich, UFOs, and World War III
By Bill | November 1, 2007 | Email This Post
Two days ago, Dennis Kucinich said of Bush: “I seriously believe we have to start asking questions about his mental health.” The obvious rejoinder is that Kucinich was unwise to offer that suggestion on a day in which he would go on, at the indirect urging of no less a bastion of mental stability than one Shirley MacLaine, to tell the world that he’s seen a UFO.
Now, Dennis is not an idiot, and he had to know the waves such an admission would cause in a campaign that was a long shot in the first place - so he does get credit for offering an honest answer even when he know it would hurt him… no double-talk from this candidate, at least. He tried to defuse his comments by pointing out that he didn’t say he had seen little green men, merely a flying object which he could not identify; fair enough. But he also defended himself by pointing out someone else who had seen a UFO, namely Jimmy Carter, becoming perhaps the first Presidential candidate since the bicentennial to voluntarily liken themselves to him.
Kucinich’s comments about Bush were inspired by the Bush comment of several weeks ago that “I’ve told people that if you’re interested in avoiding World War III, it seems like you ought to be interested in preventing them (Iran) from having the knowledge necessary to make a nuclear weapon.” I can see two things about this statement with which Kucinich might take issue; either the form or the content. He does not specify, but lets look at each.
When it comes to form, it’s no secret that George W. Bush has all the grace one would expect of Rosie O’ Donnell performing an Olympic platform dive. Whenever a President says “World War III” - particularly one that espouses a belief in the inexorable approach of Armageddon - people are sure to take notice. Point taken, though I suspect Bush sees it more along the lines of using compelling language to demonstrate a threat that he views as real.
Substantively, though, what Bush is saying is that Iran’s acquisition of nuclear weapons only serves to push the Mideast farther from stability. Does anyone disagree? Does even Kucinich disagree? The President merely gave voice to something that we’re all thinking anyway. Leaving aside for the moment the philosophical question of whether or not weapons are the real goal of the Iranian nuclear program, whether or not Iran has the right to possesses such armaments, or whether or not from a practical point of view they ought to seek them - all legitimate questions worth debating, but beside the point here. My belief is that the world as a whole (to say nothing of United States interests) is worse off with a nuclear Iran; significantly worse off. Closer to World War III? Maybe even that, though I can say it outright where a President, perhaps, should not.
Topics: Dennis Kucinich, Iran |
November 1st, 2007 at 4:18 pm
Hey, both sides need their loonies, the Dems have Kucinich and the Repubs ahve Ron Paul…..