..

[kyburg]

LJ'ers are taking a roll call over at london_070705.

In case you hadn't heard, multiple blasts in London have killed over 45 people - so far.

Snark levels rising fast.

But here - I'll vent this little bit, thanks to Reuters: World Leaders Reactions. Note that everyone except that idiot Bush condemns the attacks in plain language. Bush? Call Homeland Security! SAVE MY ASS!!

Yeah. Hussein was the threat of the day. Suuuuure.

My sense of outrage is overshadowed by my absolute shame. This could have been stopped. I'm certain of it.

I'm sorry.

God, I hope you're all right.

Comments

[hangingfire.livejournal.com]

It was bad enough hearing Bush's statement on NPR this morning -- the man should never ever speak extempore, as we are all now well aware -- but worse was hearing it followed up less than 10 minutes later by Tony Blair's, which though similar in substance, was miles away in terms of style.

Sigh.

[almeda.livejournal.com]

I've often thought that, though it would take a massive reorg of our government chart, that there are admirable things to be said for the British chief executive having to put up with (and pass with flying colors for live TV) Prime Minister's Question Time.

war...

[n6vfp.livejournal.com]

You can never win a war on terror. Bush and Blair need to learn that. All you can do is ecalate the situation to where the terror happens in your front yard. And, he talks of people with evil in their hearts that kill innocent civilians, he needs to look in the mirror.

[reannon.livejournal.com]

*reads BushCo's comment*

Sonofabitch. Motherfucker. I didn't think it was possible for me to hate him more.

[secanth.livejournal.com]

*shakes head* What an absolute idiot we have as President. Let us hope the reactions of *real* Americans at least lets people know we *do* give a damn about others besides ourselves.

[phoenix--rising.livejournal.com]

What a selfish idiot. No wonder the international community thinks of Americans as selfish idiots. Gah.

[reannon.livejournal.com]

Totally OT, but I love the icon.

[absolutedestiny.livejournal.com]

A similarly unsympathetic and pointless comment can be found on the bbc's page of reactions:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4660415.stm

It's unlikely that the attack could have been avoided in a practical sense, but yes the reasons behind the attack are another matter. At least, it seems, that this has been a much less lethal attack than it could have been.

[lux-ramone.livejournal.com]

I understand chickensh*t er Bush is now flying home because Amurikah is under a high terrorist alert and it needs it's Prezzie ie he's running away again.


Hope and prayers go out to all in London.

Leader Reactions

[(Anonymous)]

... that... that... Bush is such a pompous waste of flesh.

Re: Leader Reactions

[muimi07.livejournal.com]

That, uh, would be me, btw. *kicks her browswer for not logging her in*

:( Gosh. What news to wake up to. I wonder. Since the terror attacks in the US were on 9-11, I wonder if 7-7 is a significant number in Britain?

Re: Leader Reactions

[absolutedestiny.livejournal.com]

Unless there's some bad pun on "double 07" I don't think there is any numerological significance with the date.

[pseudicide.livejournal.com]

I worry some days about the people leading our world...

[caitlin.livejournal.com]

What gets me? Blair condemns this as terrorist. Which I do not doubt. Anything like this is terrorism.

The IDIOT? Labels this "evil"... *sigh*

*headdesk*

C.

[bigbigtruck.livejournal.com]

How is it not evil? o_o

[caitlin.livejournal.com]

GWB tends to drag out that word and use it to describe the actions of OTHERS... yet will not use it to describe what HE himself has done to Iraq. Or on Guantanamo...

Use a word often enough and it loses its impact and meaning, IMO.

Besides, GWB sounded like he was trying to rouse fervor again while Blair sounded calm and determined. It wasn't the words used, it was the manner in which they were used I objected to.

That's all.

C.

[digitaldraco.livejournal.com]

"...GWB sounded like he was trying to rouse fervor again while Blair sounded calm and determined.

Agreed. His grasp of the language may suck, but he does appear to know a chance to push the propaganda when it lands in his lap and stares him in the face.

[caitlin.livejournal.com]

In events like this, propaganda is not what needs to be pushed.

This is what I object to the most in his so-called statment.

C.

[digitaldraco.livejournal.com]

In no event is propaganda ever in need of pushing.

- Draco

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

*nods* I remember when he first started using language like that right after 9/11 - the boss' reaction to it was classic.

"Evil?! He's gonna go hunt down "Evil." Dumbass!"

And I piped up with - "He can start looking under 'coworker's' desk - he's got EVIL shoes on today!"

Boss laughed...and you could hear off in the distance - "....heeeeeeey!"

[terredancer.livejournal.com]

I can't believe him. *fumes* That fucking idiot...

Actually, I have no words. None whatsoever.

*sighs*

I just hope everybody's okay.

[lorriejharris.livejournal.com]

*cries*

I just have no words. :(

[zyrc.livejournal.com]

oh our fearless fuckhead did use "plain" language. he said he talked to the homeland suckurity "folks" this morning.

man, our prez is such an asshat. when i heard his statement on NPR i thought, "dude. this man needs public speaking lessons"

[digitaldraco.livejournal.com]

I read/skimmed through the world leader commentary. There were some bright points (Queen Elizabeth) but I nearly choked, the rhetoric was so thick. Meh.

[arafel.livejournal.com]

WHY? WHY must I, as an educated, literate, intelligent American, be represented by George W. Bush, who cannot put a thought together to save his life? WHY, GOD, WHY?

[exedore.livejournal.com]

I see this being another Madrid - problems and headaches for a couple weeks, then the city gets back to life as normal. Considering that Londoners have dealt with the Blitz, the strikes (including recent transit strikes), the IRA, and so on, I don't think they're going to be playing the fearful.

/also wishes to note that London may have more security cameras per square foot than any other city, but they didn't seem to do very much.

[makeitepic.livejournal.com]

I've said it before and I'll say it again, Bush is a fucking moron.

I do hope everyone's okay ;_;

[digitaldraco.livejournal.com]

I'd also like to say that I don't get everyone's bitter reaction to Bush's statement. Unless I'm missing something, it's just more of the same bullshit he's been spouting like a broken record over and over again.

Okay, so, yeah he didn't use the word "condemn". But I think it's a fairly well proven fact that he sucks at extemporaneous speaking, and what he did say was pretty much just sound bites from every single speech he's ever given on the topic.

I don't see any "CALL HOMELAND SECURITY! SAVE MY ASS!" in there. And I looked. Twice.

And how, pray tell, could it have been stopped? Do you know something that Scotland Yard didn't? I'm sure they'd appreciate a phone call if you did.

Sorting through the hype and outrage,

- Draco

[absolutedestiny.livejournal.com]

The page has since been changed to quote a different part of the statement. When kyburg originally posted the quotation had no mention of condolence and simply said that he called Homeland Security.

[caitlin.livejournal.com]

I think it is BECAUSE he has not said anything new that is outraging most people... myself included.

And he somehow managed to turn this terrorist activity on ENGLISH soil into a "oh, they're going to attack US!" thing again, as well as use it as propaganda. This is why I'm so miffed at him.

His first response was to call *US* Homeland Security. Not to stand by and watch Tony Blair deal with things that are NOT of our concern.

Not only that, the condolences didn't come first. The "Help save my ass!" did...

But this is IMO.

C.

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

Should have taken a snapshot of it.

[mdlbear]

Got it: http://www.livejournal.com/users/mdlbear/254809.html (second comment).

Here's the full press release:

President Offers Condolences to People of London, Will Not Yield to Terrorists
Gleneagles Hotel
Auchterarder, Scotland

1:30 P.M. (Local)

PRESIDENT BUSH: I spent some time recently with the Prime Minister, Tony Blair, and had an opportunity to express our heartfelt condolences to the people of London, people who lost lives. I appreciate Prime Minister Blair's steadfast determination and his strength. He's on his way now to London here from the G8 to speak directly to the people of London. He'll carry a message of solidarity with him.

President George W. Bush delivers a brief statement to the media outside the Gleneagles Hotel in Auchterarder, Scotland Thursday, July 7, 2005, regarding the terrorist attacks in London that occured earlier in the day. White House photo by Eric Draper This morning I have been in contact with our Homeland Security folks. I instructed them to be in touch with local and state officials about the facts of what took place here and in London, and to be extra vigilant, as our folks start heading to work.

The contrast between what we've seen on the TV screens here, what's taken place in London and what's taking place here is incredibly vivid to me. On the one hand, we have people here who are working to alleviate poverty, to help rid the world of the pandemic of AIDS, working on ways to have a clean environment. And on the other hand, you've got people killing innocent people. And the contrast couldn't be clearer between the intentions and the hearts of those of us who care deeply about human rights and human liberty, and those who kill -- those who have got such evil in their heart that they will take the lives of innocent folks.

The war on terror goes on. I was most impressed by the resolve of all the leaders in the room. Their resolve is as strong as my resolve. And that is we will not yield to these people, will not yield to the terrorists. We will find them, we will bring them to justice, and at the same time, we will spread an ideology of hope and compassion that will overwhelm their ideology of hate.

Thank you very much.

Not clear how much of this was added after the fact by the spin-doctors.

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

They updated the link. Karl Rove didn't like what they had originally, doncha know....

Soundbites

[turandot.livejournal.com]

If you tune in on CNN, you can still hear him say towards the end of that stump speech that he would call Homeland Security.

What strikes me about the speech is that he expresses no sympathy for the victims, instead choosing to talk about his program to eradicate evil. But that's on a par for shrub, he never says he's sorry, not even as a way to commiserate with the victims, lest it be interpreted as him actually regretting anything. The trouble is, most Brits are gonna assume his assholishness is representative of those who he's supposed to represent. =[

Re: Soundbites

[digitaldraco.livejournal.com]

I certainly hope the good folks in the UK don't assume that. I think the wise among them see that our leader is, indeed, a fool but I'd like to think that they don't ascribe the same level of intelligence to the U.S. as a whole. Certainly he's representative of a certain demographic of our citizens, but still.

I'll admit, the lack of compassion or concern that Bush shows is definitely irritating.

[digitaldraco.livejournal.com]

My outrage is, well, outraged that it didn't get a chance to come out and play today.

I feel cheated.

That's one of those double-edged swords of online media: instant edit with no proof of what existed before.

I went to a Yahoo News page I had visited yesterday that had a title along the lines of "G8 members lower goals" which now has the tile "G8 members work towards compromise". WTF.