Hubris

You would think because he is asking for international help in rebuilding Iraq that George Bush would be more conciliatory in his speech at the U.N.

Instead, he defiantly lectured other nations and defended the war:

Eventually, there is no safety in looking away, seeking the quiet life by ignoring the struggles and oppression of others.

... And the commitments we make must have meaning. When we say "serious consequences," for the sake of peace, there must be serious consequences.

... The proper response to difficulty is not to retreat. It is to prevail.

It was an empty shell of a speech, full of rhetoric that would've been a hit if he was on the campaign trail addressing the party faithful who sign loyalty oaths.

But this is the U.N. General Assembly, where the most he got were tepid applause and blank stares. There was no mention of "weapons of mass destruction" as he rambled on, insisting that the quest for democracy and human dignity was the rationale for the invasion of Iraq.

Secretary General Kofi Annan, who called the Iraq war illegal because it didn't have the approval of the U.N. Security Council, took not so subtle swipes at Mr. Bush:

"Those who seek to bestow legitimacy must themselves embody it," he said, and those who invoke international law must themselves submit to it."

In the beginning of his speech, Mr. Bush condemned dictators who are "quick to choose aggression, while free nations strive to resolve differences in peace". Insulting, considering the source who was only too quick to wage war.

Reportedly, many heads of state didn't even bother to listen to the speech, choosing instead to send their foreign ministers. Since it is more of a speech for the national audience rather than a true appeal for international cooperation, who can blame them?

John Kerry is right. George Bush has lost all credibility with the rest of the world.


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