In bush's most recent "interview" with Charlie Gibson, ABC "reports" the following:
Asked if he would have ordered the U.S.-led invasion if intelligence reports had accurately indicated that Saddam did not have the weapons, bush replied:
"You know, that's an interesting question. That is a do-over that I can't do. It's hard for me to speculate."
That's a good one. Because in December 2004, I distinctly remember this War Criminal saying
Knowing what I know now, I would make the same decision to invade.
Of course, both statements came from a guy who had the nerve to say:
I take personal responsibility for everything I say, of course. Absolutely.
Knowing what we have always known, I found comfort in the old Maori proverb:
Waiho ma te whakama e patu.
I recently came across the proverb at an exhibit on whales. Whales figure prominently in the mythology and modern lives of the Maori. This is not surprising. After all, theirs is the culture of Whale Riders.
The Maori are the indigenous people of New Zealand. In Maori folklore, whalelike creatures are often described as fantastic denizens of the deep who help men in distress. One story struck me as particularly relevant. It has to do with a a wizard named Te Tahi O Te Rangi.
Te Tahi O Te Rangi was a powerful wizard who lived at Whakatane. His enemies wanted to do away with him but were afraid they would not be able to kill him. They devised a plan to trick him. They invited him to go fishing with them on a far off island volcano called Whaakari (today called White Island). Upon arriving they marooned him and returned home, leaving him to his fate. This, of course, was a mistake. The wizard called upon the whales of the deep and was transported back to the mainland quicker than his enemies. You can imagine their surprise to see the wizard waiting for them on the beach when they landed. He said nothing and let them file past him. His people wished him to raise an armed force and attack those who had served him so ill, but his answer, which has passed into a proverbial utterance, was this: "Waiho ma te whakama e patu." Translated into English, I found his curse an appropriate and terrible sentence for bush:
Let shame be their punishment. |
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