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UNCURIOUS GEORGE ON PARADE [Col. Writ. 4/15/04] Copyright 2004 Mumia Abu-Jamal The sight of George W. Bush, holding a rare live press conference was a national embarrassment. Rambling, stumbling, tripping and triangulating, the nation's chief executive gave a performance that was sure to do many things, but boosting national confidence wasn't one of them. The White House press corps is an unusually well-trained bunch. They are usually senior reporters, those with the ear of management, who want to treat their subject (the president) with respect and even a touch of subservience. Even before this largely hand-picked group, the president was clearly out of his depth. Once, when a guy tossed him a softball, 'how do you feel' - type of question (for example, can you think of one mistake you've made in the time since 9/11?), the president couldn't even bunt. "Well --- gee whiz-- Oh boy-- I wish I'd received this question in writing beforehand--," the president stumbled. "I can't think of anything right now, but I'm sure something will pop into my head before the press conference is over," he offered. Hmmm.... How about "WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION?" But to 'Uncurious George', even that remains an open question, for this suggested it was still possible to find vast stockpiles, even after the nay vote of his own former weapons inspector, David Kay. He came across as scared to death, his trademark smirk less a mask than a shield. His forehead was wet with sweat, and there was a look of pain on his face as he tried to make his case. And what *is* his case? Essentially, that Saddam Hussein was a 'bad man.' He repeated the administration refrain that has now become common: "He used weapons of mass destruction *on his own people!*" (left unsaid, of course, is the clincher: 'provided by the U.S. government, to help you with your battle against the Iranians!'). We have entered the uncomfortable era of the 'bad guy' exception to international law. Call a leader a 'bad guy', and leave it to the media to uncritically echo your claims, rattle your sabers, and it's time for a nice, little war! For millions of Europeans, when they think of the guy who invades their peaceful rest, more often than not, the smirking visage of 'Uncurious George' comes to mind. And Iraq has arisen as a virtual basket case of resistance, rebellion, and anti-American hatred. The too-glib words of American president, George W. Bush, have done, and will do nothing to assuage that deep feeling. For Bush and his minions have taken the lie of 'terrorism in Iraq' and turned it into a truth: they have energized an insurgency that threatens to hurl the nation into civil war; a war that will have ripples throughout the region. Those who claim to be U.S. allies may yet rue the day they extended their hands to the U.S. eagle, for they almost all sit upon kingdoms, fiefdoms, or dictatorships that are cruelly resented, and hated by their people. Their armies and security services aren't used to protect their nations from foreign threats. They are armed against their own internal opposition, who, increasingly, look to jihadis and Islamicists as the way out from under their repressive regimes. The wild adventures of the Bush regime have not brought, nor do they promise to bring, stability to the region. They bring distrust, hatred, roiling passions, and clan, tribal vengeance, that will take generations to calm. But 'Uncurious George' doesn't seem concerned. He's made no mistakes. His cronies in the oil industry and Halliburton are cool, and that's all that matters. 'Stay the course' -- straight to hell. Copyright 2004 Mumia Abu-Jamal Read Mr. Jamal's latest work,"WE WANT FREEDOM: A Life in the Black Panther Party", from South End Press (www.southendpress.org). "When a cause comes along and you know in your bones that it is just, yet refuse to defend it--at that moment you begin to die. And I have never seen so many corpses walking around talking about justice." — Mumia Abu-Jamal MUMIA'S COLUMNS NEED TO BE PUBLISHED AS BROADLY AS POSSIBLE TO INSPIRE PROGRESSIVE MOVEMENT AND HELP CALL ATTENTION TO HIS CASE. The campaign to kill Mumia is in full swing and we need you to **please** contact as many publications and information outlets as you possibly can to run Mumia's commentaries (on-line and **especially off-line**)!! The only requirements are that you run them *unedited*, with every word including copyright information intact, and send a copy of the publication to Mumia and/or ICFFMAJ. THANK YOU!!!

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