View From America - February 2004 Newsletter

Bill Sykes' Newsletter from America.
(February 2004)

An ex-Brit gives his views-(without fear or favor)---of the American Scene

Recap of 2003 Newsletters,
(A brief synopsis of events that occurred in 2003).

The devastating war in Iraq continued and the killing of American forces and Iraqi civilians did not subside.
No weapons of mass destruction were discovered and practically every one, (with the exception of President Bush and Prime Minister Blair), including the chief weapon’s inspector David Kay, (who recently resigned), have finally concluded and admitted that it is apparent that there were no WMDs, or WMD programs in Iraq after Gulf War One. President Bush continues to state that he has great confidence in the Intelligence Community. The question then arises, "Does the American Intelligence Community have the same confidence in George Bush?"
The proposed installation of a puppet Government in Iraq by mid-year 2004, in which America had intentions of including many Iraqi dissidents, has been challenged by the Shiite Clerics and the installation of such a Government is certainly doomed to failure.
Comment: If and when a government is installed, (what ever the make up of such a government), we can expect civil war to break out between the Kurds, Sunni Muslims and the Shiite Muslims.
A dazed and dishevelled Sadam Hussein, looking as though he was under heavy sedation, was flushed from a hole in the ground looking more like a fugitive from a mental institution than an aggressive and brutal dictator.
Since the initial photographs were taken during his capture he has not been seen, but the violence against American troops and the Iraqi people continues as though he had never existed!!!
Comment: It was reported that President Bush was incensed when Prime Minister Blair was the first to announce the capture of Saddam Hussein. There appears to be a widening rift between the President and the Prime Minister!!!
The American war to free the people of Afghanistan from Taliban religious persecution, and dislodge the warlords from their oppressive and brutal regime, appears to have failed like a damp squib.
The Israeli/Arab internal war continued with no end in sight, and with a distinct possibility of Lebanon and Syria
re-entering the fray.
The Muslim religion expanded rapidly and is now dominating many parts of the Far East with the possible result of more violent terrorist militant extremism in that region of the world.
President Bush had a meeting with the Premier of the Republic of China during the latter part of the year, and in the days immediately following the meeting he rescinded his threat to fully support Taiwan by supplying American military power, if Taiwan declared independence and was attacked by the armed forces of the Peoples Republic of China. He urged the Taiwan leadership to refrain from declaring independence.
Comment: As I’ve said many times previously, I firmly believe that in the very near future mainland China will invade Taiwan, as it would be in their best interests to take over the manufacturing and marketing capability of Taiwan in order for the Republic of China to become a fully fledged industrial and economic world power.
Although the American Presidential elections are not until November 2004, (nearly a year away), the American public are being bombarded on an hourly basis by TV propaganda from both the Democratic contenders for the Presidency and Republican party members who are currently in power. (An update will be given in a future issue.)
President Bush has spent more time since the war with Iraq, travelling in the United States and abroad than doing the job of governing the nation. He has constantly appeared on TV shows trying to convince the people of America that his reasons for going to war with Iraq were valid and not a bunch of untrue statements aimed at trying to raise the American people’s enthusiasm to support a war.
Many people are now beginning to recognize that his absence from the nation’s capital is so frequent that one has got to wonder who is running this county, as it has become pretty obvious that he is not in full command. When he is not on the road promoting the war with Iraq he is soliciting funds for the Republican Party and his own re-election.
2003 was a year when worldwide corporate corruption and the fleecing of the people came to light, not only in the United States but also in many of the leading industrial nations. The Enron/Tyco/ Parmalat corruption scandals in higher echelon management circles, which even included the United States Stock Market where the Chairman of the New York Stock Exchange, and certain brokerage houses, came under suspicion of fraudulent use of funds.