It can not be repeated often enough that we Americans must be mindful of how Bush’s policies affect how Muslims in general and Muslim extremists in particular view us.
In his video message yesterday, al-Zawahiri referred to Bush as “a butcher.”
The charge was made in response to an attack in Pakistan that was aimed at al-Zawahiri but which appears to have killed instead some Qaeda operatives as well as civilians.
It comes on top of Bush’s unprovoked attack on Iraq in which to date many tens of thousands have been killed.
Prior to 9/11, the United States did not have on its record the killing of tens of thousands in Iraq. The Bush administration uses that fact in propaganda favoring its policies.
Yet the reality is that 1) the killing of tens of thousands in Iraq is, objectively viewed, wrong and 2) it exacerbates one million times over the grievances that the extremists have against us.
George W. Bush is considered radioactive in international politics. Even leaders of the countries considered our strongest allies are exceedingly careful in their approach to him for fear of repercussions among their home voters.
So imagine how Bush plays to the Muslim populations. The French and the Italians might say “We don’t approve of Bush but we like the American people.” The Muslim populations, by contrast, tend to equate Bush with us.
Towards the goal of neutralizing the enmity between us and Muslim populations, is having Bush as our continuing representative to them the sanest possible course?