From the Edmonton Sun
TORONTO — Years after 9-11 and the “crazy Zeitgeist” that permeated the United States, Americans have still not learned to know their enemies instead of just hating them, said American political journalist Chris Matthews yesterday.
In a speech to political science students at the University of Toronto, the host of the CNBC current affairs show Hardball had plenty of harsh words for U.S. President George W. Bush, as well as the political climate that has characterized his country for the last few years.
“The period between 9-11 and (invading) Iraq was not a good time for America. There wasn’t a robust discussion of what we were doing,” Matthews said.”If we stop trying to figure out the other side, we’ve given up. The person on the other side is not evil. They just have a different perspective.
“The smartest people understand the enemy’s point of view, because they understand what’s driving them.”
Wild Thing’s comment…..Now wait just a sliced Turkey minute here! The terrorists are not evil they just have different perspective? Hey Chris once again you have established you are brain dead. Won’t you be surprised when you learn they want you dead just like the rest of us.
Article also discussed at:
* Blackfive
* Michelle Malkin
He said Bush squandered an opportunity to unite the world against terrorism and instead made decisions that built up worldwide animosity for his administration.
“We had a strong international unity coming out of 9-11. The world was never so united against terrorism and we lost that,” Matthews said. “That is the great tragedy of the Bush era.”
When asked what caused the U.S. to invade Iraq, he said it was a combination of factors.
“I think the father-son relationship with the Bushes is part of it. I think the oil thing is part of it,” Matthews said of the current president and his father, George Bush Sr., who was president during the Gulf War more than a decade ago.
“Our friendship with Israel (is part of it) and 9-11 created a kind of crazy Zeitgeist in the country. Bush wanted to do something big. It couldn’t just be tracking down al-Qaida. He wanted a big bang. I think it’s a mixture of these things.”
Matthews said the current president is guilty of not knowing enough about the world and not keeping up with current events, as was evident in the aftermath of hurricane Katrina and the slow reaction to the crisis in New Orleans.