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No Nukes For You!

By Will Durst, AlterNet. Posted November 20, 2007.


Whether or not Bush gives a country nukes boils down to this: its not enough for them to be like us, they also have to actually like us.
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This might be a good time to try and explain George Bush's Mideast nuclear policy, which to the untrained eye must seem trickier than doing calculus on a solar powered calculator in the front seat of a high speed roller coaster while wearing gloves at night. As leader of the free world, he's taken a monumental task upon himself to divide the world into two distinct and separate groups. Those countries sober and sensible enough to handle the whole nuclear thing in the mature manner of a good democratic nation like the United States, and all those other fourth rate scorpion infested hellholes that still allow barnyard animals to board airplanes.

And what of the borderline calls? You know, countries with a couple of low rent knock off fast food franchises whose streetcars still allow live chickens in the overhead compartment? Easy. The nations we like can have nuclear weapons. And the ones we don't like -- can't. It's that simple. And don't give us any lip either. Or we'll talk to some buddies of Warren Buffett and get your Burger Imam licenses revoked.

Being the sole member of the "We Made a Big Badda Boom" club burdens us with the authority to write the admissions policy for all guild applicants. Not a pretty job, but someone has to do it. And the more like us you are, the more likely we'll let you have what you want. As long as what you want is what we want you to want. The less like us you are, the more likely your topographical features are of becoming a vast expanse of smooth green glass.

Although we've had the bomb for over sixty years, we have proven ourselves to be totally reliable and trustworthy having only used it on actual people twice. Sure we've waved it around a couple of times, but if you can't menace somebody with a nuclear bomb, what's the use of squandering your children's future to build it? George Bush is going the extra mile to make sure that every nuclear wannabe is as determined to pursue diplomatic answers to complex international problems as he is. And those who don't like it might want to start sleeping in lead lined pajamas.

Israel, Pakistan, India ... sure, no problem boys, load up. YOU can go thermonuclear. Because not only are you like us, you're our friends. You invite us to your birthday parties. And give us ice cream. Your leaders wear suits which makes us comfortable. Syria, Iraq and Iran. No. I'm sorry. You wear funny clothes and you're mean to us and never had us over to the house for cookies and milk -- so no nukes for you. What it boils down to is: its not enough to be like us, you also have to actually ... like us.

Besides, everybody knows the only reason people who refuse to see the world the way that we see the world, want nuclear weapons in the first place, is to destroy the delicate balance of peace that exists today in the Mideast. That delicate balance of peace we've been so instrumental in fostering. Hence George Bush's job. To keep bad people from accomplishing their stated goal of destabilizing the Mideast. In a way that is different than the Mideast is being destabilized now. Which is why he has to work so hard that it makes his head hurt. Mine too, come to think of it.

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Actor, comic, writer, radio talk show host, mixologist, Will Durst thinks Bush determining proper international conduct is scarier than a Rudy Giuliani-in-drag compilation tape. Catch him subbing for Rachel Maddow on Air America Wednesday, November 21st. And at The Railroad Station in Saukville, Wisconsin on the 21st. And at Paolo's Pizza in Milwaukee, on Saturday, November 24th.

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4.1
Posted by: kepstein7777 on Nov 20, 2007 4:03 PM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
This article was painful to read, as are many of Durst's articles.

Having said that, I'm glad he covered this topic. Everyone seems to take it for granted that the US and their European poodles get to decide who gets to have nukes and who doesn't.

I mean, I don't want Iran to have nukes either, but only because I don't want anybody--including the US and Israel--to have them.

Wing nuts like to use the term "non-proliferation", which is really a euphemism for "double-standard."

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Nukes for friends that could end up in unfriendly hands
Posted by: doinaheckuvajob on Nov 21, 2007 12:23 AM   
Current rating: 2    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
if some 'friendly' country turns someday unfriendly, due to change in govt. or other reason.

That's obviously why such a short sighted policy is ultimately dumb.

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Geeze
Posted by: amatullah on Nov 21, 2007 7:19 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
While I'm glad this was written and mostly agree, what the hell was that "Burger Imam" crack? Do you know what "imam" means? Were you trying to get the equivalent of "Burger King"? "Burger Amir" or even "Burger Sultan" would have been closer. "Burger Imam" is about the same as "Burger Priest" and your misuse and misunderstanding of Arabic illustrates why discourse regarding Islam, Arabs and Muslims in general is so distorted.

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» RE: Geeze Posted by: january37
Be nice to us, or we may liberate you
Posted by: Ellen Remore on Nov 21, 2007 9:08 PM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Okay, I admit I stole that line from a bumper sticker. But you have to admit that it is too true for comfort. What I would really like to know is exactly who replaced God with the US government. Apparently the new world order demands the procurement of the Oval Office's imprimatur before having the temerity to actually defend your country--chiefly from the gunslinging occupant of the Oval Office.

My God, what colossal grandiosity! What absolute. unregenerate arrogance!

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Nuclear Angst
Posted by: clocksmith on Nov 22, 2007 12:51 PM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I have never understood all the angst over nuclear weapons.

If a country such as N. Korea or Syria sends a nuclear warhead winging its way into the mainland of the United States, about five minutes after there will be a big smoking crater where Pyongyang or Damascus used to be. That's a pretty strong deterrent to using "The Bomb".

I don't know who appointed the U.S. government the nuclear classroom monitor but it has no moral high ground to stand on anymore (not that it ever did, really). No wonder most of the rest of the world sees it as a dangerous rogue nation. That's because it is.

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