Loose cannons

Wednesday, October 17, 2001 - 10:00

Unbelievable

"I'm amazed that ... people would hate us. Like most Americans, I just can't believe it because I know how good we are." — US President George Bush on the hostility expressed in the Middle East to his war on Afghanistan.

We only use kind bombs

"One of the truest weapons that we have against terrorism is to show the world the true strength and kindness of character of the American people." — Bush again.

Freudian slip?

"Winding up a speech, Bush said America will be tough and resolute to defeat terrorists so future generations can live in peace. 'And there is no doubt in my mind, not one doubt in my mind, that we will fail', the president said." — report in Los Angeles Times, October 5.

But trying to perfect it

"So what? We did not invent corruption." — The Saudi ambassador to the US, acknowledging that the Saudi royal family has corruptly misused US$50 billion of the country's US$400 billion development program.

From GLW issue 467