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War, War, War See other War, War, War Articles Title: Joe Biden's Rhetorical Ineptness Joe Biden's Rhetorical Ineptness by Stephen Lendman His intellect is sorely lacking. His Senate years were notably unimpressive. He's skilled at putting his foot in his mouth. He reinvents history. On October 2, his comments riled nations allied with Washington's Middle East wars. More on them below. His remarks often draw criticism. They do so for good reason. "No one doubts that I mean what I say," he explained. "The problem is I sometimes say all that I mean." One observer said his "mouth out-runs his brain" at times. At a March 2010 Obamacare signing ceremony, he whispered in Obama's ear: "This is a big f..king deal." He did loud enough to be heard on air. He's not the first political leader known for earthy language. In response to BP's April 2010 Mexican Gulf oil spill, Obama said on air he was looking for "whose ass to kick." His former White House chief of staff/current Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel's favorite four-letter word begins with "f." It ends in "k." As Texas governor, George Bush called New York Times correspondent Adam Clymer a "major league asshole." As vice president, Dick Cheney argued with Senator Patrick Leahy about judicial nominees and Halliburton contacts (Cheney's former company). It ended with Cheney telling Leahy to "(g)o "f..k yourself." Bill Clinton used four-letter profanity often. GHW Bush bragged about "kick(ing) a little ass" in political altercations. He called it "an old Texas football expression." Campaigning for reelection in 1979. Jimmy Carter said "(i)f Kennedy runs, I'll whip his ass." His best remembered gaff came in a 1976 Playboy magazine interview. "I've looked on a lot of women with lust," he said. "I've committed adultery in my heart many times. This is something that God recognizes I will do - and I have done it - and God forgives me for it." "Christ says, "(d)on't consider yourself better than someone else because one guy screws a whole bunch of women while the other guy is loyal to his wife.' " "The guy who's loyal to his wife ought not to be condescending or proud because of his relative degree of sinfulness." Nixon avoid public cursing. He saved it for private conversations. Oval Office transcripts revealed it. At times, "expletive deleted" avoided embarrassing moments. Other times, earthy comments dotted his rhetoric. "People said my language was bad," he explained. "But Jesus, you should have heard LBJ." He was notorious. He told dirty stories. He used the "N" word often. He once told a Kennedy aide: "He wouldn't know how to piss out of a boot if the instructions were printed on the heel." He criticized Gerald Ford saying: "He can't fart and chew gum at the same time." Jack Kennedy's naval service taught him profanity. Or as some like to put it, swear like a sailor. He did it discretely. Harry Truman liked to cuss. It was part of his tell-it-like-it-is appeal. He once said during campaigning: "I never give them hell. I just tell the truth, and they think it's hell." He once called Nixon "a shifty-eyed goddamn liar, and people know it." Discussing his decision to fire General Douglas MacArthur in April 1951 during the Korean War, he said: "I fired (him) because he wouldn't respect the authority of the president." "I didn't fire him because he was a dumb son-of-a-bitch, although he was, but that's not against the law for generals." Truman criticized Joe Kennedy. He called him "as big a crook as we've got anywhere in this country, and I don't like it that he bought his son the nomination for the presidency." "He bought West Virginia. I don't know how much it cost him. He's a tightfisted old son-of-a-bitch; so he didn't pay any more than he had to." "But he bought West Virginia, and that's how his boy won the primary over Humphrey." Franklin Roosevelt's vice president John Nance Garner once said "(t)he vice presidency isn't worth a pitcher of warm piss." With incumbents like Biden, it lives up to tradition. In December 2009, the Onion poked fun at him saying: "During an unexpected visit Thursday to an organizational meeting for this year's White House Christmas party, Vice President Joe Biden winked mischievously as he offered to 'handle' the eggnog supply for the upcoming annual event." " 'Uncle Joe's got the nog under control," said Biden. He "flash(ed) a metal flask protruding from the inside pocket of his suit jacket." " 'Old family recipe,' " he said. He calls his vice presidential job "a bitch." He claims happy warrior elements in it. Dotted with earthy language. Including the anti-Semitic pejorative "shylock." Critics accuse of him of foot-in-mouth-disease. His rhetoric outruns his sensibility. On October 2, he responded to a question on whether Washington should have acted earlier on Syria, and if not why is now right?" He responded, saying: "The answer is 'no' for 2 reasons. One, the idea of identifying a moderate middle has been a chase America has been engaged in for a long time." "We Americans think in every country in transition there is a Thomas Jefferson hiding beside some rock - or a James Madison beyond one sand dune." "The fact of the matter is the ability to identify a moderate middle in Syria was - there was no moderate middle because the moderate middle are made up of shopkeepers, not soldiers." "They are made up of people who in fact have ordinary elements of the middle class of that country." "And what happened was - and history will record this because I'm finding that former administration officials, as soon as they leave write books which I think is inappropriate…" "(B)ut anyway, no I'm serious. I do think it's inappropriate at least, you know, give the guy a chance to get out of office." "And what my constant cry was that our biggest problem is our allies. Our allies in the region were our largest problem in Syria." "The Turks were great friends - and I have the greatest relationship with Erdogan, which I just spent a lot of time with - the Saudis, the Emiratis, etc." "What were they doing? They were so determined to take down Assad and essentially have a proxy Sunni-Shia war, what did they do?" "They poured hundreds of millions of dollars and tens, thousands of tons of weapons into anyone who would fight against Assad except that the people who were being supplied were Al Nusra and Al Qaeda and the extremist elements of jihadis coming from other parts of the world." "Now you think I’m exaggerating. Take a look. Where did all of this go? So now what’s happening?" "All of a sudden everybody's awakened because this outfit called ISIL which was Al Qaeda in Iraq, which when they were essentially thrown out of Iraq, found open space in territory in eastern Syria, work with Al Nusra who we declared a terrorist group early on and we could not convince our colleagues to stop supplying them." "So what happened? Now all of a sudden - I don't want to be too facetious - but they had seen the Lord?" "Now we have. The President’s been able to put together a coalition of our Sunni neighbors, because America can't once again go into a Muslim nation and be seen as the aggressor." "it has to be led by Sunnis to go and attack a Sunni organization. So what do we have for the first time?" Audio ends there. We don't know what else he said unless someone listening explains. Fact check on what we know he said: Syria is Obama's war. He launched it in March 2011. He did so to oust Assad. He wants a convenient US- friendly stooge replacing him. He wants an Israeli rival removed. He wants Iran isolated. He wants unchallenged regional dominance. He's waging wars with end to achieve it. Biden's involved as his vice president. He's right saying belligerent anti-Assad moderates don't exist. Internal government opponents want things resolved nonviolently. They oppose civil war. Against conflict destroying their country. Against outside elements involved. Against Washington's dirty hands stoking conflict. Against regional states' involvement. Biden lied claiming Washington's "biggest problem is our allies." Anyone familiar with what's going on knows it's rubbish. Conflict didn't begin until Obama authorized it. Enlisted regional support. Got plenty from Israel, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey, Jordan, Western nations and others. He wouldn't have gone it alone without them. He needs coalition cover for his crimes. He wants partners committing high crimes against peace with him. He wants Saudi and Qatari money. Ousting Assad is his decision. Willing co-conspirators agreed to help. It bears repeating what other articles explained. ISIS/ISIL/the Islamic State (IS) and likeminded Islamic extremists are US creations. Don't expect Biden to explain. Or his involvement throughout years of conflict. Claiming "we could not convince our (regional) colleagues to stop supplying" Islamic extremist turns truth on its head. It's rubbish. It's ludicrous on its face. Previous articles explained US special forces and CIA operatives train Islamic death squads in Jordan and Turkey. Some in Georgia. They're armed, trained, funded, directed and taught the fine art of killing. With chemical weapons. And gruesome atrocities. With beheadings for more shocking world headlines. Biden's self-righteous explanation is polar opposite truth. He didn't surprise. Big Lies substituted for candor. Don't expect further comments including it. Or regional peace any time soon. Perhaps in our lifetime. Not as long as US aggression goes unchecked. Or Israel's. Or rogue EU partners and regional despots willing to go along. Not unless people power decides otherwise. So far, it's nowhere in sight where it's most needed. On US streets, campuses and elsewhere nationwide Replicating anti-Vietnam sentiment. More strongly than back then. Staying the course. Maintaining it no matter how long it takes. Demanding US imperial wars end. Demanding peace in our time for real. Insisting US resources go for popular needs. Demanding responsible government serves everyone equitably, fairly and justly. Refusing to quit until objectives never before achieved are accomplished. Beneficial changes happen when enough committed people accept no less. They're more than ever needed now. Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III." http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com. Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network. It airs three times weekly: live on Sundays at 1PM Central time plus two prerecorded archived programs. Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread
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