Bush compares Bin Laden to Hitler

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

By way of a contrast to the "Islamic Fascist" thread:

President George W Bush has compared Osama Bin Laden to Lenin and Hitler in a speech to US military officers.

"Underestimating the words of evil and ambitious men is a terrible mistake," he said as he quoted extensively from Bin Laden and other al-Qaeda figures.

He said the world had ignored the writings of Lenin and Hitler "and paid a terrible price" - adding the world must not to do the same with al-Qaeda.

Mr Bush has been defending his security strategy as mid-term elections loom.

His speech on Tuesday - the day following the US Labor Day holiday - coincided with the country's traditional start date for election campaigning.

"Bin Laden and his terrorist allies have made their intentions as clear as Lenin and Hitler before them," he said.

But, he added, the US and its allies could be confident of victory in "the great ideological struggle of the 21st Century" because "we have seen free nations defeat terror before".

Anti-terror strategy

The speech covered many of the same themes as his first address in his current five-speech series defending his administration's so-called Global War on Terror.

He outlined a newly-updated "National Strategy for Combating Terrorism" document, which includes objectives such as preventing future attacks and denying weapons of mass destruction to terrorists.

"The best way to protect America is to stay on the offence," he said.

Other goals in the US strategy include denying terrorists control of any nation or area they could use as a refuge - an aim he linked to the continued US presence in Iraq and Afghanistan.

And with less than a week until America marks the fifth anniversary of the 11 September 2001 attacks, he again portrayed US policy in Iraq as part of a broad strategy to maker the country safer.

He defended the controversial Patriot Act and terrorist surveillance programme, which involves the government listening in on calls between the US and foreign locations without the warrant which is normally required.

"If al-Qaeda is calling somebody in America, we need to know why in order to stop attacks," he said to the applause of his audience.

Bush compares Bin Laden to Hitler

[Canuck Carrie 1]

"Reasonable comparison or historical revisionism"

Or... an excellent sound bite 6 days before 9/11.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

"Reasonable comparison or historical revisionism"

Or... an excellent sound bite 6 days before 9/11.

Certainly - which is doubtless why he said it. George's (and/or his speechwriter's) grasp of history is lamentable. How can he compare anybody to Hitler and Lenin? About the only thing they have in common is that George doesn't like either of them. I'm surprised that he didn't squeeze Castro in there while he was at it!

Edited September 6, 2006 by erekose

[*Robert* 2]

If he's so bad and so much like Hitler, why aren't the troops out hunting him /b] down instead of being in Iraq?! Don't think that's where they will find him.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

He said the world had ignored the writings of Lenin and Hitler "and paid a terrible price" - adding the world must not to do the same with al-Qaeda.

Since when did Mein Kampf become achieve bestseller status outside the Third Reich?

More specifically - when were the writings of Lenin ignored? If he's going to start talking about Lenin and communism surely the point is that a great many people read his work, took it very seriously and went on to become "enemies of freedom".

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

So Bush is historically (and in any other way I'm aware of) inept. What else is new?

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Hitler actually succeeded, for a while, at what he wanted.

Bin Laden never got his plans beyond 9/11. An abject failure in comparison.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

So Bush is historically (and in any other way I'm aware of) inept. What else is new?

Not much - except that it appears nothing is beyond the gall of the propagandists - to compare completely divergent things.

Bin Laden is to Hitler and Lenin - what pork substitute is to bacon is to tuna fish

Edited September 6, 2006 by erekose

[Marc and Olga 0]

Darn, I thought I would be able to come here and say if ANYONE was like Hitler, he should look in the mirror.

Germany was upset at the limitations placed on them after WW1 - USA upset over the terrorist attacks on 9/11

Germany blamed the Jews for their problems - USA blames Muslims

Jews (amoung others) are treated very brutally in Germany - Muslims are treated brutally in the USA ("hate" crimes against "Muslims" have been higher in the USA then pre-9/11 (see the the stats thread for this one))

Germany invades Poland - USA Invades Iraq

Edited September 6, 2006 by Marc and Olga

[Fischkoepfin 1]

Hitler-comparisons always work. Lenin is a new one and seems somewhat off-key when he could be talking about Stalin, the other dictator often brought up to expose the extent of tyranny in other nations.

Yet, the comparison has to be faulty because it is highly unlikely that Bush actually read either Hitler or Lenin. Otherwise he would realize that Lenin's writing while antithetical to capitalism does not encourage killing as a solution nor does it endorse religious hatred. Hitler comes closer to these points in his book, but noone actually read the book (save some Nazi of which there weren't that many in 1925).

And even if anyone (and I'm certain he's talking about Americans) had read the books when they were published and viewed them as a warning, nothing would have happened. Because Bush in his historical ignorance forgets that the US was so isolationist that they wouldn't even join the League of Nations...

Btw, what's the name of Bin Laden's book?

[Marc and Olga 0]

Hitler-comparisons always work. Lenin is a new one and seems somewhat off-key when he could be talking about Stalin, the other dictator often brought up to expose the extent of tyranny in other nations.

Yet, the comparison has to be faulty because it is highly unlikely that Bush actually read either Hitler or Lenin. Otherwise he would realize that Lenin's writing while antithetical to capitalism does not encourage killing as a solution nor does it endorse religious hatred. Hitler comes closer to these points in his book, but noone actually read the book (save some Nazi of which there weren't that many in 1925).

And even if anyone (and I'm certain he's talking about Americans) had read the books when they were published and viewed them as a warning, nothing would have happened. Because Bush in his historical ignorance forgets that the US was so isolationist that they wouldn't even join the League of Nations...

Btw, what's the name of Bin Laden's book?

Yes, Stalin makes more sense. He was on par with Hitler, if not actually worse...other then the invading other sovereign countries.

Lenin, to this day is widely respected in Russia.

Technically this photo was taken on the 15th of March as my camera's timestamp was set to Tucson and not Nakhodka.

[rasmussen 0]

I think what he was inplying is that the two are examples of hate filled leaders of a group of people who use religion as an excuse or deciding factor in their actions as satanists on earth.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

I think what he was inplying is that the two are examples of hate filled leaders of a group of people who use religion as an excuse or deciding factor in their actions as satanists on earth.

Here comes Satan again...

[Alex+R 0]

I think what he was inplying is that the two are examples of hate filled leaders of a group of people who use religion as an excuse or deciding factor in their actions as satanists on earth.

Um. Religion?

[rasmussen 0]

I think what he was inplying is that the two are examples of hate filled leaders of a group of people who use religion as an excuse or deciding factor in their actions as satanists on earth.

Here comes Satan again...

Even if you don't believe that satan or God exists, you understand what each represents, correct or would you like me to restate using a different adjective.