A debate I'd love to see
Compare and contrast the slick but vapid spin of Dubya's pompous Monday night allocution, with the cogent, grounded arguments set out by Robin Cook in his impassioned resignation speech in the House of Commons.
I'd pay good money to see these two go head to head in a contest of oratory skill - just for the satisfaction of watching Bush's ductile and inconsistent logic crumble under Cook's simple, focused, and confident assertion of right.
Worth watching again - Cook's 11-minute Commons speech in full (Real Player) or you can read the transcript, here. Genuinely statesmanlike carriage and expression.
Or even if you don't have time or the will to read or listen to Cook's statement, consider this one key point from his speech:
"We cannot base our military strategy on the assumption that Saddam is weak and at the same time justify pre-emptive action on the claim that he is a threat."
Compare and contrast the slick but vapid spin of Dubya's pompous Monday night allocution, with the cogent, grounded arguments set out by Robin Cook in his impassioned resignation speech in the House of Commons.
I'd pay good money to see these two go head to head in a contest of oratory skill - just for the satisfaction of watching Bush's ductile and inconsistent logic crumble under Cook's simple, focused, and confident assertion of right.
Worth watching again - Cook's 11-minute Commons speech in full (Real Player) or you can read the transcript, here. Genuinely statesmanlike carriage and expression.
Or even if you don't have time or the will to read or listen to Cook's statement, consider this one key point from his speech:
"We cannot base our military strategy on the assumption that Saddam is weak and at the same time justify pre-emptive action on the claim that he is a threat."
