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September 14, 2005

Let's All Chip In To Buy These Guys A Thesaurus

The Washington Post reports this:

With an hour-long slide show that blends satellite imagery with disquieting assumptions about Iran's nuclear energy program, Bush administration officials have been trying to convince allies that Tehran is on a fast track toward nuclear weapons.

The PowerPoint briefing, titled "A History of Concealment and Deception," has been presented to diplomats from more than a dozen countries. Several diplomats said the presentation, intended to win allies for increasing pressure on the Iranian government, dismisses ambiguities in the evidence about Iran's intentions and omits alternative explanations under debate among intelligence analysts.

I understand that it's the job of the American government to have no sense of shame—since if they had a sense of shame, they couldn't bear to do this kind of thing after what happened with Iraq. So I don't quarrel with that. But... couldn't these guys at least come up with some NEW WORDS?

Iraq—its infrastructure of concealment, deception and intimidation

This report draws upon a number of sources, including intelligence material, and shows organisations whose job it is to keep Saddam and his regime in power, and to prevent the international community from disarming Iraq, how the Iraqi regime is constructed to have, and to keep, WMD, and is now engaged in a campaign of obstruction of the United Nations Weapons Inspectors.

Story via Chris Floyd.

Posted at September 14, 2005 08:51 PM | TrackBack
Comments

What a time to be nineteen!

Fair warning: when the Draft Board calls me in, I'm going to check "homosexual," "hears voices," "sometimes has trouble sleeping," and "frequents Tiny Revolution."

Posted by: Sully at September 14, 2005 09:05 PM

Using new words would be profligate, Jon.

Besides, the home audience is reassured by standard plot lines and familiar dialogue. My younger cousins like it when I read the same Dr. Seuss book to them. I do that every time I visit. It's comforting. Then we go out and slaughter their neighbors.

Posted by: Harry at September 14, 2005 11:27 PM

Good God - another Power Point demonstration for the UN. What is funny is that Powell recently said he was ashamed of the one he did on Iraq, but that does not stop many of the exact same people from recycling the tactic about Iran. It just boggles the mind how they do this and no one calls them on it. I mean, it is so obvious and open (as opposed to concealed and deceptive, I guess).

Posted by: Anna in Cairo at September 15, 2005 12:21 AM

Sully,

I like to believe "frequents Tiny Revolution" will get you off the hook all by itself. Certainly it would be a great disappointment if I'm wrong—sort of like missing out on being on Nixon's enemies list.

Harry,

Good point. Particularly now, as the US savings rate drops to an all-time low, it's critical to conserve words. Where are the environmentalists on this? I tell you, their hypocrisy STINKS TO HIGH HEAVEN.

Anna,

Given your experience, what do you believe the individuals who have to do these things are thinking? Are they true believers, or just resigned to a life of grim shamelessness? Or shameless grimness?

Posted by: Jonathan Schwarz at September 15, 2005 09:29 AM