Letter: President taking a page from ‘The Prince’

Thursday, Feb. 27, 2003 | 10:01 a.m.

One never ceases to be amazed by the Bush regime's stupendously feckless foreign policy. How can one forget President Bush's hypocritical presentation to the U.N. General Assembly where he upbraided member nations, informing them that if they don't tow the Bush line regarding Iraq, they risked irrelevancy.

This coming from a president who has arrogantly rejected any involvement in the formulation of an array of international treaties and conventions, which have been years in the making and, at least in terms of process, have virtual unanimous support. No one has worked harder than Bush to undermine the U.N.

President Bush and his minions both within his regime and in the media have worked assiduously to foment anti-European (excuse me, I mean anti-Old European) hysteria. Imagine the temerity of Old Europe not towing the Bush line on Iraq! Cynically, Bush propagandists have attempted to frame the dispute as an Old Europe vs. USA dispute when, in fact, it's an Old Europe vs. Bush regime dispute.

Media darling Colin Powell gave an entertaining "dog and pony show" at U.N. headquarters, which proved only that, sure enough, Saddam Hussein is not only a sociopathic malefactor, but also a dissembler.

So why does Bush insist on a war with Iraq now? For the answer, one need only consult Machiavelli's "The Prince." In it he advises, "When occasion serves, a wise prince will cunningly provoke opposition and then by routing it, increase his own stature."

KELLY KRIEG