Imperial tic.

• Author: Rothschild, Matthew
• Position: Editor's Note - Editorial

When Bush plans on attacking other nation, he clears his throat in the following manner: He says he has "no quarrel" with the people of that country.

This imperial tic, first diagnosed by Robert Fisk of the Independent , betrays Bush's true intentions toward Iran. In his State of the Union address, Bush said: "Our message to the people of Iran is clear: We have no quarrel with you."

So let's roll the videotape.

On January 28, 2003, in the State of the Union that year, he said: "Our message to the people of Iraq is clear: We have no quarrel with you."

On October 5, 2002, he said: "We have no quarrel with the Iraqi people."

On September 12, 2002, Bush said: "The United States has no quarrel with the Iraqi people."

On October 17, 2001, days after starting to bomb Afghanistan, he said: "We don't quarrel with the innocent folks of Afghanistan."

And it's not just our current President. For a little family fealty, here is Bush's dad, on September 17, 1990: "Let there be no misunderstanding. We have no quarrel with the people of Iraq."

Or take the beatified Ronald Reagan, who, on April 14, 1986, said: "The attacks were concentrated and carefully targeted to minimize casualties among the Libyan people with whom we have no quarrel."

Or Woodrow Wilson, April 2, 1917: "We have no quarrel with the German people."

Somehow Bush's bouquet to the Iranian people could hardly have been reassuring.

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