Bayan Slams Bush Farewell Speech

Unrepentant till the end.

This was how the umbrella group described outgoing United States president George W. Bush’s farewell speech delivered at the White House on Thursday night (Friday morning in the Philippines).

Bush talked about the US government’s “accomplishments” in Iraq and Afghanistan, saying that “there’s little debate about the results”. He also said that because of these actions, “America has gone seven years without a terror attack.”

Bush went on to say that “if America does not lead the cause of freedom, that cause will not be led.”

“Till to the end, Bush sought to defend his eight-year regime. He continues to invoke the 9-11 terror attacks as a reason for American unilateralism and aggression. He thinks he can still use fear to prop up his legacy. But the world knows better. The whole world is saying ‘good riddance’ to his evil regime,” said Bayan secretary general Renato M. Reyes, Jr.

“Bush will be remembered for starting wars of aggression on Afghanistan and Iraq and the deaths of hundreds of thousands of civilians, for sponsoring torture in Guantanamo and similar prisons, for being at the helm of the worst financial meltdown since the Great Depression, and for being the US president with the lowest approval ratings in history,” Reyes said.

Bayan also accused the Bush regime of escalating US intervention in the Philippines.

“Under the Bush ‘war on terror’ and preemptive strike doctrine, US military intervention has increased in the Philippines. American forces have been stationed indefinitely in Mindanao and are engaged in a wide range of combat and combat support activities. Not since the time of the US military bases have the Americans been this actively engaged,” Reyes said.

Bayan also found it pathetic that Philippine president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo still gives unqualified support for Bush world opinion against the US leader. “Arroyo has proven herself to the be the most trusted puppet and number one cheerleader of the US in this part of the globe. We remember how Arroyo joined the so-called coalition of the willing by sending Filipino troops to Iraq,” Reyes said.

Filipino-Americans in the US will be holding a protest action on January 19 in front of the Philippine Embassy in Washington DC. The activity is called “Bye, Bye Bush, Take Arroyo with you” and is organized by the Katarungan Center for Justice Peace and Human Rights in the Philippines.

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