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Tutu Urges Obama Apology on Iraq
Archbishop Desmond Tutu has warned Barack Obama of the risk of squandering the goodwill he says the US president's election has generated.
Desmond M. Tutu, Archbishop Emeritus of South Africa, gestures while speaking during the closing session of the the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Sunday, Feb. 1, 2009. In an article for BBC News, he says it would be "wonderful" if Mr Obama apologised for the invasion of Iraq. (AP Photo/Keystone/Alessandro Della Bella) In an article for BBC News, he says it would be "wonderful" if Mr Obama apologized for the invasion of Iraq.
He also says he prays that Mr Obama will be tough on African dictators.
The Nobel Peace Prize winner adds that the UK's standing in the world has suffered because of its co-operation with the US in the "war on terror".
'Dance and shout'
In the exclusive article for BBC News, based on a lecture he will give in London on Thursday to mark the 75th anniversary of the British Council, the former Archbishop of Cape Town speaks of his joy at watching the US election results coming in.
"I wanted to jump and dance and shout, as I did after voting for the first time in my native South Africa on 27 April 1994."
He calls Mr Obama's election an "epoch-making event that filled the whole world with hope that change is possible".
However, he also sounds a note of caution.
He reminds his readers of the outpouring of sympathy that followed 9/11 and how quickly it vanished in the light of the allegations of prisoner abuse at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay.
"Obama, too, could easily squander the goodwill that his election generated if he disappoints," he says.
He adds: "It would be wonderful if the US president could apologize for the US-led invasion of Iraq on behalf of the American people."
He urges the president and the Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, to act quickly to reach out to other countries, to build bridges with them and to listen to what they say.
Pointing to the inspirational role of the US during the struggle against apartheid, the veteran campaigner for reconciliation asks President Obama to "come down hard" on African dictators.
UK role
The archbishop says November's election has turned America's image on its head after what he says were seven lean years for those who looked to America for inspiration.
"The Bush Administration managed to rile people everywhere. Its bully-boy attitude sadly polarized our world," he says.
But Desmond Tutu is also critical of the role of the British government in the so-called war on terror.
He says the country's standing has been damaged as a result of its close co-operation with the US and that it lacks what he calls the "redeeming Obama factor" to restore the UK's perception abroad.
The archbishop also has some positive words for Britain, and the British Council in particular.
He praises its work in helping the government of Nelson Mandela reform the post-apartheid diplomatic service and train black teachers.
Martin Davidson, chief executive of the British Council, said: "It is particularly appropriate that Archbishop Desmond Tutu has opened our 75th anniversary lecture series.
"This is also a testament to the long-lasting ties that can be built through cultural relations. We worked in South Africa during the apartheid years, building the foundations for future cooperation and collaboration."
47 Comments so far
Show Allsome one should.
Obama will certainly not apologize. That would hand a big juicy PR campaign to Hanity and Limbaugh on a platter.
In a USA with a better press machine I would push for this.
Until Americans finally truly reject the moral bankruptcy of Republcanism and faux religion dressed as politics I wouldn't expect Obama to apologize for anything that he didn't start himself.
Mr. Tutu. This is not South Africa. We are not, as a nation, as culturally advanced as you. For Obama to issue an apology for the Invasion and subsequent slaughter of innocents, would admit guilt. We all no that won't happen. Hell he is protecting Bush here at home. He sure won't throw Bush to the International wolves. Let me apologize for the U.S. invasion. I know in my heart that it was illegal and immoral. It was based on lies for the sole purpose of advances our selfish, self-centered interests in a soverign terrirory in the name of Greed on behalf of a few "bad apples". Unfortunately, there was too little dissent, too late to stop the charge. We truly have no control over our government. You, in South Africa were a majority ruled by a rich powerful minority. We suffer the same fate. Unfortunately, our form of Apartheid is sanctioned worldwide. It is not by race, but by class. Our ruling class is informed by wealth, not vote. It's constituency is not the electorate, but the corporate lobby. I apologize for our behavior as a nation, and the only repentence would be to re-take our government which has revolted against our Constitution. It's time for our own counter-revolution. Our battlecry could be Government; of the people, by the people and for the people. I hope those words won't be construed as treasonist by the powers that be. But, we are amassing our troops to send a new surge into Afghanistan, knowing that it historically is a fatefully flawed endeavor. I would like to apologize for that in advance, and the only repentence is the same as above. (before the next invasion)
America , land of the Republican Self-Righteous Religeous Lunatic fringe warrant less surveillance torture spy-war machine (not free), and Home of where God is never wrong ( brave).
Bornfreemen
Now that the country is broke, maybe we can admit that God is not to happy with Greed/fear/war mongers. How about some real intellecutal folks jumping in to run our country for a change.You know , the pen is mightier than the sword crowd.
God told me he froze the banking system because the USA supports israel and opposses gay marriage.
Archbishop Tutu's comments are very valid, and yet I sense he is aware and informed enough to recognize that his suggested apology is not feasible because of the prevailing power structure and political constraints that Obama must work within. The known fact that top political leaders of BOTH parties were briefed on the torture and other shameful, self-defeating actions before and during their commission alone precludes and preempts an apology.
Why would he say it, one would then ask. I believe it is to challenge Obama to live up to the highest moral standards he can in his policies and actions, and in a way put him on notice that the criminal actions of the previous administration, to never admit any faults or wrong actions taken, will no longer be tolerated; at least that's the most hopeful interpretation I can deduce, and I do pray that it's close to the thinking of our new president. If not (and his current actions re Afghanistan are troubling indicators in this regard), we may be in for a new, fresh hell that our species may not survive!
If Obama apologized he would be admitting guilt and opening up a world of lawsuits against our economically challenged nation.
No. I'm simply trying to find a reason why a President would not.
How can the US apologize for Iraq genocidal destruction (a million killed) when it has not mustered the courage to apologize for slavery? US never does anything wrong. Does it?
You know Obama is not going to apologize for the miasma of lies and deception of the Iraq war, so what I propose: How about an affadavit signed by millions of Americans apologizing for the Iraq war saying it was not done in our name and presented to the Iraqi people from the American people saying we may not be entirely exculpatory, but we did our best to stop this insane asylum of the death and destruction of our corrupt, Government policy in Iraq.
I'm too lazy to Google it, but remember that website called "We're So Sorry" or something like that in which US citizens could apologize for Bush being re-elected?
It would be interesting to see the public response to a similar website based on your proposed affadavit. My guess is that no matter how wildly successful such a site might be, it wouldn't cross Obama's mysterious "make me do it" threshold.
· Yr Obd't Servant
Hey I'd sign that! Sounds like a great idea. Why don't you go ahead and get started on it and email me when it is ready to be signed. enemyartist@gmail.com http://enemyartistkristofer.blogspot.com
Great idea, Paul Revere. Do it. Get it started. And, of course, Congress and the President et al., are presented with copies too ... 320 million people in this country ... between 1/3 to 1/2 over 18 ??? Any bets on how many would sign such an apology?
Let us know where to sign./cm
Apologies are all good and well, but, Obama needs to not stand in the way of war crimes investigations, indictments, and prosecutions for dubya's illegal war. That would be the most sincere apology. If anyone needs to apologize it should begin with the Supreme Court injustice of not recounting the 2000 vote, but don't hold your breath waiting for a neocon to apologize, especially for failure.
Further, what does the US plan to do about the tons of radioactive material left behind from US bomb shell casings in Iraq? Simply say we're sorry? Iraq will be suffering from the radio active waste for a long time to come. It would seem that the US companies that produce and profit from this material and the people in charge of okaying its use are culpable for the sickened US soldiers and Iraqi civilians, not to mention the cleanup. Ha! Eight years of dubya will turn into a century of apologies!
"The end of the human race will be that it will eventually die of civilization.” Ralph Waldo Emerson
lol Obama HAS to stand in the way of war crimes investigations, indictments, and prosecutions for Bush's illegal wars. He'd be indicted too, he voted to fund the wars and is now sending more contract killers to butcher innocent civilians in Aghanistan. What war crimes is Bush guilty of that Obama isn't? Democrats would be revealed as the co-conspirators that they were if any serious investigation took place, Hillary, Pelosi, Reid, Kerry, Kennedy, and several of the Democrat mobsters who were complicit with Bush and Cheney.
Or you think Obama's just being a politician and protecting the image of the presidency? Obama couldn't care less about Bush or his image, Obama only cares about his own party legacy and presidency.
Freedom is not free...
And your point is??
Nice little diddy - but no substance.
Freedom isn't free - ask those who were arrested in Denver and St. Paul last summer protesting the illegalities of the system; or ask those military personnel who opposed this illegal war and have been either court martialed or incarcerated, or drummed out of their careers with less than honorable discharges; or ask the million Iraqis who have been killed since our invasion; or ask the 300,000 or so servicemen and women who now, and in the future, will experience different levels of psychological trauma due to their war experience; or ask the female (and some male) members of the military who experience rape and sexual assualt at rates much higher than their civilian counterparts; or ask the 4,264 Americans who have died for Bush's lies; or - ask the taxpayers who continue to finance this totally corrupt and rapidly becoming fascistic system, servant to the military / industrial / congressional complex. ASK ANY OF THEM - THEY AGREE WITH YOU - FREEDOM IS NOT FREE!!!!!
Do not get too flustered over the "freedom is not free" quote. Those who so espouse are the first to take your freedoms away when they want to shut you up and send your kids to kill and be killed for their pet cause while they spout their cliche. We'll see what happens when the economic system implodes. We'll see what the price of freedom really is and who will be setting the selling price.
I am a taxpayer and very much so, are you? I'd rather have my $ spent protecting Americans than to encourage not doing for yourself because it's easier,etc, etc, for example four and five generation Matriarchal families? I'm sorry for the conscientious objector, but I have a question to the "conscientious objector" why the heck did you join the military - are you stupid? I don't know about "the protesting last summer" you talk about, it must've turned physical by the protestors??? Believe me, I know as first hand as you want, the Iraqis (etc) are happy and thankful to have been liberated (all you hear is the liberal media NEVER telling the good over there). Have you thought about asking the families of the thousands of women who were beheaded or gunned down on a daily basis on the streets in the middle east, girls not allowed to go to school? Don't worry, I know the PTSD of this war and GITMO too as well as sexual assault which does not happen only in the military. Now, on Bush's lies, "The last major remnant of Saddam Hussein's nuclear program a huge stockpile of concentrated natural uranium reached a Canadian port Saturday to complete a secret U.S. Operation that included a two week airlift from Baghdad and a ship voyage crossing two oceans. See anything wrong with this picture? We have been hearing from the far-left for more than five years how,Bush lied. Somehow, that slogan loses its credibility now that 550 metric tons of Saddam's yellowcake, used for nuclear weapon enrichment, has been discovered and shipped to Canada for its new use as nuclear energy." I can give you the MSNBC URL to read for yourself, but I don't know that you would believe it if you saw it in black and white, my friend. The point.
A_Real_American- Please give us the MSNBC URL. I would like to read what GE has to say for itself.
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"I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.", Albert Einstein.
Ed note: white phosphorous, dense metal super weapons, nuclear stick-up, missile defense, bailouts and propaganda!!
The US doesnt apologize.
The Vatican does, but it usually takes about 800 years,
Tutu you have a better chance to hit the jackpot tonight.
Did Al Capone ever apologize?
Apologize? Perhaps not. But Capone did beg forgiveness in the confessional. I sense, Obama, like G.W. Bush, will do like George Bush senior said: I will never apologize for anything.
REPARATIONS FOR:
NATIVE AMERICANS
AFRICANAMERICANS
POOR AMERICANS &
FOREIGN NATIONS!
www.poetreefree.US
Good luck!!!
Apology..that will not bring back any life taken..the United Nations , are the country's, combined,(United ) to file charges agains GW Bush and Dick Cheney ,Rumsfield, Wolfowich,Tenet, Powell, and anyone else that is responsible for ordering the invasion of Iraq. They should be held accountable for "War Crimes" agains the people of Iraq.
Now thats an "apology!"
Hell has already frozen over. When the Pope visits Palestine?
When the Muslims pray, they prostrate themselves. Can you imagine a Christian Church where the congregation prostrates itself, and begs forgiveness of those it has murdered and maimed, and says to its god. "We are sorry for killing your children." We were wrong.
I can. Could he? My guess he, like US, is too proud.
I've been waiting 40 years for the US to apologize to Viet Nam. There are probably a dozen other countries that we need to apologize to, but I'm not holding my breath.
Bhopal?
Korea?
Cuba?
Nicaragua?
East Timor?
Guatamala?
Hawaii?
Mexico?
Costa Rica?
Panama?
Grenada?
etc., etc.,
Stop it you guys! You are smacking of US empire®, which doesn't exist.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.", Albert Einstein.
Ed note: white phosphorous, dense metal super weapons, nuclear stick-up, missile defense, bailouts and propaganda!!
Tutu also said on April 29, 2002, while in Boston, how “very deeply distressed” he was by what he observed in his recent visit to the Holy Land, “It reminded me so much of what happened in South Africa.”
The Nobel peace laureate said he saw “the humiliation of the Palestinians at checkpoints and roadblocks, suffering like us when young white police officers prevented us from moving about.
Referring to Americans, he adds, “People are scared in this country to say wrong is wrong because the Jewish lobby is powerful—very powerful. Well, so what? The apartheid government was very powerful, but today it no longer exists.”
excerpted:
http://www.wearewideawake.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1192&Itemid=215
Eileen Fleming, Author, Founder WAWA:
http://www.wearewideawake.org/
Producer "30 Minutes With Vanunu" and "13 Minutes with Vanunu"
Mr. Tutu, thanks as always, for reminding us what SHOULD be done.
It's way too soon to apologize. We haven't finished fucking up over there.
See? No one expects Obama to apologize. To do so, he'd be admitting we have absolutley no right to still be in Iraq, at all. He can't do that because we're overcommitted there, militarily and economically, even if it's draining our treasury and turning our country into a scofflaw rogue state. Apologizing would also imply he's willing to begin serious investigation and prosecution of these war criminals, which he's doing everything he can to avoid. He's protecting the US's political ass, just as all presidents do. No apologies will be forthcoming, but plenty of rationalizing and staying there forever can be counted on. Too many corporations have invested too much in this catastrophe, and Obama must prop up the facade that it's all been for some supremely democratic purpose, however "misguided" it may sometimes seem.
Why would the elites want to do something that might shatter the delusions that keep the people enslaved?
I think Tutu is nuts. He should ask Bush and not Obama to apologize. Obama was opposed to the war so were most of the American people.
tutu comes from where obama is now and there is doubt about obama's reformation
edweg
Pan
Can`t do it ,we would rather commit hari kari.
I think we owe the Iraqis much more than an apology. I suggest turning Bush's cabal over to them to receive the gratitude of a liberated people. Each Repub and Dem enabler would have a placard hung around its neck saying, "Do not kill this thing." After 7 years, we could take them back.
one old atheist
So he wants us to apologize for getting tough with a dictator in the Middle-east but wants Obama to get tough with dictators in Africa. Sorry Des, when we didn't like the government we had people like Patrick Henry said: " Give me liberty or give me death!", if you don't like your dictator rise up against him.
An apology means little before the behavior stops. Otherwise it is like an abusing husband...
Wham!
Sorry Honey.
Wham!
Joe