What?!

[Lunar]

Note that the "South African Development Community" includes Zimbabwe, Bush had halted weapons transfers to this "Community" in 2002 for very specific reasons but in the last hours of his presidency he's allowing it?!?!?!

Memorandum for the Secretary of State
Presidential Determination No. 2009-13

SUBJECT: Eligibility of the Southern African Development Community to Receive Defense Articles and Defense Services under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as Amended, and the Arms Export Control Act, as Amended

White House News
Pursuant to the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, including section 503(a) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended, and section 3(a)(1) of the Arms Export Control Act, as amended, I hereby find that the furnishing of defense articles and defense services to the Southern African Development Community will strengthen the security of the United States and promote world peace.

You are authorized and directed to transmit this determination to the Congress and to arrange for its publication in the Federal Register.

GEORGE W. BUSH

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2009/01/20090116-7.html


South African Development Community: http://www.sadc.int/

[Lunar]

Can someone talk me down so I don't become even more jaded?  Either I'm misinterpreting this or Bush is outright evil.  I hope it's the former.

[Nhoj]

Can someone talk me down so I don't become even more jaded?  Either I'm misinterpreting this or Bush is outright evil.  I hope it's the former.

this is America we will sell weapons to our worst enemies in many cases.

[Lunar]

Can someone talk me down so I don't become even more jaded?  Either I'm misinterpreting this or Bush is outright evil.  I hope it's the former.

this is America we will sell weapons to our worst enemies in many cases.

But will we forbid selling weapons to Zimbabwe and in the last minute of our presidency green light it again six years later?

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Can someone talk me down so I don't become even more jaded?  Either I'm misinterpreting this or Bush is outright evil.  I hope it's the former.

You really aren't jaded enough.

Can someone talk me down so I don't become even more jaded?  Either I'm misinterpreting this or Bush is outright evil.  I hope it's the former.

this is America we will sell weapons to our worst enemies in many cases.

True, Lunar's pal Robert Gates was a key player in the Iran-contra scandal.

[Lunar]

I was willing to accept that starting a war in Iraq in order to help his reelection bid (through campaign contributions from benefiting parties & being the "president at war") was a more-than-strong possibility.

But selling weapons to Zimbabwe for no electoral gain?  I'd much prefer a president who promised to do this and then didn't follow through with it than a president who promised something evil and then went through with it when it didn't matter

Can someone examine this and talk me down?  I think there's a 50/50 chance I'm wrong but this is possibly the most unquestionably evil thing I've seen the US Government do in a while

[Keystone Phil]

This really doesn't make sense. I hope there's a good explanation or that this is a big misunderstanding.

[Lunar]

This really doesn't make sense. I hope there's a good explanation or that this is a big misunderstanding.

I know, me too.  I suspect it'll be undereported because it's nuanced and the media doesn't like nuance.

I give myself a 50/50 chance at screwing this up.

But this is a big deal if I'm not.  A big evil deal. 

[Lunar]

You must be logged in to read this quote.

this is America we will sell weapons to our worst enemies in many cases.
[/quote]

True, Lunar's pal Robert Gates was a key player in the Iran-contra scandal.
[/quote]

I didn't realize I was his "pal."  I thought I thought that he was merely competent enough to hold the post for a year until someone replaces him but I guess I was wrong

[Lunar]

AGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!


HULK SMASH

[Lunar]

For any Bush apologists, I ask you this:  If there are ANY, ANY legitimate intentions regarding this executive decision, why would it be made in the waning hours of his presidency?  Aren't last-minute proclamations inherently sketchy?  AREN'T THEY?!


AHGHGHGH

[The Mikado]

I may be way off the mark here (I've had four drinks tonight), but is this such a big deal considering that Obama can rescind the order Tuesday afternoon?  Are we really going to make a major arms deal with Zimbabwe over the weekend?

[Lunar]

It's private arms deals I'm f***king upset about, not official US-government mandated decisions

http://www.foreignpolicy.com/top10-2008/index10.html

[Keystone Phil]

I may be way off the mark here (I've had four drinks tonight), but is this such a big deal considering that Obama can rescind the order Tuesday afternoon?  Are we really going to make a major arms deal with Zimbabwe over the weekend?

Well, that's true but if this is what it looks like, it's just an incredibly assinine thing to do.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Zimbabwe and SADC aren't synonymous.  SADC does have a "brigade" of a little over 500 peacekeepers that are currently deployed in the DR Congo.  I suspect and hope this is to allow SADC to equip and arm those peacekeepers with U.S. weapons.

[Lunar]

Zimbabwe and SADC aren't synonymous.  SADC does have a "brigade" of a little over 500 peacekeepers that are currently deployed in the DR Congo.  I suspect and hope this is to allow SADC to equip and arm those peacekeepers with U.S. weapons.

Hopefully you're right.  I know they aren't synonymous, but...

1.  Why is this a decision made in the last minute of his presidency?

2.  Why is this decision so vague as to not preclude Zimbabwe from receiving arms?  Obviously Bush made the decision in 2002 to deny them weapons, why wouldn't the language of his last minute proclamations be more specific?

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

SADC is getting the arms, not any member country, and as I understand it, a transfer to any specific member would require separate approval.  The SADC peacekeeping brigade only got launched a few months ago, so its possible that it's being done now in response to a request by SADC to buy equipment for the newly-formed brigade.

[Lunar]

SADC is getting the arms, not any member country, and as I understand it, a transfer to any specific member would require separate approval.  The SADC peacekeeping brigade only got launched a few months ago, so its possible that it's being done now in response to a request by SADC to buy equipment for the newly-formed brigade.

Ok.  I mean, as a person who still wants to believe in humanity I accept this explanation.  But isn't Friday the traditional day that presidents release bad news so as to bury them in the news cycle?  And isn't launching this decision in the last Friday of his presidency suspicious?

[dead0man]

SADC is getting the arms, not any member country, and as I understand it, a transfer to any specific member would require separate approval.  The SADC peacekeeping brigade only got launched a few months ago, so its possible that it's being done now in response to a request by SADC to buy equipment for the newly-formed brigade.

Ok.  I mean, as a person who still wants to believe in humanity I accept this explanation.  But isn't Friday the traditional day that presidents release bad news so as to bury them in the news cycle?  And isn't launching this decision in the last Friday of his presidency suspicious?

Yes and yes.  Still, probably nothing.

[Lunar]

AM I CRAZY

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

AM I CRAZY

Yes, but what does that have to do with anything?

[Lunar]

everything considering this is Lunar's hunt (helped by TPM)