perspectives

SADDAM to the GALLOWS: Will BUSH Miss His Opportunity for a BOLDER KIND OF LEADERSHIP?

RELATED AFTERTHOUGHTS TO PONDER from Robert Fisk,
described by the NY Times as...
"probably the most famous foreign correspondent in Britain"
A Dictator Created then Detroyed by America
Read NOW

Saddam Hussein, according to morning news reports, remains at the American military prison, where he is expected to stay until the day of his execution, at which point he is to be transferred to Iraqi authorities. [Associated Press].
I suppose one can look at this reality from several vantage points:

Last evening, I heard one view, which included describing the barbaric details of what Saddam's death-by-hanging will involve, moment-by-hideous moment---a full step-by-step documentation of how his body will be broken and crushed to complete the deed---an eye for an eye executed to perfection. Imagine that we, as a human society, have come to such a place that we would find satisfaction in a close public examination of the killing process of another human being, so much so, that it hit the news repeatedly in multiple segments yesterday. I know. I know. "Such lust for killing has been going on for centuries," you may be saying back to me. But this isn't about history. It is about us and an examination of conscience of OUR nation TODAY. It is about an examination of conscience for each of us as individuals in OUR time.

Our willingness and wantingness for revenge, whether it be portrayed in great detail on a public stage or be carried out in some secret way to hide and diminish our crimes, questions the state of our humanity. It is particularly stunning to the mind, when one considers the contrast of what the US government and President BUSH have banned here from the public's experience --- the censorship of the arrival home of our brave US military men and women in draped caskets, aimed at blocking the daily dose of truth about war from our consciousness ---- truth that comes as a direct result of an illegal war conceived on lies, deception and mounting profit and greed. We aren't allowed to see this truth, while no one seems to be bothered by our minds being filled with minute-by-minute coverage of Saddam's impending hanging.

Our want for revenge also contrasts our willingness to deny and ban any public accounting or even acknowledgement of civilian deaths caused by the Iraq War. "We don't do body counts." is how Tommy Franks put it, the chilling words burned in my mind. Are they burned in yours?  Our disregard and disrespect for human life, as "leaders of the free world" has set an example that serves as a catalyst for such nonsensical statements as this one today said about Saddam's hanging, "Our respect for human rights requires us to execute him...," Al-Maliki said. WHAT? This statement mirrors our leaders actions and behaviors ---- and our own indifference as citizens, doesn't it? What has happened to us?

WILL BUSH SEIZE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE HIS LEGACY?
A ray of hope still exists. Another view from a humanitarian vantage point, clearly shows the US stands before a fleeting window of hopeful opportunity that invites a bold demonstration of moral leadership.

As a nation, our leaders are still left with a decision to take the high road ---- one that could perhaps be the tipping point that would begin to reverse all that today is keeping us on a perpetual cycle of violence, killing and destruction in Iraq and other places throughout the world ---- one that could change the course of history. One that could change the legacy of George W. Bush, because it demands a bigger, bolder form of leadership that would speak to the world, reflecting the values upon which our nation was built. George Bush has an opportunity to use American influence to stop Saddam Hussein from going to the gallows, in exchange for life in prison, in a heroic stand for human life and justice, as well as perhaps what could be the beginning of a new era toward peace in the world.  Will he and his administration take advantage of it?

A CALL FOR A BOLDER KIND OF LEADERSHIP
In NOVEMBER, shortly after the elections, John Sloboda, executive director of the Oxford Research Group in the UK and co-founder of the Iraq Body Count Project, wrote a compelling call-for-leadership from the United States published by openDemocracy.net. He wrote, "...There is a window of opportunity to take a bold initiative, to signal to the world the values that the Democrats will bring back to an administration which many believe has lost its moral compass. ...what is most urgently needed first is a tangible, specific signal of a new approach which both draws on the best of American values, and communicates that fact around the world. READ THIS COMPELLING ARGUMENT.

John Sloboda's conclusion is particularly moving, serving as not only a call-to-action, but also a vision of beginning what could be new era of unity throughout the world:

...The US intervention in Iraq has been presented by George W Bush and his principal ally Tony Blair as about values: offering the Iraqi people, and the entire middle east, the opportunity to embrace the values that underpin democratic civilisations. Those values, for the vast majority of democratic countries, including Britain and all other members of the European Union, include a firm and absolute rejection of the death penalty. If America stands apart now, and allows Saddam to go to the gallows unchallenged, it sends a signal to the entire world that the US prefers to remain isolated from those who should be its closest allies and friends, and that the prevailing philosophy of its new "bipartisan" government is likely to continue as one of vengeance rather than justice and reconciliation.

If, however, America joins with its allies to petition for transmission of the sentence to one of life imprisonment, it would send the clearest possible signal to the world that a page in American history has been turned, and that an aberrant and damaging chapter may be drawing to a close." READ FULL TEXT of John Sloboda's essay.

In the words of wisdom left for us by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., "The true neighbor will risk his position, his prestige, and even his life for the welfare of others."

Is George BUSH big enough and BOLD enough, to use his influence to take a decisive act of leadership on behalf of the welfare of others, tipping the scales of justice in a way that could lead to the improving peace on earth? 

I leave you HOPING in these final hours.

Debbe

Debbe Kennedy
author and founder, President and CEO
Global Dialogue Center and Leadership Solutions Companies

BUSH: Unsatisfactory Performing CEO

I write this not as a partisan statement. We are so far beyond politics related to the Iraq War. I write as a disgusted citizen and a concerned humanitarian. It is hard not to sit in disbelief that an chief executive with such far-reaching unsatisfactory performance can be left at the helm, while our nation and the world sit helpless at his whim---watching innocents and our devoted military service people left in harms way, being popped-off by bombs and bullets and savagery. Regardless, of where the fingers are pointing at the moment, the bottom line is that poor judgment and poor execution are to blame for the global fiasco that the BUSH administration holds accountability for starting. Any Corporate CEO would have been yanked out of his job long ago for such a long consistent pattern of failures, abuses to people and for bringing disgrace upon a company. There is a fundamental flaw in our system that allows BUSH to continue with no way to stop his incompetence.

On November 5, 2005, I wrote about BUSH's unsatisfactory performance. At that time, I reported that "17 US soldiers had died in BUSH's WAR in the last five days."  Well, as of today, a little over one year later, sadly, I write that in the last 12 days, FORTY-TWO US soldiers died. This doesn't even begin to count the 76 that have died in the two preceding 8 weeks or scores of Iraqi civilians that have died or tonight's latest headline reporting that another FIFTY-SEVEN have been blown up in central Baghdad with hundreds wounded. This all started with poor judgment , deceit and a mindless execution of an ill-conceived plan.

WHITE HOUSE TALKING POINTS - I've had enough, have you?
Last year, I reported that I was struck by an obvious "talking points" being feed through CNN stating the US was "battling an insurgency that kills at will."  This begs the question, what do our bullets and bombs do??? "The talking points are becoming insulting to one's intelligence," I wrote. Well, again a little over a year later, BUSH, who suddenly is asking for lots of opinions about what to do with the Iraq War, has again changed is WORDS, but is holding off ACTION to make his address on Iraq policy closer to Christmas according to the newscast. While we wait for his indecision to pass, people are dying. How careless and callous we've become with other's lives.

EXCEPTIONALLY POOR PRESIDENTIAL PERFORMANCE
In any direction you look, you see still some other failure or embarrassment of the BUSH presidency. It pains me to write about it. I would like to believe in possibilities and be supportive our government. Unfortunately, I don't think our Founding Fathers planned on such an exceptional situation with poor decision-making, leadership judgment, violations of ethics, crimes against humanity and overall unsatisfactory performance of the country's Chief Executive Officer. Last year, when I wrote, I said, "I heard Republican pundits defending Bush's "excellent record" ---- what record? Please enlighten me, if I've somehow missed it. BUSH's problems are so far beyond party politics. He is reckless and dangerous. What is even more frightening is imagining THREE MORE YEARS of his weekly debacles." Now one year later, things are much worse, more grave than we could have imagined would come true. TENS OF THOUSANDS have died and we appear to sit helpless to stop this disaster. We focus so much on WINNING ---- but I think we would WIN just by finding a way to extract the failed leadership and tell the world we are so sorry. Who are we kidding that no one notices this shameful and incompetent leadership. It is like a dysfunction family to sit here and act like we're right. This time, we aren't.

Last year, nearly six in 10 Americans, 58%, said they had doubts about the president's honesty, a 13% rise in 18 months at that time. Only 32% believed Mr Bush was handling ethical issues well, a significantly worse score than Bill Clinton achieved in his last scandal-besmirched year in office. Last year, I reported that his overall popularity has plunged to 39%, a new low for the Washington Post/ABC survey. TONIGHT, BUSH's approval rating on the war in IRAQ is 21% and we sit here watching him make one bad move after another.

As a new manager in IBM many years ago, we were thoroughly trained in identifying unsatisfactory performers and assessing when it was time to take action. As I reflect on these lessons burned into my mind, it is clear President BUSH has given this country some pretty strong indicators that he is an UNSATISFACTORY PERFORMING CEO ---- and it has been going on for years now. See what you think?

WHAT ARE THE EARLY SIGNS OF UNSATISFACTORY PERFORMANCE?

1.    Disorganized. Does small tasks first. Avoids the tough job.

2.    Little initiative. Leans on others for frequent direction or to take the action for them; lack of

       follow-through to complete assignments.

3.    Non-communicative about status of work; gets defensive when asked.

4.   Succession of missed deadlines and poor results achieved without accountability.

5.   Blames others, the process or the situation for poor performance.

6.   Disinterested--lacks enthusiasm for the work.

7.   Defensive—cannot accept constructive criticism; blames others for mistakes or undone work.

8.   Impacts on the team, overall business or others begin to surface.

9.   Frequently missing from work area; often late or absent.

10. Frequently complains about job.

THREE INDICATORS --- WHEN IS IT TIME TO ACT ON POOR PERFORMANCE

1. When poor performance is impacting others.

2. When poor performance is impacting the bottom-line or overall organizational results.

3. When poor performance is impacting the person's career.

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS? I would love to be convinced that I am wrong---to believe again.

Debbe

Debbe Kennedy
founder, Global Dialogue Center