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Det. Harry Callahan Explains "The Bush Doctrine"

harry.jpg

From the 1971 Eastwood police thriller "Dirty Harry" we see the following scenes of "clarity" to help us illustrate the core of the Bush Doctrine.

Scene 1: Harry is getting a dressing-down for his most recent arrest, where he tortured a psychotic killer so that he would reveal the location of a kidnap victim. The victim is found in the revealed location but by the time the police arrive, she is dead.

District Attorney Rothko: You're lucky I'm not indicting you for assault with intent to commit murder.
Harry Callahan: What?
District Attorney Rothko: Where the hell does it say that you've got a right to kick down doors, torture suspects, deny medical attention and legal counsel? Where have you been? Does Escobedo ring a bell? Miranda? I mean, you must have heard of the Fourth Amendment. What I'm saying is that man had rights.
Harry Callahan: Well, I'm all broken up over that man's rights!

Later in the same movie, Harry has to explain why he shot a man.

Harry Callahan: Well, when an adult male is chasing a female with intent to commit rape, I shoot the bastard. That's my policy.
The Mayor: Intent? How did you establish that?
Harry Callahan: When a naked man is chasing a woman through an alley with a butcher's knife and a hard-on, I figure he isn't out collecting for the Red Cross!

The Mayor(to the DA): He's got a point.


If Hollywood got it in 1971,why cant it get it in 2005? Hollywood should also take notice that unlike Syriana, Dirty Harry made money for its producers. Coincidence? I think not...

Posted @ January 27, 2006 10:43 AM | Current Affairs

Comments

(Bush to Osama) "I know what you're thinking. You're thinking 'Did he use six bullets or five'? And to be honest, in all the excitement, I've lost track myself. But being this is a 44 Magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world, and at this range could blow your head clean off, you've got to ask yourself a question, punk. 'Do I feel lucky?' Well, do you, punk?'

From memory - I'm not sure it's totally word for word.

Posted by: Giacomo at January 28, 2006 04:51 AM

Don't forget the scene when he's standing on the creep's knee trying to get him to tell him where the kidnapped girl is. The creep is screaming "I got my rights" and Harry's demanding "Where's the girl?" trying to find out where the victim was before she dies.

Posted by: tony at January 29, 2006 02:24 PM

At the end of Magnum Force, when the Hal Holbrook character drives away the partially wrecked undercover cop car which then blows to smithereens and falls into China Basin. Harry then scowls at it and grumbles, "A man has got to know his limitations."

I wonder if anyone has shown that scene to the Deaniacs or the Kossacks.

Posted by: JD at January 30, 2006 06:49 PM