The Guardian keeps right on churning out the anti-U.S. vitriol, don’t it? Here’s their take on the Olympic controversy:

The wave of American jingoism and intense security that has marked the first week of the Winter Olympics here has led to senior officials of the International Olympic Committee privately expressing concerns about whether the US can ever stage another Olympic event.

“Jingoism”? Did the “senior officials” of the IOC use that term, or is that The Guardian’s own feathery touch, I wonder…

The games have already been dubbed the ‘red, white and blue Olympics’ because almost every event has patriotic overtones in the wake of the terrorist attacks on September 11. Nationalism has always been a part of the Olympics but IOC officials here feel the event is being used simply as propaganda for the US war effort.

Dubbed the “red, white and blue Olympics” by whom, exactly? Not by the same snide and envious blokes responsible for the “jingoism” characterization, I trust…

‘This is a show designed to send a message to Osama bin Laden,’ said one IOC member. ‘President Bush is saying: ‘Look at us: you bombed us but you can’t stop us going about our normal lives.’ But that is not what the Olympic Games are supposed to be about.’

That’s right — they’re about shady backroom deals, bureaucratic embezzlement, preachy elites, and corrupt judges. Damn the uncouth Americans who keep trying to imbue the games with some sort of larger meaning. How…High-Modernist!

The IOC is embarrassed that the very public presence of the 15,000 police and military is projecting a tense and uncomfortable atmosphere for an event that, since its first staging in 1924, has been a sedate, friendly festival. There are more American security personnel here than in Afghanistan and three times as many as were present at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles during the cold war with the Soviet Union.

Well, we don’t anticipate Islamoterrorists will launch any surprise attacks on Afghanistan these days, now do we? And the Soviets never flew planes into ours skyscrapers. Senior IOC officials may be “embarrassed” by the security, but they’re “embarrassed” from the safety of their luxury suites, you can bet your ass on that. And c’mon — “an event that, since it’s first staging in 1924, has been a sedate, friendly festival”? Does Munich count? Oops, forgot. Jewish casualties don’t matter. Israelis are expendable.

‘Bush wants to show the American public that he can guarantee their security and they have nothing to worry about,’ said the IOC member.

Bush doesn’t need the Olympics for that. Americans already know we need to be vigilant. For the record, the protection our troops are affording the athletes, coaches, spectators (and let’s not forget the media) benefits representatives from every country involved with the Olympics. What, the IOC would rather this year’s games have been held in Yemen?

The heavy-handed security operation could have serious repercussions for a proposed bid from New York for the 2012 Summer Olympics. IOC officials have been speculating openly that if it requires this much effort to protect an isolated area in the midwest, then how many troops would be needed to secure the world’s most famous city. ‘It just can’t happen,’ said another IOC member.

“Heavy-handed security operation”? You’re kidding, right? I mean, you’re familiar with the kinds of targets Islamofascists like to attack, are you not? And you’re also aware that they have no qualms about attacking, yes? I mean, I can point you toward two smoking craters in the heart of New York City and lend you a camera and some film, if not.

And Utah ain’t in the midwest, geniuses…

From being forced to back down in the row over using the flag recovered from the World Trade Centre ruins at the opening ceremony to the overt security operation, the lords of the rings are angry.

And well they should be. Olympic corruption is on display for all the world to see — in a country that has a free press, no less! Sacre bleu!

The tone was set during the opening ceremony when President Bush broke with protocol by opening the games from a position among a group of US athletes. He then departed from the Olympic charter when he put the words ‘On behalf of a proud, determined and grateful nation’, in front of the official line, ‘I declare open the Games of Salt Lake City…’

There’s no end to the garbage this rag puts in print. Broke with protocol? You mean, like he did with Kyoto? Well, forgive the President his emotions.

Here’s a thought: Perhaps if the Brits won some medals, The Guardian’s Olympic correspondents wouldn’t have so much time on their hands to pick at the U.S.

I say we lend England a top-notch snowboarding coach…