Posted on 03/04/2005 5:44:50 PM PST by quidnunc
When President George W. Bush stood at the U.S. Capitol on a cold January day and said spreading freedom and democracy — particularly in the Middle East — were his overarching foreign-policy goals, the world shivered. And some people, to be sure, also snickered.
A new war was imminent, said the more alarmist. How naive, said the ever-so-worldly. How on Earth do you bring a very western industrialized notion to points east, where oligarchy has reigned for thousands of years, and make it stick without the barrel of a gun? Never mind Bush's qualifiers of time and cultural components; never mind that the spread of democracy is part and parcel of the historic American psyche. Bush was just plain nuts.
Nary a peep now. The naysayers and just about everyone else are scratching their heads. The winds of change have appeared, and they are blowing through the Middle East in dramatic fashion.
In Palestinian territories, people long used to the authoritarian and corrupt chaos of Yasser Arafat and his Palestinian Liberation Organization cronies voted in January for a new leader and the promise of political and social reform to bring about a viable, even democratic, independent state.
In Iraq, millions of Iraqis defied world expectations and terrorist violence to vote for a national assembly. Their ink-stained fingers were seen everywhere as marks of honor, pride and determination to steer their own political destiny after decades of tyranny.
-snip-
(Excerpt) Read more at upi.com ...
Even I'm surprised at how many people took Bush's words to heart around the world...
I'm sure the libs are completely dumbfounded.
The Bush Effect.
I didn't fully realize the magnitude of the fall of the Berlin Wall when it happened... It wasn't until sometime later that I really appreciated what had happened.
We're seeing something similar happen right now... Sure, it's early in the process, but its happening right now and I'm going to make sure I appreciate it as it happens.
It'll be a great thing to tell my grandchildren one day...
"I was alive during two of the biggest events in modern history..."
Its Bush's fault.
I'm glad these developments are coming at this time. Just a few months ago I was getting the sense that the relentless defeatist drumbeat of the MSM was having its effect. Had we gone on much longer without some good news, the American people might have started calling for our withdrawal from Iraq. Not to say that we're out of the woods yet. I'm sure that there will be dark days ahead. We just have to keep our eye on the goal.
I'm guessing Iran falls prior to the end of Bush's term. I pray it will be so. Not just for Bush's legacy, but for the good people of Iran.
I'm not even looking at this in terms of Bush's legacy as much as I am looking at this as the dawn of a new world... Hopefully.
"Even I'm surprised at how many people took Bush's words to heart around the world... "
I admit I am too, but let's face it. If we think about it, the reason people took Bush's words to heart around the world is because he means what he says, and Iraq and Afghanistan are irrefutable proof.
The world now knows, President George Bush is as serious as a heart attack, and as determined as a division of US Marines. Other than liberal weenies, most everyone gets that by now.
Yup.
I like my heros to leave a lasting legacy too.
in all honesty.....I would turn it around and hope Iran falls for the sake of Bush and to show even more so that Republican foreign policy is the way to go....yes I know the Iranians are more pro US than most but I'm pretty much fed up with the whole Middle East and am now on the the platform of "what's in it for me?"....well kind of
got it.
The Bush Effect. Excellent phrase. I like it, and encourage you to think up a tagline around it.
Great men don't worry about their legacy.
Its Bush's fault effect !!!
George W. Bush' legacy is already monumental and growing every day. His place in history an not only one of our greatest presidents, but one of the most significant leaders in human history, is already well assured. However, fast or slowly events move from here on out, they will move inexorably.
I agree the expanding Liberties of the world are of primary importance, but Bush's Legacy is important too for one reason. To serve as reminder to the failed ideas of the opposition, and the eternal truths in Bush's message.
We shouldn't have to fight these same battles every generation. Many of these arguments were fought with Reagan and before Reagan. Changing party lines. Than people stopped speaking of it and people forgot. Now we are having to fight the same ideological battles again. It would save time if we never allow the lessons learned to be spun or lost from neglect.
This is why it's important to protect his legacy jealousy so that 20 years from now time is not wasted under pressure of a new threat to convince people of these simple truths.
Natan Sharansky's book, "The Case For Democracy" is a must read for understanding the heart and mind of GW in his quest to spread democracy. Natan Sharansky was in prison in Russian (political prisoner) when Ronald Reagan was in the process of winning the Cold War. Reagan's words gave the dissidents in prison great hope and courage, just as George W. Bush's words are giving to the people in the world today. Sharansky gave W a great compliment, "You are dissident in our world today." We have a great and brave President. Go W!
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