Bush counts on the war without end

Toronto Star ^ | Feb. 5, 2002 | Thomas Walkom

[serinde]

I earnestly hope that Mr. Bush is re-elected because I dread to see what the Democrats will do, internationally, with this new License to Kill. Kosovo will pale in comparison. And the Bush / Ashcroft machinery of "homeland defense" should make for much merriment under the next Clinton-style administration. Yes, indeed. The fun is just beginning.

I agree.

[TheMole]

This is a far-left columnist in Toronto's farthest-left daily broadsheet. He's about as representative of most Canadians as Frank Rich is of most Americans, and he does about as much research as Maureen Dowd (viz. the line "... provided oomph to the sagging U.S. economy ...").

[spodefly]

A friend of mine lives about 12 blocks from where the WTC was ... she heard the 2nd plane roar over her apartment before it hit ... she was telling me about the day, and broke down ... she could barely talk about the dust and the smells and that giant gaping hole in the sky-line ... NO Orwellian metaphor posited by a leftist weenie can possibly conjure up the horrors that are real and tangible.

[Congressman Billybob]

The premise of this article is the usual bullsh*t of the lamestream media. Facts do not get in the way of what the "reporter" wants to write.

The reporter is apparently too bone lazy to do homework sufficient to find out that the US has fought one war that was very similar to this one. In January, 1806, the US declared war on the Barbary pirates, but not on any of the various nations in which the pirates were operating.

Assorted land and sea operations in a number of locations then followed until the second and final peace treaty was signed in 1816. That war ended when the threat ended. The same will be true today.

Because of Bush's comment in his State of the Union Address that "this war may not end on my watch" I feel reasonably confident that Dr. Rice briefed him on the Barbary Pirates War before he gave his speech, and that he was warning us in a non-specific way that this war may last more than eight years. (Presidents often think of their time in office as two terms, eight years, unless events inervene.)

Congressman Billybob

[dpwiener]

Look what happened to his father. George Bush Sr. was an immensely popular president when he was waging war against Iraq. But as soon as the fighting stopped, his ratings tumbled.

George Bush Sr.'s popularity tumbled because (1) he didn't bring the Gulf War to a satisfactory conclusion, instead leaving Saddam in power to constitute a continuing danger; and (2) we all "read his lips" and learned that he was just another lying opportunistic politician.

George W. Bush appears to have learned from his father's mistakes (which is not to say that he won't make new ones). He seems determined not to be satisfied with half-measures in the war on terrorism. The country (and world) has learned that he doesn't bluster or bluff, but instead does what he says he's going to. From tax cuts to Kyoto to missile defense, he has carried out his promises regardless of what the media or other nations or the Democrats prefer.

If Bush Sr. had not committed those two mistakes he would probably have won re-election. George W. does not need to keep the war on terrorism going in order to be re-elected, he just needs to avoid committing blunders of a similar magnitude.

[Ada Coddington]

Osama and his operatives, and his organizational members pledge to destroy the West, especially America.

How do you think they plan to do that? Get us into a war with the whole Middle East and have us bankrupt ourselves?

[AshleyMontagu]

When Mad Maddie Albright and Bill Clinton were trying to convince everyone of the hideousness of the Evil One during the Monica mess, I and most others around here agreed with this article's premise 100 percent. As described by the Clinton administration this Bin Laden fella sounded like a fictional cartoon character. Wag the dog. Ironic, ain't it?

[RightWhale]

Don't they have any domestic weirdness that they can deal with?

It's Canada, eh.

[alpowolf]

I agree. The fans of Big Government (not all of them liberals) have been openly triumphant, with their "see, we really do need Big Government" crap.

[Johnny Shear]

Canada...

America Jr. with HORRIBLE food.

[Travis McGee]

Idiot can't tell the difference between Orwell fiction and real airplanes crashing into real buildings.

Great quote!

[aculeus]

Why bother with FR when better **** is available at PRAVDA?

[Stavka2]

Problem is, given a blank check, the right can be just as vicious as the left...oh sure, the reasons are different, it's not for the children we are taking over your house, it's for national security...or some such, but the end results are the same. When Ashcroft told the US congress that anyone criticizing him was working on behave of the "enemy", that said it all. My mother land went through the same thing...shadowy enemies to justify harsher and harsher government controls until 30 years later and 30 million dead the dictator was finally offed himself. Lets see where the US is in 5 years, it'll be interesting to see.

[Goetz_von_Berlichingen]

Within five years, it will probably be impossible to have a conversation like this.

. . . unless we are passing notes from cell to cell in re-education camp.

[denydenydeny]

This is Michael Rivero writing this, isn't it?

[OldFriend]

In our house PRAVDA stands for the New York Times and the Washington comPost

[Demidog]

This is exactly why we'll never "catch" bin Laden. He has to remain at large for a VERY long time.

[Demidog]

The writer is correct. This war will NEVER end. And if you think it will I will challenge you to predict it's end. What will be reasonable?

The war on drugs has been waged for 30 years. When will it end? Are we getting close yet?

[Congressman Billybob]

Read the history of the War against the Barbary Pirates, and then get back to me. The precise end is not predictable, any more than the date on which the Nazis would ford, or the date on which Japan would capitulate.

The idea that we should not enter into a war unless we know the precise date on which it will end is unmitigated, bald-faced nonsense. Right? Or, do you quarrel even that?

Congressman Billybob

Phil & Billybob in the mornings.

[Demidog]

I know the history. Tell you what. If you can get within 5 years, I'll leave FR forever and never come back. By the way, since you know the history so weii of the Barbary pirates, tell me why there were letters of Marque and reprisal issued and tell me how long the entire event took before the troops were all back home and there were no occupying forces anywhere.