W'S DRIFT TO IMPOTENCE

N Y Post ^ | December 6, 2006 | JOHN O'SULLIVAN

[Sabramerican]

JOHN Bolton's resignation as the American ambassador to the United Nations makes it official: The Bush administration is now drifting idly toward a mixture of centrism and impotence.

In less than a month, two of President Bush's stronger and more independent aides - Donald Rumsfeld and Bolton - have been dispatched. Rumsfeld's designated successor, former CIA head Robert Gates, is a leading member of the Beltway's permanent bureaucracy.

The administration seems to be waiting for the Baker-Hamilton commission of old Washington hands to dictate U.S. policy on Iraq. Leaks from the commission suggest it will recommend a gradual U.S. withdrawal camouflaged by negotiations with Iran and Syria over a new Mideast grand bargain.

All of this feeds an exaggerated defeatism in the United States over Iraq.

.....

Rumsfeld's abrupt firing was an act of flagrant disloyalty to a loyal subordinate. The defense secretary had made his share of mistakes - notably, his failure to crush looting immediately after the fall of Baghdad - but he had followed the president's policy faithfully.

.......

We don't know for certain the reasons for Bolton's departure: Either the White House wasn't prepared to fight for him, or he was no longer prepared to lend his voice to the diplomatic charade over Iran and North Korea. Either way, his departure demonstrates timidity on the administration's part. The net result will be that Bush has one less loyal subordinate in the shrinking ranks of his own administration.

[ZULU]

Let's hope Hillery and Nancy scratch each other's eyes out in a catfight. Meanwhile, the almost equally malevolent Obama is lurking in the background.

I am hoping the Republicans go back to their conservtive base and we nominate somebody with good solid credentials - not the instant Wunderkind Giuliani, or the treacherous loose cannon McCain.

[He Rides A White Horse]

Had Bush been more of a history or social studies scholar, he would have realized how idiotic his reference to Islam as a peaceful religion was.

You won't find a person as opposed to Islam as myself on this website.......well, you might, but let me suggest that my opposition is strong, to say the least.

We all know that Islam is a bloodbath. Period. Perhaps as President, he feels compelled to be 'president of all'.

You want to hear my interpretation of Islam, cover your ears; it's not pretty, nor is it undeserved.

So Zulu........Nancy and friends have control of Congress, what shall we do about that?........that is the pressing question.

[TAdams8591]

"I'll have A Long Island Iced Tea, please."

I'd like one of those too. It's one of my favorite drinks and I haven't had one in years.

[nopardons]

Oooppppppppppppss.....

Reagan's BLANKET AMNESTY for all illegals.

Shall I make a larger list for you? I am able to and shall comply, if you wish it.

And BYW, you need to refresh your memory, so I suggest that you go read Southack's personal page, which has a partial ( though rather extensive ) list of President Bush's accomplishments.

[Dolphy]

Had he done this right after 9/11 when the nation was angry and hot, he could have succeeded.

When your standard of political genius is Newt, a man with more baggage, shame and political fumbles in far less treacherous territory than the President has faced, you are not the expert or judge you believe.

[nopardons]

McQueeg will NEVER win the '08 GOP presidential primary and there is NOBODY ( who is CONSERVATIVE enough and willing to run, who can also beat the Dem candidate ) out there, that I can see, who is going to fulfill your GOP "white knight" daydream.

[TAdams8591]

"It seems the only thing I would have learned from reading it is that what G.B. Shaw called "the great and the good"—the likes of Sandra Day O'Connor, James Baker, etc.—are not actually very smart, and rarely have anything interesting or useful to say."

Two BIG idiots is what they are.

[He Rides A White Horse]

It's interesting to watch the West, with its overwhelming military superiority, wait for the 21st century fascists make the first move. We should smash them now.........

[curiosity]

Various advisors with plans of their own convinced him of the wisdom of the Iraq campaign. But I don't or won't say it's because of his lack of knowledge.

Yes, I agree, and that's the heart of the problem: president Bush is a terrible judge of people. As a result, he appoints as advisors and ends up trusting people he shouldn't. See Harriet Miers for the most striking example.

[He Rides A White Horse]

....you see, I'm at the point where I don't care what the President, or the incoming commie Congress thinks should be done.

We are at a point where Muslim states are swearing to Allah that they are going to nuke targets of their choosing.

This situation goes beyond the politics of the day, it is becoming a matter of survival.

[nopardons]

Cheney and Rummy are also terrible, I suppose, from your lofty vantage point and "superior intellect".

[AmeriBrit]

If you want to see naive along with misinformed, take a look in the mirror. He was NOT fired, he quit for the good of the country and President because the hateful RATS were all hell bent on throwing him to the wolves.
Period. Get over it.

[Mo1]

This site is infested with John Birch Society nutcases and are now feeling bold enough to lay it all out.

You got that right!

[He Rides A White Horse]

Going to bed ZULU; will respond to your posts tomorrow.

Keep thinking.

[Mo1]

You are correct, I still remember those days

[AmeriBrit]

What a load of BS and lying propaganda.

[ZULU]

"Your dishonesty knows no bounds, I see."

Speak for yourself.

"Reagan.......lowered the tax classes, bit did away with most deductions and then raised taxes TWICE."

Reagan did the best he could under the circumstances. He was fighting a war against the "Evil Empire" and WON. He outspent them militarily. Je also presided over one of the biggest economic booms in American history. I don't fault Bush for his military spending - we are in a new war.

"He cut and ran when our Marines got killed in Lebanon."

The Democrat controlled Congress forced him to pull out of Lebanon - they made it clear they wouldn't support any further action there.

"Nominated Sandra Day O'Connor for AFFIRMATIVE ACTION reasons and so that he would be remembered as the president who put the first woman on the SCOTUS."

That's your opinion. Eisenhower put Warren there. Its not easy to determine how someone will vote once they get Potomac fever. O'Connor and Kennedy drifted ever leftwards the longer they were there - like many of their predecessors and successors. Besides, the DEMS controlled the Congress during Reagan's terms. He couldn't get anyone appointed without their approval.

"Iran-Contra. Need I say more?"

So what? Reagan used the money laundered through that operation to keep a second Cuba from materializing in Central America. What has Bush done about Chavez, the idiot in Bolivia and the return of Frankenstein to El Salvador?

"Reagan was a very good president; probably a GREAT one, but he did NOT do more for this country, nor was he more intelligent than President Bush the younger. Both presidents had/have their shares of flaws and both have flashes of greatness."

That is a remarkable statement. Thanks to Ronald Reagan - with some help from a Polish Pope, American children don't have to go sleep at night anymore worrying about a nuclear attack from the Evil Empire, and millions of people in Eastern and Central Europe are now free - no thanks to his successor who did his best to preach to the Ukrainians and Baltic States that they should stay aligned with the Russians after years of Russian oppression.

As to comparing Reagan's intellect to that of George Bush's you truly jest. George Bush II can barely frame a complete sentence. Ronald Reagan was the essence of eloquence. I don't know if Reagan had a college education. I do know Bush II does. But he graduated with a 77 cumulative average, only a point or two ahead of his even less erudite competitor John Kerry who flunked three courses to Bush II's one.

"And FYI, president Bush couldn't and still can't just go and bomb and/or invade Syria and Iran for NO reason and without Congress' help."

Bush II has MORE THAN ENOUGH REASON to attack Iran AND Syria. As for world opinion, who cares. Nobody DOES remember the Armenians apparently and unfortunately. As for Congressional support - his own party controlled Congress for SIX YEARS. He SHOULD have been able to secure the support he needed to effectively remove two additional dangerous threats to America and American security. Iran today is far more of a threat to America than Iraq was under Saddam.

[ZULU]

"Nancy and friends have control of Congress, what shall we do about that?........"

Send letters to Bush to remind him what party he belings to - if he cares at this point. Write your local legislators. Register to vote in Republican primaries. Get involved personally with time and money to support Republican candidates who represent Republican core values.
Maek sure a RINO like Giuliani or McCain doesn't get nominated. and if they do, don't vote for them. Start looking for another party to support - a third party.

[ZULU]

"Reagan's BLANKET AMNESTY for all illegals. "

Bad mistake. But it had widespread support and the numbers involved were relaitvely small at the time. No one foresaw the consequences of that first amnesty.


But nobody is perfect and I think his accomplishments more than made up for this error.

[ZULU]

Newt Gingrich and his Contract with American gained control of Congress for the first time in genertions for the Republicans - that's quite an accomplishment.

As for his "baggage" - its a tempest in a teapot and typical of what the Democrat left employs to discredit effective Republican opponents. They prefer more amiable lapdogs like John McCain and Rudy Giuliani.