The Divine Calm of George W. Bush: Iraq's a mess, half the country hates you - just keep praying!

Village Voice ^ | May 3rd, 2004 9:30 AM | Rick Perlstein

[cyncooper]

Bush quote, spoken at Aqaba to the Palestinian leadership: "God told me to strike at al Qaida and I struck them, and then he instructed me to strike at Saddam, which I did."

Nonsense.

[RevNix]

Ohhhh, I see. What this guy wants is for us to have a President who runs around waving his arms and screaming "OH, S***! WE'RE GONNA DIE! WE'RE GONNA DIE!"
What a waste of grey matter...

[texasflower]

President Bush doesn't claim to never make a mistake.

He just doesn't parade apologies and groveling in front of the media and those that would like to destroy him.

I don't blame him and I'm grateful that he doesn't take that bait.

What you don't seem to understand is that we know that BEFORE he makes a big decision, he prays about it. He takes all things into consideration, facts and faith alike, then makes the best decision he can.

Yes, sometimes he may make a wrong step, but the fact that he tries to do what is good for this country and pleasing to God is comforting and encouraging to us.

He listens to God and if he is in error, he will alter his course.

[Grampa Dave]

Pearlstein = Another boring JINO left wing lunatic who hates GW. GW is mean and will not admit to mistakes the left wing lunatics create for him to admit. That is one of the oldest tricks used by the lunatic left mediots. They create some hairshirt lie about GW. and then get mad because he will not admit to being sorry for what he didn't do in the first place.

His attack on GW is boring and predictable like the rest of the lunatic left, JINOs, who infest the regular left wing mediot outlets and even the irregular outlets he spews for.

Don't waste your time with him. His following is anti America, anti Christian and would never vote for a real man like GW.

[cyncooper]

And if you read the live thread on his press conference, you will see that the preponderance of participants found Bush's most honorable quality his refusal to admit mistakes in the war on terrorism.

Come on, Rick. You know darn well that those reporters were not out for a probing of the record. They were like the hounds of Hell baying for something to get Bush with.

Why is it so important that he stand up there like that and "admit" mistakes? He does indeed review and revise as needed, which in its way is recognizing "mistakes" and addressing them by changing tactics.

On the one hand you wish for 9/11 to have been averted thanks to some type of action taken by President Bush before that fateful day, yet you also long to see him humiliated before the world as that press conference sought to do, in order to weaken America's stance in the threats that still face us to this very day.

[cyncooper]

Actually, seeking advice is a Christian requirement.

She knows that. That was her point, and Perlstein's was that he believes Bush engages in a perversion of Christianity--taking orders directly from God. Which, of course, is absurd.

[cyncooper]

I really hope Rick sees my post #216 where I demonstrate the contents and title of the PDB were spoken of openly back in May 2002.

Yes, it wasn't declassified until recently. But when it was, it perfectly conformed to the public characterizations and descriptions of it.

No surprise.

[cyncooper]

Oh, hello. I'm wending my way through the thread and just happened upon your excellent post.

Facts--in context--are our friends, don't you agree?

I know YOU do.

:)

[Sender]

Well the left rarely makes the specific remark that faith and obsession among Muslims is somehow different from that among Christians (and Jews also), but the treatment of the two certainly has been different.

Whenever Bush or other Christians are written about, you see terms like 'dangerous' and 'theocracy' and a general atmosphere of dumb bungling and trailer-trash simplicity. It's as if the left really does think they are intellectually superior to conservative Christians and that Christianity itself is some kind of low-IQ quaalude for the troubled yet simple minded.

However, while they may feel similar concerns about fundamental Islam, the tone of most of their writing is different. Palestinian terrorists are 'understandable'. Iraqi terrorists are 'resistance fighters'. Islamic customs such as making women wear hefty bags and chopping off body parts or stoning people to death as punishment for minor crimes are not condemned in nearly the rabid fashion they would be if a Christian suggested such jurassic ideas. It is just their faith. Imams and dictatorial leaders are not spoken of in the same dumb, bungling, stupid fantasy stereotype assigned to Bush and other conservative Christians.

I'll look for some concrete examples. I like my steak medium, with a loaded baked potato and a good draft beer.

[Blzbba]

"I guess you missed the Moses part huh?"


No. Bush isn't Moses and may be delusional if he thinks he is. Regardless, that comment was simply an observation on Bush's faith and what it has meant to his presidency.

[cyncooper]

That is why you "hate" Bush?

How shallow and thoughtless.

Really.

[Mo1]

Bush isn't Moses and may be delusional if he thinks he is

Well you answered my question

[cyncooper]

Entirely his politics. I don't know him personally.

If that were so you'd have confined yourself to addressing his political decisions without writing your ill-conceived ideas of why he made them (see your musings on his religion and how he "uses" it).

[OXENinFLA]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4865948/

MATTHEWS: The last question I want to as you about is the role of Ahmed Chalabi, the head of the Iraqi National Congress.

And what I’m trying to get to here is that there was a reliance on the part of smart people in this department, people like Douglas Feith, people like David Wormser, relying on Chalabi, who had an interest in us going into that country, to give him back his country, if you will. And that a lot of that information was faulty. Faulty on WMD, faulty on al Qaeda connections, faulty on the hopeful, limited nature of the resistance we’re facing right now. All of that bad intelligence damaging to our effort.

I just wondered if you thought that that was something that should be looked at.

RUMSFELD: There were several...

MATTHEWS: Like “The New York Times” is doing.

RUMSFELD: Which is fine. I’m all for...

MATTHEWS: Doesn’t it disturb you that people within your department might be pushing a cause?

RUMSFELD: Let me answer your question. There were a variety of Iraqi expatriate groups in the world, and they had contacts in Iraq. And they provided information to the United States government, to the Central Intelligence Agency, to the Defense Intelligence Agency.

In fact, the Congress passed the Iraqi Liberation Act and provided money for some of these groups, as you know.

MATTHEWS: I know.

RUMSFELD: And it was partly in exchange for intelligence information that they were gathering, so that they could do that. There was a—passed by Congress.

MATTHEWS: Right.

RUMSFELD: Authorized by Congress, signed by the president.

MATTHEWS: Sure.

RUMSFELD: And—and then they provided information. Now...

MATTHEWS: But they were allowed...

RUMSFELD: Let me finish the thought. They get the information, and they give it to people. People are (UNINTELLIGIBLE), as they say in the law. (UNINTELLIGIBLE), that’s the buyer beware.

MATTHEWS: Right.

RUMSFELD: So you have to read that, and you have to think about it. And you have to know who your source is. And that’s true with all...

MATTHEWS: This guy is a convicted embezzler in Jordan and we’re taking his word. Isn’t that odd? Ahmed Chalabi, we’re believing him on this?

RUMSFELD: There were more people in that organization than one.

MATTHEWS: We’re paying $350,000 a month right now.

RUMSFELD: Under the act of Congress.

MATTHEWS: Do you think that’s good, that we’re paying this guy this kind of money for intel that’s been so questionable, if not corrupted, so far?

RUMSFELD: It’s—it happens I know an awful lot about this subject. In the last days I’ve had occasion to interest myself in it. And there are three people: one in Iraq that is looking in intelligence every day, that feels that what they’re getting from that organization has been very, very helpful and helped save people’s lives in Iraq.

Another that was a mixed review and positive on tactical intelligence, less positive on other things. And a third was a report evaluating the contribution of that organization in terms of the work that is being done in Iraq. And that was positive.

Now, it’s a mixed bag, but most things are in life. There are very few things that are perfect, one way or another. But he is a member of the governing council, along with 24 other people, and...

MATTHEWS: Does that corrupt his position, that we’re paying him $350,000 a month, $350,000 a month and he’s meant to be independent of us?

RUMSFELD: I think that—that it’s known that—that the Congress passed a law, provided for that arrangement with them. And—and if you think of all the countries that are doing various things in Iraq, I think—I guess one—like anything else, one has to look at the benefits and the costs, the cost-benefit ratio. And those are the kinds of things people look at and they have to make a judgment about.

MATTHEWS: If you had to make a quick reaction, and said to me Ahmed Chalabi, and I said, “Reliable, unreliable?” What would be your answer?

RUMSFELD: Look, I’m not going to start criticizing members of the Iraqi Governing Council.

MATTHEWS: But he’s an employee of yours.

RUMSFELD: He’s not an employee

MATTHEWS: He gets $350,000 a month for—from the Defense Department.

RUMSFELD: Come on. Under the law passed by Congress, he—his organization, the INC, receives funds to do a variety of things. An employee, that’s unbelievable, Chris. You know better than that.

MATTHEWS: No. I just think that people in the world who hear that he’s making this kind of money from us would question his independence. Wouldn’t you?

RUMSFELD: Well, you—you’re an employee. You get paid. Would I question your independence?

MATTHEWS: But at least I know who’s paying (ph)...

RUMSFELD: You’re capable of leaving.

MATTHEWS: All right. All right. That’s a good point. He can stop us right now.

RUMSFELD: Sure.

[Howlin]

Well, that's what I get for trying to buy a playhouse while I'm freeping!

Deepest apologies!

[DollyCali]

I got shivers reading about GWB's "call"... thank you for thread & Nutmeg for ping.

wowie wow.. what a guy. I already knew that but it keeps getting reinforced!

[Victoria Delsoul]

What's more, Lincoln adds, his primary orientation also holds that "the U.S. is the new Israel as God's most favored nation, and those responsible for the state of America in the world also enjoy special favor. . . . Foremost among the signs of grace—if I read him correctly—are the cardinal American virtues of courage, on the one hand, and compassion, on the other." For Bush to waver would be to tempt God's disfavor; what's more, we can speculate that the very act of holding to his resolve—what his critics identify as stubbornness and arrogance—becomes, tautologically, a way of both producing, and reassuring himself of, his special place in God's plan. The existential benefits are obvious. "Wherever the U.S. happens to advance something that he can call 'freedom,' he thinks he’s serving God's will, and he proclaims he's serving God's will."

I believe so too, and the liberals know it as well. No wonder they hate him so much.

[ohioWfan]

I'm glad you folks cleared that up. I don't want to get credit for something I didn't do. :o)

(I was at a Committee meeting at church, so it was taken care of before I got back here..)

NOW........I posted multiple times to this Perlstein fellow, and he didn't answer ONE of my questions. I think I'm offended. ;o)

Did he get scared and run away because he was overwhelmed and out-thought by the many brilliant and logical freepers who exposed his leftist hypocrisy on this thread??

Just wondering out loud...........

(It WAS kinda fun watching him try to defend an indefensible position, though...........I hope he comes back).

[ohioWfan]

I think that the vast majority of Americans resonate with President Bush's words that freedom is the God-given desire of every person on earth.

It is noble, and it is right...........and both those things are anathema to the left.

You're right, Victoria. It's no wonder they hate him.