Why George Bush is today's Churchill

The Toronto Sun ^ | September 28, 2004 | Peter Worthington

[Stoat]

Comparing U.S. President George Bush with Winston Churchill may seem a stretch. Yet there's a parallel -- not with Churchill of the war years, when he was the "free" world's most admired leader, but with Churchill of the 1930s when he stood alone, warning about the rise of Nazism.

Then, pacifism was rampant in Britain and Europe. Hitler's aggression was rationalized by wishful thinking. Peace at any price.

Except for Churchill. He began warning that the Nazis must be stopped when they occupied the Rhineland in 1936. He urged an alliance of Britain, France and the Soviet Union to stop Hitler's expansion. He was called a warmonger, an enemy of peace, reviled in print and in speeches. Few stood with him.

History has proven Churchill right.

With the U.S. election entering the home stretch, Bush is under the same sort of attacks for his war on terrorism and Iraq that Churchill endured before WWII.

Critics among both Republicans and Democrats worry that America acted alone, without approval of the UN Security Council, and without support of France and Germany.

The "war" aspects of Afghanistan and Iraq were so successful that criticism was muted. It's the "peace" and trying to bring democracy to Iraq that has revived critics, who now give Bush the sort of treatment Churchill once received for warning about Hitler.

Kerry's theme

Sen. John Kerry's prime theme is that Bush has made America resented -- especially by France and Germany.

What most overlook is that by his war on terrorism, Bush is doing now what Churchill was advocating in the mid-1930s.

More than that, Bush is doing what the UN is supposed to do, but rarely has -- curb tyrannies that threaten security and stability, and which indulge in oppression and human rights abuses.

Britain, under Prime Minister Tony Blair, supports America. So does Australia, and countries like Poland, and former communist countries of East Europe. Italy, too. And since the terrorist attack on the school in Beslan, Russia seems ready to join this new alliance against Islamic terror that threatens civilization.

Canada, when Jean Chretien was PM, opted not to join the war against Saddam Hussein -- the first time in our history that we've chosen not to stand with traditional allies. (Agree or not, what's going on in Iraq is part of the war against terrorism).

Bush's is not the only voice, but his is the loudest. Unlike Churchill, who had no power when he urged Britain and the West to wake up, Bush has power. And the "wakeup call" was 9/11.

Today's election rhetoric shouldn't detract from the struggle that's going on. If Bush prevails, the world benefits -- that's the broad picture, not the narrow one of merely defeating an enemy.

Success might also rescue the UN, which has become a forum for anti-western rhetoric and moral corruption. At the UN, human rights too often are something for speeches, not action.

For a dozen years, before the U.S. and Britain acted after 9/11, Saddam Hussein thumbed his nose at various UN resolutions. That has changed. Saddam is no more, and Libya's Moammar Khadaffy has backed off terrorism and weapons of mass instability.

Syria now wants more cordial relations with the U.S. and says it will curb border insurgency. Pakistan has a useful ally. A democratic movement is active inside Iran. North Korea is curbing its nuclear threats. Russia is on side as never before. "New" Europe is more co-operative with America than "old" Europe.

Clinton soft

For those who think Bush is too stubborn, too aggressive since 9/11, it might be noted (as Churchill would note) that the previous administration of Bill Clinton was too soft, too weak, too hesitant about terrorism -- witness the feeble response to the embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania, the attack on the USS Cole, and treating the 1993 World Trade Center bombing as a domestic crime rather than an Islamic terrorist act.

Firmness then, like firmness with Hitler in 1936, might have prevented 9/11.

While Kerry and others may deplore the problems, setbacks and slow progress in Iraq, Bush has stood tall for freedom, and by its example may even give courage to the usually craven UN. In short, America and Britain have assumed a leadership role that will benefit the world. More than that, they are right.

If, indeed, Islamic terrorism is a world threat as Nazism once was, the time to fight it is now, not when it has gained even more strength. That has guided Bush and Blair, and it is to Canada's shame that our elected leaders have adopted a more passive role.

Churchill would not be proud of us.

[mathluv]

It is a good article. I also like post #3. There had been a thread on FR some time back about the feelings around the world after WWII. I was too young to remember any of that.

Even all of our journalists are not libs. You just don't hear enough from/about them.

[MEG33]

Lorrie Goldstein, Editor of the Toronto Sun received my first letter to the editor..It was when he wrote a wonderful supportive editorial about the US, lamenting the rise of anti American rhetoric in Canada,during a time that really had me reeling..

I thanked him for his supportive words..I received a thoughtful, kind reply...I will not forget it.

[G.Mason]

" Comparing U.S. President George Bush with Winston Churchill may seem a stretch."

Comparing U.S. President George Bush with Winston Churchill is being ignorant. The comparison is, in fact, insulting to both the memory of Winston Churchill and to GWB as a person.

Winston Churchill was who he was, as GWB is who he is.

Two completely different human beings, living in two completely separate worlds, having dealt with, or now dealing with, two very different sets of problems.

My ... my ... has anyone ever told you you look just like ...

[MEG33]

Speaking of Churchill...look what a northern neighbor says!

[iopscusa]

IMO, there is several National Leaders in our History that are imminently comparable with GWB's leadership ... Queen Elizabeth-1 (Spanish Armada), Churchill (Fascism), RReagan (Communism), Howard, Blair, Allawari (WoT) and possibly many others. This list would make an interesting deck of cards, the Heroes of Liberty! Would make a good Christmas stocking stuffer.

[G.Mason]

" ... This list would make an interesting deck of cards, the Heroes of Liberty! ... "

To some.

To others we share this globe with it would represent what you and I think of the Iraqi criminals on that deck of cards.

The reality is, that to over 35% of Americans, GWB is hated more than the terrorists.

And no ... I do not look just like Jack Nicholson. He, ra^ther, looks just like me.

[Stoat]

"what a great article!!"

I'm happy that you liked it :-)

It's natural and part of human nature to compare historical events and historical figures, and this author articulates what many conservatives have been saying for quite a long while. There are many parallels throughout history, and our age includes several notable similarities to Churchill's.
I'm quite thankful that we have President Bush leading our nation during this conflict with Islamofascism.

[Stoat]

"Even all of our journalists are not libs. You just don't hear enough from/about them"

Quite true...too often they are subjected to a hostile institutional culture or are shouted down when they dare to speak in ideological terms.
My guess is that the author of this article doesn't get invited to too many cocktail parties.

[Stoat]

"I will write the Toronto Sun, after I am finished running a few copies while standing, cheering"

Thanks very much for your kind words Judy, you're a Great American :-)

<<< hoping that Judy might consider moving a bit further South one day :-)

[JudyinCanada]

Thank you for your kind words, Stoat.

[AFPhys]

What most overlook is that by his war on terrorism, Bush is doing now what Churchill was advocating in the mid-1930s.

More than that, Bush is doing what the UN is supposed to do, but rarely has -- curb tyrannies that threaten security and stability, and which indulge in oppression and human rights abuses.

GREAT ARTICLE.

Seriously, this might be the article of the month. Nothing I've seen has so perfectly summarized the situation now and compared it so well to the situation between the wars.
/

[Professional Engineer]

ping

[Stoat]

"Seriously, this might be the article of the month. Nothing I've seen has so perfectly summarized the situation now and compared it so well to the situation between the wars. "

Agreed, particularly considering the source. I believe that honest historians will eventually place President Bush among the great statesmen, easily comparable to Churchill in terms of his steadfastness in the face of evil and political attacks from the appeasers of evil.

I often thank God that Gore didn't win...we would likely have suffered numerous additional terror attacks after 9/11 and would still be "waiting for sanctions to work and for the inspectors to be allowed to complete their work" in Iraq.
How many more people would have been fed through Saddam's shredding machines by now? How many chemical and nuke warheads would Saddam have transferred to Al-Queda operatives by now if Gore had been Commander in Chief?

We are truly Blessed to have President Bush in office now, and I believe that once we get the Baathist holdouts and terrorist scum cleaned out of the country and things get moving nicely in Iraq, we will see the blooming of a great beacon of democracy, prosperity, knowledge and peace in the Middle East which will begin a domino effect that will be unstoppable.

Once people taste the sweetness of freedom and prosperity, there's no turning back, and Iraq will be our good friend and ally for generations to come.

[El Gato]

Two completely different human beings, living in two completely separate worlds, having dealt with, or now dealing with, two very different sets of problems.

Different situations certainly, although not completely different. However, the principals of leadership are the same. Firmness rather than flaccidity. Resolve rather than irresolution. Willingness to face hard facts and to make difficult choices.

[KiloLima]

Some of us are so upset with what Canada did to you, we consider ourselves American at heart...I know I do.

Bless you.

My cousin in Vancouver, B.C. is one of the best human beings I've ever known but thoroughly brainwashed, as you say, into a raving foaming "socialist." Her only concern, in the wake of our 9/11, was for the certain "redneck backlash" against Arabic people residing in North America.

Needless to say, she hates her own country and government too. So sad.

[KiloLima]

Teddy Roosevelt, the Rough Rider!

[paulklenk]

Bully!

[EdReform]

BTTT