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Why George Bush is today's Churchill
The Toronto Sun ^ | September 28, 2004 | Peter Worthington

Posted on 09/28/2004 2:59:53 AM PDT by 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.



TOPICS: Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: bush43; canada; churchill; georgebush; islamofascism; presidentbush; waronterror; worthington
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It was fantastic to see such a complimentary article about our President in a CANADIAN paper....the world is full of surprises.
1 posted on 09/28/2004 2:59:53 AM PDT by Stoat
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To: Stoat

BTTT


2 posted on 09/28/2004 3:02:12 AM PDT by spodefly (A bunny-slippered operative in the Vast Right-Wing Pajama Party.)
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To: Stoat

"Oooh, it's a QUAGMIRE!"

History repeats itself.

3 posted on 09/28/2004 3:03:03 AM PDT by martin_fierro ('n'at.)
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To: Stoat; Great Dane; Alberta's Child; headsonpikes; coteblanche; Ryle; albertabound; mitchbert; ...

-


4 posted on 09/28/2004 3:13:50 AM PDT by Clive
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To: Stoat

I did a cut-n-paste to send to a few dozen folks. The paragraph breaks weren't there. I gave up. Why is there not a mechanism here to forward an article/message to someone or a series of folks to whom we can email them directly?


5 posted on 09/28/2004 3:16:12 AM PDT by Cobra64 (Babes should wear Bullet Bras - www.BulletBras.net)
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To: Stoat

Simply terrific....May God be with us in this fight...


6 posted on 09/28/2004 3:20:28 AM PDT by MEG33 (John Kerry has been AWOL on issues of national security for two decades)
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To: All

I was so very touched that a Canadian paper would print something so nice about our President that I wanted to thank the author. For some reason, he doesn't seem to be listed as having an email address (at least on the Toronto Sun's "Columnists" page)

http://www.canoe.ca/TorontoSun/contact.html

But they do have this statement on that contact page:

"If there is someone you are trying to contact who is not on this list, please call the front desk of the Toronto Sun at (416) 947-2222."

Wouldn't it be nice if a Toronto Sun news story in a couple of days went something like "our phone lines completely melted and shut down from trying to deal with the flood of calls from appreciative Americans who were wanting to warmly thank Peter Worthington as well as the Toronto Sun for publishing a recent article that favorably compared President Bush to Winston Churchill...our telephone operators were in tears after realizing that Americans are extremely kind, gracious, courteous and friendly people....unlike the manner in which they are typically portrayed in our newspaper...."


7 posted on 09/28/2004 3:23:44 AM PDT by Stoat
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To: Stoat

Sane Canadian Bump


8 posted on 09/28/2004 3:28:59 AM PDT by kanawa (Only losers look for exit strategies. Winners figure out how to win.)
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To: Cobra64

"I did a cut-n-paste to send to a few dozen folks. The paragraph breaks weren't there. I gave up. Why is there not a mechanism here to forward an article/message to someone or a series of folks to whom we can email them directly?"

Probably the easiest way is to go to the original Toronto Sun page and either go to the "printer friendly" version or try the "email to a friend" link.

Copying the text from the "printer friendly" page MAY end up being formatted correctly in your email, but if not you also have the option of simply sending people a pasted URL....they can then just click on the link in your mail and it will open the original page (or even the FR page if you like) up for them.

If you are using AOL then all bets are off, sorry to say....


9 posted on 09/28/2004 3:30:54 AM PDT by Stoat
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To: Stoat; Cobra64

http://www.canoe.ca/Columnists/worthington.html

This has the editor's email and I am sure attention: Peter Worthington would do nicely and I also noticed an "email to a friend" on this page..


10 posted on 09/28/2004 3:31:38 AM PDT by MEG33 (John Kerry has been AWOL on issues of national security for two decades)
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To: MEG33

Thank you Meg, I will give it a try :-)


11 posted on 09/28/2004 3:37:48 AM PDT by Stoat
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To: martin_fierro

terrific find


12 posted on 09/28/2004 3:38:26 AM PDT by Finalapproach29er ({about the news media} "We'll tell you any sh** you want hear" : Howard Beale --> NETWORK)
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To: Stoat

I believe that most Canadians are good people and on our side....


13 posted on 09/28/2004 3:43:52 AM PDT by traumer
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To: traumer

"I believe that most Canadians are good people and on our side...."

I hope so and I want very much to believe that. I wish, however, that their press would help me along toward that belief.


14 posted on 09/28/2004 3:46:16 AM PDT by Stoat
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To: Stoat

Their journalists = our journalists - lib bias is rampant.


15 posted on 09/28/2004 3:52:36 AM PDT by mathluv (Protect my grandchildren's future. Vote for Bush/Cheney '04.)
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To: mathluv

"Their journalists = our journalists - lib bias is rampant"

Very true. This article, however, goes a long way in reaffirming my faith that there just might be (at least) a few sane people among them :-)


16 posted on 09/28/2004 3:55:09 AM PDT by Stoat
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To: traumer; Stoat

There are many Canadians on your side, but sadly, not most. They are for the most part good people, just very brainwashed by our disgusting socialist, America-hating politicians and media.

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

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


17 posted on 09/28/2004 3:56:45 AM PDT by JudyinCanada
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To: Stoat
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.

This is wishful thinking. It's not possible to realign the UN with reality - to save the drowning man who stubbornly clings to the biggest rock at the bottom of the pond.

A great article, nonetheless.

18 posted on 09/28/2004 3:57:56 AM PDT by MortMan (John Kerry - Lt. Clueless, Junior Grade)
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To: martin_fierro

""Oooh, it's a QUAGMIRE!"

History repeats itself."

Very true, and thanks very much for the great LIFE cover picture....you were amazingly fast with that one :-)


19 posted on 09/28/2004 3:57:58 AM PDT by Stoat
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To: Stoat

what a great article!!


20 posted on 09/28/2004 3:58:54 AM PDT by ArmyBratCutie ("Four boxes to be used in defense of liberty:soap, ballot, jury, ammo in this order!")
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