Posted on 06/04/2006 7:09:35 AM PDT by kellynla
Judging by lapses on domestic security, President Bush is confused by the fog of war. But for those watching him, the picture has never been more clear: Bush is a one-trick pony.
The outrageous decision by Homeland Security boss Michael Chertoff to cut funds to New York and Washington by 40% is the latest evidence that Bush has a one-dimensional approach to the war on terror. It's an approach that is dangerous to Americans' health.
That's an odd charge to make against a self-described War President who has put the nation on offense ever since 9/11. He has said repeatedly — and I agree with him — that it is better we fight the terrorists abroad than at home, and that we must kill them before they kill us. That's why we're in Afghanistan and Iraq and rattling sabers at Iran and North Korea.
But any football coach knows you don't win by offense only. Just as you need to get in the other team's end zone, you need to keep them out of yours.
In terror terms, that means you must protect the home front. And that's where Bush doesn't have a clue. In recent months, there have been three startling demonstrations that the President doesn't get the need to play solid defense.
In February, it was the oh-socasual decision to let a United Arab Emirates shipping company operate American ports. Bush was adamant the plan was a good one, even though it turned out he didn't know anything about it until the story broke. Only a public and congressional outcry convinced the company, an arm of a suspect foreign government, to back off.
(Excerpt) Read more at nydailynews.com ...
Do you post anything but Bush Sucks Threads??
The writer or the article doesnt' seem to understand that the so called 40% "cut" is just normalizing what NY needs. According the CHERTOFF, who was on HUGH HEWITT's show on Friday, NY got a substantial amount more than it needed last year to compensate for a the amount it didn't get the year before. This year it's going back to it's intended amount. If you average out all the money that NY has received, it all makes sense. THis is just another instance of whining cuz no politician likes to have his funding cut. The amount NY is getting is adequate and they should stop whining. This entitlement mentality is getting out of control.
Um, what city did they bust a huge terrorist cell in this weekend?
It wasn't NYC. It wasn't even in the US.
Blame Clinton?
New Yorkers think they are the center of the universe.... and there is no others in this country but them.
Talk about a one trick poney!
Hmm... Compared to what NY used to get prior to 9/11 for anti-terrorism, I think the net increase, and repeated payments to NYC for anti-terror programs is more telling than a 40% decrease.
If NY suitably justified the need for the money, I'm sure they would've gotten it. They didn't, so they didn't get the money, and priority dictates that the money be spent wisely, soonest - rather than foolishly later.
Let me count how many successful attacks there have been against us since the GWOT started on 9/12/2001, the official "start of the game" to use your football analogy:
ZERO. ZILCH. NADA. None. Zip.
So here we are just shy of five (5) years later. We have killed thousands of terrorists in Afghanistan and Iraq, captured god knows how many more both home and abroad. And you believe this article which states we are not playing defense?
THEY HAVE NOT SCORED A POINT ON US IN 5 YEARS! Does that sound like a bad defense to you?
If you want to argue illegal immigration in terms of finance, social unrest etc...thats fine and I agree. If you want to couch it in Homeland Security terms, and then claim immigration to be part of our pourous defense, then you are being willfully ignorant. The facts disagree with you.
No.
We've been shoring up defenses there for FIVE YEARS.
Once the defense of those high profile targets are somewhat satisfied, you have to pay attention to the rest of the nation's cities.
That includes flyover country too.
NewYork has consumed the majority of anti terror money since 9-11. If they haven't made good use of the billions of dollars by now it is time for other cities and states to grab some money from the feds.
After all, this is all about money than it is about "protection" of citizens isn't it?
Another example of Bush's fault.
oh
Must mean the Federal Government is not going to pay for midnight basketball leagues to keep the inner city youth criminals from robbing, raping, and pillaging for a few hours ...
He has said repeatedly — and I agree with him — that it is better we fight the terrorists abroad than at home, and that we must kill them before they kill us. That's why we're in Afghanistan and Iraq and rattling sabers at Iran and North Korea.
It's actually more critical that we take action against Iran and/or ROK. We won't do either in all likelihood. The problem with Bush's "killing the terrorists abroad" approach is that it's a moving bogey. Terrorists can go anywhere, establish new ops anywhere, HQ anywhere.
Frankly, a good chunk of the Islamic Horror Terrorist braintrust is smack inside Saudi Arabia and we keep treating them like the best of buddies. Keep your friends close, but keep your enemies closer takes on a whole new meaning with SA.
But any football coach knows you don't win by offense only. Just as you need to get in the other team's end zone, you need to keep them out of yours.
Defense wins championships. Part of a good defense is also a good offense. Bush however is fighting an ideological war on a geographical basis. At this rate, our troops are in Iraq indefinitely. What's our goal? To eradicate every single terrorist in the nation there? What, boil it down to 100? How will we know. Are we to assume that more won't spring up in a nation that is for all intents and purposes entirely muslim after we leave if we were to leave now? Five years from now? Ten? Thirty? Fifty? A hundred? What? How many?
I will say this, that while I'm not all a believer in conspiracy theories, what else are Americans to think given the President's support for immigration reform that would sink this nation and hand it's precious sovereignty away as if they're freebies at "free cap night" at the ball park?
If the Dims actually didn't hold the same exact position, I'd be all for a Dim Senate in the midterm exactly for purposes of getting W impeached (reasons notwithstanding) and installing Cheney until a real American could then hopefully regain office in '08. As it stands, we have no options.
It's a sad, sad, sad day when the Dim Senate and W are on exactly the same page on this most critical of issues.
Bush is worse than a "one trick pony." He's doing the bidding of liberals!
By now they ought to have accomplished the infrastructure to successfully thwart future terror attacks in their city.
Judging from the dismal response by the transit authority to a recent subway fire, it's clear the money has disappeared into a rat hole.
Anyone notice the 11 hour delay in rescuing people from the tramway a few weeks ago.
Consider too the Fire Commissioner commenting that he planned on using HS funds to create some diversity programs in the fire department and I give kudos to Chertoff and would like to kick Peter King's union thug ridden rear end.
They don't see why they have to adhere to grant application rules, after all.....they ARE special.
LOL! Good one (and oh-so-true).
I wouldn't exactly say that. Look with what he was saddled with when he took over. A total Clintoon saturated Administration. His biggest mistake was not cleaning house right up front. A leader can only be as good as the support of his Administration. I really think he trusted in the advice from these RATs. That was President Bush's biggest mistake. And add to that 9/11 before he could get a handle on things. I honestly believe he thought with his wisdom that the RATS left in his Administration would see things his way.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.