Posted on 01/17/2007 7:00:03 PM PST by NormsRevenge
It would be helpful, I believe, if reflexive Bush bashers took a time out, caught their collective breath and considered the consequences of some of their actions and positions. Sure, I know that they are exercising their constitutional right as Americans to criticize their president and any other elected official with whom they disagree whether their criticism is based upon fact and logic, blind emotion or, as is commonly the case today, just visceral hatred of George W. Bush, Dick Cheney and all who support them.
It’s time for us as a nation to decide whether or not we are really a nation at war or just a nation at war with itself. By war, I mean the real kind, fought by real soldiers who are dedicated to achieving a mission, not the make-believe, civilian kind such as the war on drugs or the war on poverty.
If we really are at war, then we should endeavor to rally behind the troops who are fighting it and the wartime president who is their commander-in-chief. That’s the American way, isn’t it? It doesn’t mean you have to agree with the war or love the president. Feel free to vote against his party whenever you get the chance but meanwhile, at the very least, refrain from saying or doing things that weaken the nation’s image, harm morale of the troops or provide comfort and encouragement to the enemy.
Egregious examples of the latter include demonstrations demanding return of the troops now and threats by Congressional Democrats to deny funding for military operations deemed necessary by the wartime commander-in-chief. Lesser examples include the unremitting condemnation of the president’s plan for a last ditch military effort to salvage something out of the Iraq fiasco without offering an alternative plan which the president has said time and again he would consider. By alternate plan, though, I mean something more substantive than recommending that we consult with our enemies in the region, Iran and Syria, both of whom are sponsors of terrorism which we are supposed to be at war against. Why on earth would we do that, knowing how they feel about us?
The anti-war protests are starting up again and nothing good for America will come from them. Protestors may truly feel that they are acting in America’s best interests but here’s a reality check. Ask any active duty soldier or marine who has seen combat in Iraq or Afghanistan how the anti-war demonstrations back home affect troops in combat. They are at best disturbing and unsettling to the troops and at worse, downright harmful to morale. The troops are, for the most part, too dedicated and disciplined to complain or to let it affect their performance but everyone I’ve asked has told me that it is important to know that the folks back home support them. Supporting them, however, entails more than just saying the words. It includes supporting the mission that they are putting their lives on the line for.
I’m certainly not going to bet the farm on the prospects for the president’s latest plan to succeed. Our troops will, of course, do everything in their power to achieve some manner of success in this so far mismanaged war. They deserve solid support from the home front and restraint from the Bush bashers while their lives are on the line. In the final analysis, though, success depends on the Iraqis themselves and their performance to date gives little cause for optimism. I personally have little confidence in their ability to put aside religious and tribal hatreds long enough to salvage their country.
Given the low regard that large numbers of Iraqis seem to have for Americans, it has become a matter some indifference to me and probably to most Americans whether Iraqis live happier ever after or whether they go on killing one another after we leave. I am far more concerned with the safety of our troops and with American interests in the area. A precipitous withdrawal, such as advocated by some, including Sen. John Edwards, Sen. Edward Kennedy and Rep. John Murtha, would be inimical to both concerns and any attempt to deny funding for wartime military operations would be an outrageous infringement of a wartime president’s authority.
That may be YOUR "real" issue, but it's not MOST people's.
Go find a thread about the border and bash Bush there; there's only about a billion of them on this forum.
What REALLY bothers me are those that attack the President's integrity and honesty. Those that claim he has "betrayed" anyone are wrong; on almost every issue (including immigration) he had governed as he campaigned.
This Saturday January 20 the President will mark six years in office -- two to go. Whether or not people agree with all of his decisions it is fair to say that he has a brutally difficult six years of office -- IMHO the most difficult Presidency since FDR's. And yet people attack him for the most ridiculous and contrived reasons -- not just from the Left, but also from the Right.
All of the haters can get stuffed. Outside of a few individuals, nobody comes up with rational and workable alternatives to his proposals. Everyone bashed him on SS, bashed him on the borders, and bashed him on the war -- and what coherent alternative had anyone got to the floor, much less approved by both Houses? NONE!!
The President had been attacked because he has the courage to address tough problems and isn't afraid to fail -- unlike his predecessor, who cared more about popularity than doing his job. In other words, our President is a strong and decent man who had honestly tried to do his best. Those who stab him in the back are lower than Dennis Kucinich.
The heck he has. The Republican Congress squandered itself. The Republicans couldn't hang together and vote together. NO we had to have a Voinovich cry about the Bolton nomination, or Hagel and McCain constantly criticizing the war.
Well I hope they are happy, they squandered their opportunities right into a minority.
There are plenty of people on this very forum that hate him and have worked actively against him since before he was elected in 2000.
I did not post anything about the war. However, since you asked. Bush has let the politicians run the war not the warriors. He hasn't stood up for our soldiers who have been accused of the most trivial of things (Abu Ghraib. He should have told the world to go suck an egg.)
He's throwing more troops into a conflict that has, as of yet, no direction. If he had come out and said "We are going to kick your ass if you defy us" it would have been different. Just yesterday we had to listen to him whine about the hangings. He should have said, "We had nothing to do with it."
"...conservatives getting upset because Bush is sitting in DC with his thumb up his butt and blowing the people off on the real issues such as a border fence."
Conservatives are upset and should be, but I don't think Bush is doing as you say. As for the border fence, you are correct. Why should our borders be less secure than Iraq's?
I suspect that a great number of "Bush Bashers" actually voted for him twice, as I did. I support our troops 110% and support the President on most issues. That dang border thing just won't go away.
There are people on this forum calling themselves conservatives calling for his impeachment!
Spoken like a true crybaby conservative......
I'll wager you can find one or more on this very thread.
I am so tired of people on one hand telling us what a great leader Bush is and then on the other telling us that there was nothing he could do about Congress. Which is it? Can he lead or not?
Where did his veto pen go? Why couldn't he lead his own party in Congress?
The border problem was there before Bush and it is going to there after Bush....
I suspect that there are "Republicans" in Congress who are of the Jeffords sort. It's time to clean out the party of the traitors.
Spoken like a someone who doesn't have the guts to debate honestly.
AND who attended the 2000 Republican convention.
Sure. Go ahead. And, then we get to listen to those that tell us that THAT was wrong too. We shouldn't throw out anyone with an R next to his name because of what might happen.
No just seeing how it is..
Well the best way to get rid of the so called evil rinos, is in the primaries not the general election you dope...
Your post makes no sense.
or could be from the following places, www.lewrockewll.com, Stormfront, and other far right places..
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