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At least Bush, here late in the game, has seen how Putin has used him and abused his trust, and he (Bush) is now responding appropriately.

I kinda feel sorry for Bush, looking from a European perspective, can I offer my opinion?

Bush Jr's' entire presidential period seems to have been littered with issues left for him, that he was obliged to try and finish off.
The war in Iraq should never have been, it was probably the one facet of middle East rogues that could genuinely have waited.
If it wasn't for Saddam having snubbed Bush Sr so many times, I don't think the US would have been militarily involved in Iraq under Bush Jr.

The stark differences bteween Putin and Bush are so obvious, even the photo above that was posted shows tension.

Putin is a chess master, he's a fearless, manipulative, hard nosed right wing Communist, who's nationalistic goals are fully supported by his attitude, commitment and more importantly, his political colleagues and his people.
He is a true leader of a Nation, whether one likes where he is taking them, or not.

Then you have Bush Jr, a Republican, who as mentioned, has spent years trying to save face for previous presidents, exudes a modicum of right wing policy, but tries to balance it with other left wing idiocy to keep immature voters happy.
He's seen as rather deficient in European circles, from the aforementioned settling of scores, to the way he obviously struggles to speak publicly with a fluent grasp of English pronunciation.
The way that he tries to offer balance against his true beliefs, and how he's trying to keep alive some Nationalistic influences in a Country which is adamant on charging swiftly to the extreme left, fundamentally compromises him.

I think if he'd had a clear slate, he'd have developed much better as a personality, which would have made him a much better President, when looking retrospectively.
After all, as far as issues in a Presidential term go, he's had a hell of a lot to deal with, maybe more, and more serious issues than any other President in history.

I just wish he'd have been more honest and resolute.
When he said he wanted a war on terror, he should have gone to war with real terrorists, and their funders, rather than spending years, colluding with the Marxist idiot Blair from England, dealing with major life and money losses playing out the facade that is the war in Iraq.

I think Bush knows what's needed, it's a similarly strong response to the rogue Countries of the World, but after Iraq, there's no way the increasingly Liberal US will have the stomach for it, unless Russia, N.Korea, Pakistan or Iran light the fire first.

Bush got 9/11 less than eight months into his presidency.

It changed and colored his entire approach. Any plans he had for our nation prior to that had to be modified.

As annoyed as I have been with some of his domestic policies, I believe his keeping the war on terrorism out in front has kept our country safer.

The war in Iraq should never have been, it was probably the one facet of middle East rogues that could genuinely have waited

Nonsense. If Saddam hadn't been taken out, the world would have sunk deeper into fear these last 8 years, convinced that he was developing WMD.

Besides, he deserved to be taken out just on shooting at fliers in the no-fly zone and oil-for-food abuses alone, even though kicking out the inspectors was enough.

he should have gone to war with real terrorists, and their funders

Under this President, thousands of terrorists have been killed as they were drawn like flies on honey to Iraq. And the money sources which were revealed and shut down are too many to mention.

He may not talk as well as you would like, but he's been incredibly effective in the WOT.

Bush's strategy in the WOT has been exactly right. In taking the war to Afghanistan and Iraq, he has set up two conditions in both countries:

1) An opportunity for those nations, in the middle of the islamic world, to develop constitutional republics and freedom...which is an example to the rest of the region and the bane to the Mullahs and Ayotollahs who want to rigidly control their people.

2) He has set up fly traps where the enemy terorists have been drawn of necessity to fight our forces and keep them from accomplishing number one. In so doing the infrastructure and leadership of the terrorists have been decimated, and their footsoldiers have been killed by the tens of thosuands...which has completely hampered them from bringing the fight back here to the US.

In doing this, if you would look at a map for a moment, the US has completely hemmed in the #1 sponsor of terror in the world, Iran. This is no accident. In using the Persina Guf and Arabian Sea to support or activities in Iraq and Afhganistan, the Mullahs are cut off from the sea, they have US forces to their west and US forces to their east. Again, this was no accident.

Now, it is true that we have a large part of the electorate in this country, and it is tragic really, that are so hooked on the social progams and handouts that the Democrats offer, that they are opposing the effort in the middle of a war. But this same situation was vetted in the last election and the majority of Americans came down on the side of fighting these wars and defeating the enemy...which Bush has gone forward with.

Now we face, in essence, the same challenge and opposition, and I believe it will come down the same way.

The US is winning this war and Bush has been correct in his strategy. I believe history will remember him well for that, as the one who through his vision and tenacity brought the opportunity for the blessings of liberty to tens of millions in the middle east. No one else has done that, while at the same time taking the fight to the Islamic Jhadists.

To best exemplify my own feelings on the matter, and I believce many other Americans, let me share with you a conversation I had with a Frenchman at the US memorial at Normandy about a year and nine months ago.

I was in France to pick up my son, who had just served a two year mission for our church there. We had been all over the country for a week visiting every place he had served. We were leaving the next day and took that day before to visit and pay our respects to the fallen American heroes of Normandy. My interest was more than passing, I had lost an Uncle, my mother's only brother, over Germany in the war on a bombing mission after the D-Day invasions.

As we were walking, two Frenchmen came by. We were speaking english and they stopped and asked if we were Americans. My son responded in fluent French and the two of them, my 22 year old son and this fiftyish Frenchman spoke for a few minutes.

At the end, the Frenchman turned to me and asked in English if my son would probably be going home to an American that had changed somewhat since he had come there. He said,

"Perhaps your son will find that President Bush is not held in such high esteeem anymore when he get's home because of his war in Iraq?"

I asked him if he wanted to know my thoughts on the matter, and he said yes.

I said to him,

"You know, my son and I are hear to honor the ten thousand dead Americans who are buried in that field over there who came here and died liberating your country...and I do not think at the moment that that has anything to do with George Bush or Iraq." I then told him,

"I'm not finished. Do you suppose that if you, here over sixty three years later, a frenchman who by your won admission respects and is grateful for the sacrifice of young American who gave their blood and their very lives to liberate your country from tyranny...I say if you can be grateful for their sacrifice here on this spot in France, do you suppose that fifty or sixty years from now there will be Iraqi's who are just as grateful for the sacrifice of American blood and lives to liberate them from a tyrant in Iraq? Do you?"

It got quiet. The Frenchman had nothing to say and myself and my son quietly excused ourselves and went on our way to sit by the graveyard for some time, contemplating these issues ourselves.

I believe that is the correct perspective from which to view what President Bush has done.

Putin has bitten off more than he can chew in Georgia, his army is ineffective and undisciplined, and Bush will not waver in supporting Tbilisi.