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The Bush Burden
Bismarck Tribune ^ | September 8, 2013 | By Timothy Egan

Posted on 09/08/2013 6:30:57 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer

He’s there in every corner of Congress where a microphone fronts a politician, there in Russia and the British Parliament and the Vatican. You may think George W. Bush is at home in his bathtub, painting pictures of his toenails, but in fact he’s the biggest presence in the debate over what to do in Syria.

His legacy is paralysis, hypocrisy and uncertainty practiced in varying degrees by those who want to learn from history and those who deny it.

Blame Bush? Of course, President Obama has to lead; it’s his superpower now, his armies to move, his stage. But the prior president gave every world leader, every member of Congress a reason to keep the dogs of war on a leash.

The voice that stands out most by his silence, the one that grates with its public coyness, is Bush himself. He has refused to take a side in the Syrian conflict. The president, he said, “has a tough choice to make.” Beyond that, “I refuse to be roped in.”

This is cowardice on a grand scale. Having set in motion a doctrine that touches all corners of the earth and influences every leader with a say in how to approach tyrants who slaughter innocents, Bush retreats to his bathtub to paint.

(Excerpt) Read more at bismarcktribune.com ...


TOPICS: Editorial; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; US: North Dakota
KEYWORDS: arabspring; failure; leadingfrombehind; syria
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Timothy Egan, based in the Pacific Northwest, writes a column for the New York Times.
1 posted on 09/08/2013 6:30:57 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

The first refuge of scoundrels: Blame Bush!


2 posted on 09/08/2013 6:35:18 AM PDT by John Valentine (Deep in the Heart of Texas)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Trying to rescue a dithering president by demanding Bush put some order to a policy that is ongoing is simply mad.

What insanity is this?


3 posted on 09/08/2013 6:36:35 AM PDT by OpusatFR
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To: Oldeconomybuyer
Bush is a coward - flame away.

He must have been traumatized by the awesome burden of the presidency. I don't think he was man enough for the job -

4 posted on 09/08/2013 6:37:36 AM PDT by atc23 (The Confederacy was the single greatest conservative resistance to federal authority ever.)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer
An article as absurd as anything I've seen this year.
5 posted on 09/08/2013 6:40:03 AM PDT by Eric in the Ozarks ("Say Not the Struggle Naught Availeth.")
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Dear Timothy: the inability to recognize reality is the textbook definition of mental illness. You are mentally ill and should be hospitalized. Time has no meaning to a mentally ill person, and you have no grasp on the concept of time. Your king Obama has had five years to make the world in his image. We defeated Japan and Germany in less time. I think Obama’s policies clearly reflect Obama.


6 posted on 09/08/2013 6:41:50 AM PDT by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer")
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

This article is a waste of Jim’s bandwidth.


7 posted on 09/08/2013 6:42:00 AM PDT by Colonel_Flagg (Army dad. And damned proud.)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer
Look over there! Look over there!

What ever you racists do, don't blame the Muzzie-in-Chief.

8 posted on 09/08/2013 6:42:01 AM PDT by Paladin2
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

The left still blames Bush after 5 years of obama in office...


9 posted on 09/08/2013 6:45:19 AM PDT by 2banana (My common ground with terrorists - they want to die for islam and we want to kill them)
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To: atc23

bingo that

something happened to Bush in his 2d term that took away his vibrant self confidence

patrician silence leaves the people open to the wolves who replaced him and slandered him for 8 years

will history ever reveal


10 posted on 09/08/2013 6:47:05 AM PDT by silverleaf (Going to war without the French is like going hunting without an accordion.)
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To: atc23

W was a disaster for the USA, GOP and conservatism. He was our Jimmy.


11 posted on 09/08/2013 6:47:27 AM PDT by jpsb (Believe nothing until it has been officially denied)
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To: Paladin2
Ladies and gentlemen of this supposed jury, this is Chewbacca... Now look at the monkey! Look at the silly monkey!


12 posted on 09/08/2013 6:53:11 AM PDT by bolobaby
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To: 2banana

Write to the paper’s editor:

brian.kroshus@bismarktrubine.com


13 posted on 09/08/2013 6:53:39 AM PDT by Eric in the Ozarks ("Say Not the Struggle Naught Availeth.")
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To: OpusatFR
Of course, President Obama has to lead; it’s his superpower now, his armies to move, his stage.

I believe that is the main reason people disagree or dislike obummer. The majority of the people believe or know obummer is not a leader.

He is unqualified to lead our Great fighting men and women, and he is totally out of his element and unqualified to fulfill the responsibilities of the office he holds.

14 posted on 09/08/2013 7:06:01 AM PDT by WesternPacific (The herded sheep have finally arrived at the slaughter house.)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer
President Obama has to lead; it’s his superpower now, his armies to move, his stage.

First, it isn't HIS anything, IT IS OURS. It is our sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, fathers, mothers, uncles and aunts who will pay the price in blood, and all of us in treasure for any military intervention anywhere.

That implies a level of Responsibility well beyond "community organizer", and sometimes the best action to take is no action at all. Beware the man who rushes to war, without certain, overwhelming, and just cause--which is why the power to declare War is placed in the hands, not of the President, but The Congress.

But the prior president gave every world leader, every member of Congress a reason to keep the dogs of war on a leash.

Yes, he did. Aside from the blood and treasure to be expended, there must be an objective, a plan to achieve that objective, and a time to finish up and come home.

We find ourselves still in two wars, combined under the general heading of "The War on Terror". In those wars we fight Muslim "extremist" groups, and do so justly, imho.

Entering yet another war on the side of those same extremist groups is not in the best interests of America.

The die is cast, dance with the girl that brung ye.

15 posted on 09/08/2013 8:00:40 AM PDT by Smokin' Joe (How often God must weep at humans' folly. Stand fast. God knows what He is doing.)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer
It's not Bush. It's what the Democrats and the media did to the Bush Presidency.

They destroyed Bush's noble effort to improve the lives of Iraqis. They did it for crass political reasons.

Now, the burden is on the Democrat's side and they can't handle it.

I bet Bush now laughs to himself.

16 posted on 09/08/2013 8:01:07 AM PDT by FroggyTheGremlim (Palin was right (again)!)
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To: silverleaf
"something happened to Bush in his 2d term that took away his vibrant self confidence"

Abu Ghraib.

17 posted on 09/08/2013 8:02:33 AM PDT by FroggyTheGremlim (Palin was right (again)!)
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To: silverleaf

Hurricane Katrina happened.


18 posted on 09/08/2013 8:06:42 AM PDT by Darren McCarty (Abortion - legalized murder for convenience)
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To: Eric in the Ozarks

There are zero comments at the original article.


19 posted on 09/08/2013 8:26:31 AM PDT by huldah1776
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To: huldah1776
They sleep late in Bismark...
20 posted on 09/08/2013 8:30:04 AM PDT by Eric in the Ozarks ("Say Not the Struggle Naught Availeth.")
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