Posted on 09/26/2001 2:02:39 PM PDT by Heisenburger
Dear Mr. President:
I want to tell you that you have lost my vote in the 2004 election. Though I voted for you in 2000, though I donated to your Victory 2000 campaign, and though I wore your pins and t-shirts, I cannot support you again.
Your diplomatic team, by trying to build a world coalition, has allowed Middle-Eastern and Arab dictatorships to dictate what we can and cannot do to respond to the attacks that took place on September 11. Instead of following the example of Ronald Reagan and basing foreign policy only on what is in the best interests of the United States, you have made concessions to Pakistan and Middle-Eastern countries that will threaten our security for years to come. The coalition has indeed determined the mission, not the other way around.
Specifically, your administration's statement that you will not overthrow the Taliban is unthinkably misguided. To not overthrow the Taliban is to give a feeling of security and power to other states that sponsor terrorism. Not only that, but it makes your statement last Thursday that the Taliban would share in the fate of terrorists an outright lie. One of the reasons I supported you in the 2000 election was that I was sick of being lied to by the Clinton administration. Now I see that you and your team are no different.
Furthermore, the fact that your administration, in an attempt to keep from offending Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt, is not concentrating on Iraq as an important link to the Septemeber 11 attacks shows that you are not truly concerned with protecting Americans and ending terrorism. As Colin Powell said, Hussein is indeed the greatest terrorist in the world today. That he had a hand in the attacks on the 11th is not only highly probable, but also fairly obvious. The world can never be safe as long as Saddam Hussein is still in power.
In closing, I would remind you that you have a chance to win back my vote by changing your policy towards terror states and terrorists themselves. Perhaps your team should realize that "it is easier to ask forgiveness than to ask permission."
Sincerely,
Brent Skilton
We conservatives ought to know better than to adopt the media's spin on things, but I see it all too often. Sometimes we even believe the headlines, as if they somehow carry extra weight.
You're a hoot.
You don't think McCain would be building a coalition?
Not one bullet has been fired and you're already concluding that the toughest foreign policy team this country has seen in years is "afraid of war."
Your emotion is still getting the better of you, which is why you're behind a keyboard and Bush is president.
Sheesh!!!!
History has clearly shown that investigations and economic sanctions do not stop terrorism. Only force can solve the problem.
As for being impatient, I am going on the line coming directly from the mouth of the administration. They have said they will not try to topple the Taliban. There is no disagreement that this is the official line from the White House as this week.
You're begging the question of Bush's foreign policy team being tough. Clearly, Rice and Rumsfeld are very tough. They understand the reality that we must destroy those states that fund terrorism. Unfortunately, Powell is afraid of ever using force (he was against both the Gulf War and taking out Saddam during the Gulf War). He is the weakest link, and Bush is listening to him.
I think that you are wrong.
We can wait as long as it takes to get it right.
The battle will be joined in a few days. Don't you think you owe your President the patience, and loyalty, to see how it plays out? There will always be time for recriminations if the U.S. response turns out to be less than we would like. Take heart, and try and believe in your President. I believe he will not let our country down in her hour of need. He is no Bill Clinton.....
Mike
How is it you have named yourself to be that expert in this situation as to be able form such an important decision?
I don't mean that your vote means that much as I percieve you to be pretty shallow,
but the plans and actions being taken in this endeavor by our President and Sect.of State.
President George Bush said he was not interested in "nation building" - long-term troop deployments to help rebuild a shattered country.
The best way to fight the "flat evil" of terrorism would be to "ask for the co-operation of citizens within Afghanistan who may be tired of having the Taliban in place or tired of having Osama bin Laden" in their country.
By your repudiation of Bush and his policies in this war, I assume that:
you are FOR 'nation building';
you are FOR long term deployments to rebuild Afghanistan;
and that you are AGAINST:
asking for the cooperation of the citizens within Afghanistan who don't want the Taliban.
Is this correct, or are you just shooting your mouth off?
Is it in our interest to topple the Taliban? We wish to defeat terrorism. Will that help? Is the Northern Alliance any better than the Taliban...is appears they are similarly brutal and autocratic.
There is no coalition this time. Bush is getting permission to use airspace and various ground facilities. In spite of some offers from a few friends of civilization to provide military or logistics support, and from the UN to provide a strongly worded note of censure on terrorism, this is America's fight.
I owe him nothing. He is my servant. I am not his.
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