Posted on 06/25/2002 6:48:28 PM PDT by Pokey78
Yesterday the president cut through the diplomatic double-speak and expanded on his bold vision for American foreign policy.
PRESIDENT BUSH rose to the occasion yesterday. As he did in his speech to Congress on September 20, in his State of the Union address on January 29, and in his West Point speech on June l, he rose above the morass of diplomatic double-speak and the in-fighting of his own administration, left behind the tired and failed formulas of the past, and charted a new course for American foreign policy.
It is important to put yesterday's speech in the context of the broader Bush Doctrine, which the speech complements and advances. The Bush Doctrine involves a thorough-going war on terror, a determination to prevent hostile dictators from holding the civilized world hostage to weapons of mass destruction, and--now, especially, after yesterday's speech--a positive vision of American leadership on behalf of democratic and liberal principles for the sake of peace. Previously, the Middle East has been regarded as exempt from the requirements of liberal democracy. Previously, it was thought one could have a serious peace process without peaceful regimes. Now, the president has embraced the only realistic version of a Middle East peace process, though also, of course, a very ambitious one.
In doing this, President Bush has delivered perhaps the most profound statement by any American president about the Middle East since Truman. At the same time, as with Truman, he has now committed himself to an active and bold role in this part of the world that will require all parts of his administration acting in concert to implement his vision. This vision of a democratic and peaceful swath of the Middle East, from Israel through Palestine, Jordan, and Iraq, has now become the governing objective of the Bush administration--and ambitious though it is, it is really the only realistic path to peace in the Middle East and to victory in the war on terror.
Perhaps a nice big BLU-82 would get their attention?
Do we have radio/print/TV penetration into the arab states?
When the President finished his speech I felt that it had nearly been as momentous as his speech after 9/11.
Rush tempered his criticism today and was mostly approving of the President.
More like, "Billy stuck his finger in the air to guage the temper of conservative Jewish opinion, and decided to fall in and cheer." This is the same guy that, along with his partner Kagan, had given up on Bush back in the beginning of May.
I'm sorry, I'm not patting Kristol on the back quite yet. Although I will be the first to admit that even a broken clock is right twice each day.
Be Seeing You,
Chris
By stating clearly what the Palestinians must do to earn the continued interest and assistance of the U.S., even if he knows they won't or can't do it, Bush has placed himself in a true win-win situation. If by some miracle Arafat steps down and the Palestinian people usher in some semblance of a democratic state committed to living in peace with Israel, not only does Bush win, the whole Middle East wins, the world wins and Bush even gets the Nobel Peace Prize.
If, as is far more likely, the situation continues as is with no appreciable change taking place under Arafat, Bush still wins. He merely states something to the effect that the PLO, Hamas, Hezbollah, et al, are in a state of war with Israel, and that Israel has the sovereign right to defend itself, thereby washing his hands (and our hands, diplomatically and politically) from the whole affair.
In short, with this one speech Bush has placed the entire burden of Middle East peace squarely on the shoulders of Arafat and the Palestinians. Choose life, indeed.
...he [Bush] has now committed himself to an active and bold role in this part of the world that will require all parts of his administration acting in concert to implement his vision.
This is in line with the activist role Kristol sees for the US. My read is that the President was saying to the Palestinians, if you clean up your act we will help; if not, we are Israel's ally and will behave accordingly. He makes the parties, including the Arab states, responsible for their words and behavior. He will not impose a solution on unwilling parties.
No speech is 'for the history books' until it's been turned into actions. So far, the Bush administration has had trouble pursuing any course for very long, so let's wait and see.
By the way, read logos' analysis in post #11. It is excellent and spot on.
I agree with you, Chris. If my brain fails me someday in the future, I'd love to borrow yours.
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