Bush Has Made Us Vulnerable

WSJ Online ^ | 19 dec 08 | MARK HELPRIN

[rellimpank]

In his great Civil War history, "Decision in the West," Albert Castel describes the last Confederate hope of victory. If in 1864 the Confederate armies continue to exact a steep cost from the North, "the majority of Northerners will decide that going on with the war is not worth the financial and human cost and so will replace Lincoln and the Republicans with a Democratic president and Congress committed to stopping hostilities and instituting peace negotiations." He cites the resolution of the Confederate Congress that: "Brave and learned men in the North have spoken out against the usurpations and cruelties daily practiced. The success of these men over the radical and despotic faction which now rules the North may open the way to . . . a cessation of this bloody and unnecessary war." Plus ça change .

[woofie]

In 20 years they will dig up the records and proclaim that Bush was not stupid and did the right stuff.

[tatsinfla]

ditto....she is the type that if there isn’t any turmoil going on in her life she will create it....

[Norman Bates]

Your analysis is dead-on.

[jpl]

In 20 years they will dig up the records and proclaim that Bush was not stupid and did the right stuff.

Either that, or he will be remembered forever as the guy who presided over the beginning of the downfall of America.

I'm not sure I want to bet which way it's going to go.

[sickoflibs]

RE : “GWB is the worst communicator to ever hold the Presidency, “

A couple of short years ago I posted that we need “A conservative that can communicate” and I got a few nasty replies that all we need is a “conservative that can veto”. Well that’s kind of what we got, 2008! So now there are few to-the-death GWB believers here that claim “It’s all the MSM traitors, the stupid public and the conservative turncoats that caused the lossse” as if everyone but them (to the death believers) will go away so we can win elections again with a leader that says AHHH- Well-AHHH- stay the course, AHHH,....”.

[Badeye]

thanks, I appreciate it.

[woofie]

One more thought ...

These guys act like GW Bush acted alone in doing what he did....If its all screwed up as they claim how about credit to all the people in his administration, the military, the pentagon, the congress, the CIA, the UN, all the countries that joined us and all of their respective citezens ,leaders etc.? not to mention the people who attacked us and put the whole thing in play...

[an amused spectator]

GWB lost the political war at home and it wasnt just the ‘treasonous press”.

Let's get one thing straight. The Democrats were running a "shadow government" with their press machine. The daily attacks by the Democrat press were designed to undermine the legitimately elected government.

The media revealed the extent and nature of their involvement in anti-government activities with the Palin attacks, which occurred over an incredibly compressed time frame in September and October.

I've been chronicling media shenanigans here at FR since early 1997, and I've NEVER seen anything like the way they outed themselves as foot soldiers for the Democrat party.

Many of them are trying to crawl back into the "objective" closet now, but many remain proudly "out".

[Steve_Seattle]

Helprin's piece is rambling and incoherent. Although he says we must "respond" to the emerging Chinese and Russian threats, he offers not a single specific policy recommendation to deal with those threats.

As for the alleged violations of civil liberties, he is again non-specific. Is he referring to Guantanamo? The rendition program (begun pre-Bush)? The "warrantless" interception of calls from known terrorist telephones? The waterboarding of three captured terrorists (a short-lived technique that was scrapped years before it became a matter of public controversy)? What are these massive violations of civil rights he's talking about?

[Steve_Seattle]

"I don’t know about you but I heard President Bush live on TV telling me to go to the mall and spend money. I’ve never heard word one about sacrifice, or victory gardens, or anything else that indicates a national commitment to fighting and finishing this thing."

Well, I heard Bush say that this would be a long fight over many years, that there would be setbacks, that some battles would be fought in secret, and that we had a tenacious enemy of world-wide scope, and that this is not a war with a clear end-date because we are fighting an ideology with fanatical adherents worldwide. Now, to me there's an implicit sacrifice for Americans in all that, and the president doesn't need to spell it out.

As for his comment about going shopping, he was urging Americans not to live in a state of crippling fear and paranoia. Let me refresh your memory - right after 9/11, we had the anthrax scare and the DC sniper, and the public was VERY edgy, even afraid to go out of their homes for routine matters. The president's comment was not some shallow denial of sacrifice, but a necessary reminder that everyday life must go on or the terrorists win. I have my own criticisms of Bush, but I get sick and tired of the back-seat driving. If Bush says Afghanistan, the critics say Iran; if Bush says Iran, the critics say Afghanistan; if Bush says North Korea, the critics say Russia; if Bush says Iraq, the critics say global warming. And on and on.

[Mr. Lucky]

Did you actually read the piece...?

Read the piece? READ THE PIECE?. Boy, you are a newbie. Long time Freepers are able to divine the substance of an article without even reading the headline.

[jveritas]

You are nothing but a liar. The President has nothing to do with the current state of the economy. Only liberals and idiots believe otherwise.

If not for President Bush the terrorists would have controlled the Middle East and brought horrors that we cannot even imagine.

[little jeremiah]

I agree with your assessment.

[little jeremiah]

Thanks for the link, Grampa Dave.

Funny how the homosexuals are blind and hateful about every issue.

[ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas]

A Slobbering Love Affair: The True (And Pathetic) Story of the Torrid Romance Between Barack Obama and the Mainstream Media by Bernard Goldberg (Hardcover - Jan 25, 2009)

[sickoflibs]

I actually read Horowitzs book Shadow Government, so I have no disagreement with your points, and Pelosi focused on GWB like a radar, because that was the big payoff.

A key part of the war is keeping the public on your side, and he did not come close. I dont care how important freepers think Iraq was, if GWB cant make a decent attempt to keep the public on the right side after initial invasion, then screw it, dont go in. If Iraq declared war on us Sept 11 (like Germans did 1941) , then it would have been easy, but they didnt.

Communication is even MORE important because of what you said.

[hedgetrimmer]

You are nothing but a liar. The President has nothing to do with the current state of the economy.

You're very much mistaken. Aren't you from China?

[Recovering Ex-hippie]

you are very correct.

[Recovering Ex-hippie]

I know where you are coming from.

The Bush haters have a bigger agenda all along...they hate the US and everything it stands for. Bush was a target for all the lazy, fat and entitled Americans who are also very ignorant from their public education!

[Recovering Ex-hippie]

you nailed it.

How can you fight a global war with this kind of citizenry?

It will take unfortunately, another major terrorist attack before Americans and the Euroweenies realize what we are up against it.