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The Bush Legacy (Thomas Sowell)
Jewish World Review ^ | January 16, 2009 | Thomas Sowell

Posted on 01/16/2009 4:50:57 PM PST by jazusamo

Whatever history's verdict on the Bush administration might be, it is likely to be very different from what we hear from the talking heads on television or read from the know-it-alls on editorial pages.

President Bush's number one achievement was also the number one function of government— to protect its citizens. Nobody on September 11, 2001 believed that there would never be another such attack for more than seven years.

Unfortunately, people who are protected from dangers often conclude that there are no dangers. This is most painfully visible among those Americans who are hysterical over the government's intercepting international phone calls, in order to disrupt international terrorist networks.

Many, especially among the intelligentsia, are also obsessed with whether we are being nice enough to the cut-throats locked up at Guantanamo, some of whom have already been turned loose to resume a life of terrorism. The rights of the Geneva Convention do not apply to people who neither obey the Geneva Convention nor are covered by the Geneva Convention.

That a President of the United States protected us from deadly enemies may not seem like much of an accomplishment to some. But it may be more fully appreciated when we get a President who eases up on that protection, in order to curry favor at home and abroad.

We can only hope that it will not take the sight of an American city lying in radioactive ruins to wake people up to the dangers that George W. Bush protected us against, despite an unending chorus of carping.

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


TOPICS: Editorial; Foreign Affairs; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: bush; bush43; bushlegacy; digg; legacy; presidentbush; sowell; thomassowell; wot
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To: ChildOfThe60s
I do not have a crystal ball to tell me what motivates Bush in this regard, but it certainly isn't honor as I define it.

Recent reports have indicated that Mexico is on the brink of collapse. The narco-terrorists have the nation is chaos. Many South American Countries are trending toward marxism. Many "good people" are caught in the crossfire between the drug gangs. We are going to have to deal with this chaos eventually. These gangs are allied with terrorist in many cases.

think ahead three or four steps. Why would we allow some of these mostly "good people" to sneak across our borders?

That's my theory.

41 posted on 01/17/2009 9:54:57 AM PST by oldbrowser (Break up the federal government.)
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To: dbz77
It ain't that simple. we are a signatory to the Geneva convention but....big but from the President down to the squad leader there must be a conviction to do the right thing.

The My Lai incident during the Viet Nam war found the Captain who odered his troops to "wipe out those evil troops in the village". He didn't say kill'em all but that happened because the commander ddidn't "command".

As an Air Force Officer I learned the Air Force acronym for Leadership.

POD Cross Country, (P.O.D.C.C.).

PLAN lay down the scenario

Organize - assemble resources

Direct - Order the mission forward

Coordinate - work with other resources that are supporting your action

Control - The feedback loop where you review actions and loop back to modify the plan, reorganize the materials, redirect you focus based on past outcomes, talk to you supporting agencies and so it goes round and round as you move toward your objective.

The terrorist follows the PODCC but they are violating the Humanitarian aspects of the Geneva Convention so we offer them the three options I outlined.

42 posted on 01/17/2009 10:50:34 AM PST by Young Werther (Julius Caesar (Quae Cum Ita Sunt. Since these things are so.))
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To: upchuck

I don’t. Honest! He was trolling others besides me.

(However, Note to self: Don’t turn back on upchuck...) *SMILE*


43 posted on 01/17/2009 3:36:07 PM PST by Diana in Wisconsin (Save The Earth. It's The Only Planet With Chocolate.)
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To: Diana in Wisconsin

Hey, quit giving me a hard time or I’ll offer you some serious competition in a chocolate eating contest :)


44 posted on 01/17/2009 5:42:58 PM PST by upchuck (Get ready for 2009: Pray; Raise/conserve cash; Pay your debts; Pray; Stockpile; Buy ammo; Pray)
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To: upchuck

You’ll have to pry my chocolate from my cold, dead hand... ;)


45 posted on 01/17/2009 5:47:19 PM PST by Diana in Wisconsin (Save The Earth. It's The Only Planet With Chocolate.)
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To: jazusamo

I am partial to Deroy Murdock’s assessment of President Bush’s legacy.

Bush Fades to Black after Eight-Year Mitigated Disaster
National Review Online ^ | January 16, 2009 | Deroy Murdock
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2166174/posts


46 posted on 01/17/2009 9:27:49 PM PST by Delacon ("The urge to save humanity is almost always a false front for the urge to rule." H. L. Mencken)
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To: jazusamo
President Bush's biggest failing was that he was expecting honorable behavior from dishonorable people.
Godspeed Mr. President.
47 posted on 01/17/2009 9:38:45 PM PST by wjcsux (White liberal elites are America's losers with money.)
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To: nutmeg

bookmark


48 posted on 01/17/2009 10:28:57 PM PST by nutmeg (No terrorist attacks on U.S. soil since 9/11/01. Thank you President Bush.)
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To: wjcsux

I agree completely.


49 posted on 01/18/2009 10:38:24 AM PST by jazusamo (But there really is no free lunch, except in the world of political rhetoric,.: Thomas Sowell)
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To: Delacon

I’m not.


50 posted on 01/18/2009 10:41:13 AM PST by jazusamo (But there really is no free lunch, except in the world of political rhetoric,.: Thomas Sowell)
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