Posted on 08/04/2010 5:19:52 PM PDT by woofie
George W. Bush insisted that publication of his forthcoming memoirs, “Decision Points”, which will elaborate on 10 key decisions that the self-dubbed “Decider” took in office, be put back until after the midterm elections, according to people close to the former president.
Mr Bush has maintained a studious silence since leaving office and has declined, in sharp contrast to Dick Cheney, his former vice-president, to criticise Barack Obama, the US president, over the past 18 months.
According to friends of Mr Bush, he resisted plans by the publisher to launch the book in September, which is traditionally a better time to maximise sales.
His friends say that Mr Bush, whose two terms in office remain unpopular among most Americans, did not want to insert himself into the midterm election campaign, where Republicans are expected to make big gains. The book will be published on November 9, a week after the polls. Mr Bush will give his first full interview to NBC on November 8.
(Excerpt) Read more at ft.com ...
Reagan used the recession whether intentionally or not to fill the shortages. I was able in 1984 to join the Army National Guards for a year. Do you think Reagan would have wasted and squandered all the chances both Bush's had to improve things and didn't? Junior could have put our military to where likely Only two deployments to Iraq would have been needed and only active duty deployed. I don't think Reagan would have went for the extended war and would have level Iraq had we gone in No I do not like Bush war policies. War is an absolute act and I doo not believe in tieing the hands of troops sent into it. Actually the smartest thing anyone could do about Iraq Reagan did. One was letting Israel destroy Saddam's Nuclear Program and other was letting Iran and Iraq have at it. Personally I wish Iran and Iraq were fighting each other again. Gives them what they want and out of the rest of the worlds hair.
So true...hope he nails some Dems in his book, but he will do it too gently for my taste of course, lol!
Who cares? Sarah Palin is not the former President of the United States .... and Obama's explanation for all that is going wrong.
Your question is politically illiterate.
Just in time for the leaks to be public and the focus of debate.
If this is the publication date, Bush has put himself in the middle of the mid-term elections.
And, if true ..... shame on him for being an obstacle and not a help.
Actually, I would characterize my observations as politically astute for rather obvious reasons. If you can’t discern these reasons, then perhaps you need to spend a little less time on this forum — a forum that has a decidedly BDS-oriented view of our former president.
I’m on the ground here in the bellweather state of Ohio and I’m telling you that your hyper-inflated concern about the negative (rather than the more probable positive) impact of President Bush’s book on the November elections is just that, hyper-inflated.
While I certainly thank you for your service, I am disappointed that your response to my response consisted primarily of personal invective and anecdote. I prefer well-sourced, well-reasoned arguments devoid of ad hominem attacks.
BTW: The fact that you actually praised Jimmy Carter’s tenure as Commander-in-Chief tells me all I need to know.
He’s not appearing for interviews until after the election. So, per usual, if there are demons involved they will be media types.
Junior? Disrespectful and sad.
November 9 was always the date....all the early release speculation was just that.
Now let's lets some numbers speak for themselves about how much Bush actullay did for our troops. The following is what is called End Troop Strengths or the allowed number of active duty in the armed forces and reserves. Do you really think things changed from the days of Clinton? Let's have a look see.
7 . National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2004 (Enrolled as Agreed to or Passed by Both House and Senate)[H.R.1588.ENR]
SEC. 401. END STRENGTHS FOR ACTIVE FORCES.
The Armed Forces are authorized strengths for active duty personnel as of September 30, 2004, as follows:
(1) The Army, 482,400.
(2) The Navy, 373,800. currently Active Duty: 381,135
(3) The Marine Corps, 175,000.
(4) The Air Force, 359,300
Subtitle B--Reserve Forces
SEC. 411. END STRENGTHS FOR SELECTED RESERVE.
(a) IN GENERAL- The Armed Forces are authorized strengths for Selected Reserve personnel of the reserve components as of September 30, 2004, as follows:
(1) The Army National Guard of the United States, 350,000.
(2) The Army Reserve, 205,000.
(3) The Naval Reserve, 85,900.
(4) The Marine Corps Reserve, 39,600.
(5) The Air National Guard of the United States, 107,030.
(6) The Air Force Reserve, 75,800.
(7) The Coast Guard Reserve, 10,000.
SEC. 412. END STRENGTHS FOR RESERVES ON ACTIVE DUTY IN SUPPORT OF THE RESERVES.
Within the end strengths prescribed in section 411(a), the reserve components of the Armed Forces are authorized, as of September 30, 2004, the following number of Reserves to be serving on full-time active duty or full-time duty, in the case of members of the National Guard, for the purpose of organizing, administering, recruiting, instructing, or training the reserve components:
(1) The Army National Guard of the United States, 25,599.
(2) The Army Reserve, 14,374.
(3) The Naval Reserve, 14,384.
(4) The Marine Corps Reserve, 2,261.
(5) The Air National Guard of the United States, 12,191.
(6) The Air Force Reserve, 1,660.
SEC. 401. END STRENGTHS FOR ACTIVE FORCES.
The Armed Forces are authorized strengths for active duty personnel as of September 30, 2002, as follows:
(1) The Army, 480,000.
(2) The Navy, 376,000.
(3) The Marine Corps, 172,600.
(4) The Air Force, 358,800.
SEC. 411. END STRENGTHS FOR SELECTED RESERVE.
(a) IN GENERAL- The Armed Forces are authorized strengths for Selected Reserve personnel of the reserve components as of September 30, 2002, as follows:
(1) The Army National Guard of the United States, 350,000.
(2) The Army Reserve, 205,000.
(3) The Naval Reserve, 87,000.
(4) The Marine Corps Reserve, 39,558.
(5) The Air National Guard of the United States, 108,400.
(6) The Air Force Reserve, 74,700.
(7) The Coast Guard Reserve, 8,000.
End strengths for active forces (sec. 401) The House bill contained a provision (sec. 401) that would authorize end strengths for the active forces, as indicated in the table below: Service Fiscal year 1998-- Request Recommendation
Army 495,000 495,000
Navy 390,802 395,000
Marine Corps 174,000 174,000
Air Force 371,577 381,000
Total 1,431,379 1,445,000
The Senate amendment contained a provision (sec. 401) that would authorize active duty end strengths for fiscal year 1998, as shown below: Fiscal year-- 1997 authorization 1998 request 1998 recommendation
Army: 495,000 495,000 485,000
Navy: 407,318 390,802 390,802
Marine Corps: 174,000 174,000 174,000
Air Force: 381,000 371,577 371,577
The House recedes with an amendment that would authorize active duty end strengths for fiscal year 1998 as shown below: Fiscal year-- 1997 authorization 1998 request 1998 authorization
Army 495,000 495,000 495,000
Navy 407,318 390,802 390,802
Marine Corps 174,000 174,000 174,000
Air Force 381,100 371,577 371,577
Total 1,457,418 1,431,379 1,431,379
1998 authorization for end strength active duty
Army 495,000
Navy 390,802
Marines 174,000
Air Force 371,577
1998 authorization for end strength reserves
ARNG 366,516
USAR 208,000
USNR 94,294
USMCR 42,000
ANG 107,377
USAFR 73,431
USCGR 8000
Now let's look at 2008 actualluy May 2009 numbers which were set in 2007-2008. Army 548,000
Marine Corps 203,095
Navy 332,000
Air Force 323,000
Army Reserve 205,000
Marine Forces Reserve 40,000
Navy Reserve 67,000
Air National Guard 107,000
Air Force Reserve 67,000
Now I'll go back to 2008 and have a look see compared to 1998.
2008 first
Army 548,000
Navy 332,000
Marine Corps 203,095
Air Force 323,000
Now 1998
Army 495,000
Navy 390,802
Marine Corps 174,000
Air Force 371,577
Considering it all these numbers are pretty darn close to that of 1998 under Clinton now aren't they?
I have one more thing a link to a site that shows the status of the Navy from WW1-present. Have a look for yourself. I haven't been making this stuff up. Look at the source of my info. U.S. Navy Active Ship Force Levels, 1917-present Look at 2007 at the number of ships 279. The last time we were anywhere near that low was 1930. Our military is stretched too thin. A person can not support the troops and yet ignore just how thin they are stretched with no end in sight.
The help the so called adults were supposed to bring never happened. Our military did not in fact grow under W's tenure. The decline continued overall. 116 ships were decommissioned under Poppy not to be replaced and 88 were under Clinton. To get these figures you take the number the year after they were elected and go to the year after they left office. Junior cost us 37 more ships we could not afford to loose. How much lower will Zero take us?
My opinions don't mean near as much as what these figures say. My opinions don't say as much as the fact some on active duty are on 5th tours of Iraq. Thank goodness GWB, Clinton, nor Poppy were our POTUS in WW2 we woulds have lost it.
Nope read post 70.
Numbers without context are meaningless. The context is provided here:
http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/infocus/bushrecord/documents/charge-kept.pdf
Key Stats:
President Bush increased the Defense Department budget by 73% — the largest increase since Truman’s administration (and Truman created the Department of Defense).
President Bush increased the Veterans Affairs budget by 98%.
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Bottom line: President Bush loved his country and his country’s military . . . Not even the most brain-addled BDS sufferer would (seriously) suggest otherwise.
We are now at a bare bones defense manpower wise. We have been there since about 1996. We don't have nothing to show for those increases. Look at the figures I linked. Some defense contractor friends got money for Iraq big deal. Ever stop and think why it is that in 2000 in the debates with Gore he was against nation building? He said that then he turned right around using money and funds which should have gone for more troops and rebuilt Iraq. Yippie the next Radical Cleric or Military Dictator Saddam Wanna Be Thug who takes over the nation next {that is the Islamic way of life in case you missed it} now has a fully manned military and rebuilt nation. Thank you George W Bush!
Do you realize how many ship yards we have that can build a carrier now? One. We once had four and used two. The other only east coast shipyard which can even do carriers repairs is across the river from it. That is in the Norfolk area. The other carrier yard is in Washington State and they can't build. So what? Well shipbuilding is not a skill you hire off the street and say here ya go do it. We not only shut them down we sold the property snd destroying the tooling for many vital defense programs. Not even Russia was that stupid. Within a decade China was pass us up defense wise.
Better yet let me make it even more clear and I'll let you think about it. The peak of our military capability and might was reached in 1988 or slightly before. That should have been the record military budget and we had plenty to show for it. The strongest and most ready standing U.S. military in history.
I would say much of the money since 1989 on ended up in contractors hands. Any support I had for W went out the window after the first week of the Iraqi war when night after night key targets which are supposed to be the first hits in war remained intact. Bagdad Bob wasn't funny he was a symptom of screwed up strategy policies on our part. Next was even worse. You want to tell me Bush loved the military so much. Then you answer me this then. WHY, WHY, WHY, were America's Finest serving in Iraq SUBJECT TO UNPRECIDENTED COURT MARTIALS FOR DOING THEIR JOB AND THEIR DUTY IN IRAQ? The Bush appointees he had say over cared more about not hurting some Murdering Islamic Figurheads Feelings than he did about the rights and safety of our own troops.
In war you do things you have to do and innocents die. Can't handle it? Then don't do it. Better yet can't handle it don't tell someone else to do it for you theen punish them for it.
As a soldier or Marine if you recieve fire from a suspected target you return same. I don't care who is in that home. Destroy it and all in it then and there and move on. End of discussion on that part.
How dare he sit back and let his appointed clowns in the Pentagon second guess them. His mouth as always said one thing and his allowed policies and lack of acting when he should have on behalf of our troops said another. Murtha was bad enough.
GW Bush as Commander In Chief had full authority to tell The Secretary of Defense to lay off our troops. He had full authority to set the Rules of Engagement in Iraq and the ROE's in Iraq were about as insane and useless as the ones LBJ/McNamara issued in Nam.
Loving them is not court martialing them on the word of a nation of liars who basically hated our guts to start with. Get a Clue. The war in Iraq should have ended his first term. Saddam should have either been shot when found or turned over to a U.S. military tribunal for trial and exicution. War isn't about nation building it's about punishment and elimination of an enemy nation. We understood this up through WW2.
That’ll only be so if there aren’t the usual pre-release leaks for marketing purposes. Better timing would have been a few weeks later. September would have been a big, big stinker, but early November is still problematic.
Rummy created the Hollow Carter Military what did you think he'd do under Bush? I'm going to explain something to you which you may or may not have ran into.
Ever run into a Vet of the late 1975- about 1978 era? Ever notice the ones who are real vague about their service as to where they were, how long they were in, etc? Good chance they got a General Discharge under policies Rummy put into play which created the Hollow Carter Military. It was called the 30 day go UA {AWOL} get out military. I'm serious when I got to my ship Feb 77 if I had wanted out I could have walked off and waited 31 days and turned myself in at another command to get out Scott free. Don't tell me this didn't go on a lot I know better.
What finally stopped it was the new SEC of DEF made them do the time plus tacked on AWOL bad time and they got either a Dishonorable or Bad Conduct Discharge as well with usually a chance to change and prove themselves. The walk away military policy started under Rummy and he was considering it again under W. Morale in the military in 1977 was the pits.
Now so you don't mistake this as praise for Carter like another poster have done I'll explain. I credit Carter's SECNAV likely Hildigo for turning additional issues around. One was morale and another was discipline. Morale was improved in several ways. One was a return to Naval Traditions which in 1977 there was none as such. All of the sudden Bosun's Whistles were heard on all ships. Next came retention. Retention bonuses of $15k-$18K, next rank, and some shore duty for reenlistment and it attracted a considerable number. Next was another biggie. Uniforms were returned back to the traditional Navy Crackerjack uniform for E-1-E-6. We no longer were mistaken for the pilot when we boarded commercial planes LOL.
Discipline was also addressed. One of the first ways it was addressed was by calling back up volunteer senior enlisted who had retired to come back in and straighten the mess out. My last chief was such. These were guys who joined during the Korean War some maybe earlier.
They also made it harder to leave the ship. The Navy went back to the old Liberty Pass System. You had to earn your time off. All of this happened between about mid 1978-Oct 80 when I got out.
Is this AlGore? The ghost of Ann Richards?
Oh that's real funny. Now then if memory serves me right it was Junior in the 2000 debates now was it not who said that he and Mr Gore were not that far apart on many/most issues? Yet some think he was the great Conservative POTUS? That was the problem both him and his dad had too much liberalism in them.
Poppy could have easilly had two terms but Poppy abandoned the Reagan doctrines before the ink dried on the 1989 election results. He couldn't wait to bring in the wrecking crew from Ford's administration. The Bush's are not from the Conservative side they are from the Nelson Rockefeller side which is why Juniors mentor was Gerald Ford. Reagan wasn't perfect but he wasn't a Rockefeller Liberal Republican. Three presidents followed the same path and pretty well the same policies and mistakes Gerald Ford, George HW Bush and Junior. All three used the same advisers. All three pretty well held to the same policies.
Bush Jr wasted what were golden oppertunities and could not even energize a two house majority of his own party. He was too busy putting Liberals in seats Consrervatives could have easilly won like Arlen Specters seat. Boy oled Arlen sure paid him back didn't he?
Bush was by no means conservative. He was just to the right of Gore. Why? Because he divided the party he split in in half. The state of Tennessee suffered the same fate 16 years ago when a Republican governor was elected two terms. He was the DEMs best friend and the Conservatives worse nightmare who made his DEM replacement look like a conservative. His nick name was Taxquist. He caused an open tax protest at the state capitol by many Republicans actually. A dash R after a name does not instantly make a POTUS a Conservative.
Nope. There is but one way to fight war. It must be fought to win as quickly as possible with a military agenda of victory as the sole purpose to where either the enemy is destroyed or looses the will or capabilities to fight and be a threat. It isn't policing another nation it is killing those who live in it. It is a punishment. You win by no holds barred fighting. You eventually loose douing otherwise and history proves it.
Do you consider it immoral to do so? I don't. It's like Sherman's march through Georgia no mercy and nothing left standing. Who says to fight our wars like that? Our Creator the Lord GOD. Read the book of Joshua and learn of his battles. Better yet for lessons in what national leaders are not to do look at King David where he refused to praise his troops who saved his kingdom from his son.
That is why war is a deadly serious act and should only be allowed with a declaration by congress. The soldiers must have the backing of the government and leaders over them. We owe them that much respect if we expect them to risk their lives. You don't send a man to battle and say don't shoot back or don't return fire in this or that area etc due to civilians. You just don't do so and win. In WW2 we destroyed cities with bombs. Yet today we can't manage to let a soldier return fire with a rifle without it possibly setting off a Court Martial? On that matter Bush was worse than even LBJ himself.
Do you know where our current Rules Of Engagement came from? It came from Marxist who took over universities and colleges and also wormed their way into our political system and even the military Chain of Command. Our R.O.E.'s of today the Generals of WW2 and earlier would have told POTUS what to do with them in short order and called him a bloody fool for even suggesting them.
If Bush SR had let the troops do their job in Gulf War one likely the second war and even the crisis in Iran could have been headed off.
Which brings up another matter. Every time there was a chance Israel might take care of a problem for us Bush sent either Powell or Rice there to stop them. Israel gets fired upon by Islamic terrorist and responds to it properly and on the plane hops our Sec of State to say No No musn't do. That was wrong. Many of the tyrants of the Middle East remained alive because of our State Departments insane meddling.
If Bush had butted out of Israels business they may have well resolved the current Iranian crisis for us like they did Saddam's nuclear program.
And I’m telling you that I understand/agree with the COMPLETE context that informed President Bush’s decisions vis a vis our military and our War on Terror, most of which are detailed here:
http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/infocus/defense/
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We have exhausted this topic; time to move on.
Again, I thank you for your service and I continue to pray for the success and safety of our military (which includes MANY close friends and family members).
You certainly have a hyperinflated view of yourself and your opinions.
Best of luck with that.... you’re going to need it.
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