I think Bush will be seen as a mixed bag. He is a lot better than the left gives him credit for. Just wait till those tax cuts expire. It isn’t just overspending it is a whole mindset in govt that steps in where it has demonstrated nothing but failure or success at a cost not proportional to doing nothing at all and with utter disrespect for those who pay the bills and the sovereignty of the citizen. That said I’m sure as hell glad GW Bush was President and not Al Gore or John Kerry.
Sure, but I think as time passes his reactions to 9/11 will be seen as ever-more important.
I don't believe a Democrat would have just sat there, but I do think he would have invaded Afghanistan with an even more PC approach, the result of which would be the world seeing us as too timid to do anything but "surgical" attacks even when our civilians and cities are attacked.
Ultimately, I've always thought people miss the true significance of invading Iraq--Bush basically walked up to those massed against us and socked the biggest one in the nose. While everyone else was shocked and babbling "But--but you can't prove in a court of law that he did anything," Bush then said "OK, who's next?"
The symbolic value was so very important, and I believe it made our enemies shrink back. Merely invading Afghanistan would have been enough to rally the jihadists; also attacking Iraq made them think "These bleeps are CRAZY!" and hold back.
Just a theory, but I believe it.