Beware the Soft-Line Ideologues

Wall Street Journal ^ | Jan 7, 2004 | DAVID FRUM and RICHARD PERLE

[The Raven]

Under the leadership of President George W. Bush, two approaches to American foreign and security policy have emerged. One approach is founded on vigorous, decisive action, including a readiness to use military power, against the terrorist enemy. Its exponents are the hard-liners. You know the names: Cheney, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, Abrams, and so on.

[The Raven]

Messrs. Frum and Perle are resident fellows at the American Enterprise Institute and co-authors of "An End To Evil: How to Win the War on Terror," just published by Random House.

[PGalt]

Very good article. Thanks for posting it.

[Finalapproach29er]

The election-year squeeze on Powell is underway.

[CasearianDaoist]

I hope so. Give foggy bottom to Condi or Rudy, they will clean up that mess.

[tkathy]

Terrific article. I am hoping that Bush will get Rudy into a position of power where he can crack some of these soft heads.

[tkathy]

Terrific article. I am hoping that Bush will get Rudy into a position of power where he can crack some of these soft heads.

[maica]

Not one milestone on the road map has yet been traversed. The very first item listed on the text is this: "Palestinian leadership issues unequivocal statement reiterating Israel's right to exist in peace and security and calling for an immediate and unconditional cease-fire to end armed activity and all acts of violence against Israelis anywhere. All official Palestinian institutions end incitement against Israel." Well, that has not happened.

President Bush operates by stating the rules under which he will cooperate in a given situation. He makes the agency, country, etc show the world if they are wiling to cooperate or not. When the others in the negotiation show that they are unwiling to agree on the basic premise, then President Bush moves on to Plan B.

Somehow the media who call his advisors 'hard-line' think that is a bad thing. American voters do not think it is a bad thing.

[meenie]

There is such a thing as moderation. Either side in a particular issue probably has some valid benefits in their line of reasoning. I don't think that unlimited diplomacy via the state department is the solution to every problem. By the same token, I don't see as the idea of perpetual war as the haedliners endorse solves all the problems. There are some problems that can be solved by negotiation. There are some problems that can only be solved by military action.

[maica]

President Bush is using both approaches all the time.