Commentary: Bush saved 10 million lives

CNN ^ | January 16, 2009 | Bill Frist

[rightwingintelligentsia]

Editor's note: Bill Frist, a physician, is former Republican majority leader of the U.S. Senate and a professor of medicine and business at Vanderbilt University.

(CNN) -- A legacy of President George W. Bush will be that he saved 10 million lives around the world.

His critics ignore it, but name another president about whom one can say that with such certainty. It is what historians will say a decade from now looking back. Not bad for a president who leaves office with the lowest approval rating in recent memory.

The bottom line is: George Bush is a healer.

First, a surprise proclamation came on January 29, 2003.

I was in the first row in the House chamber when three quarters through his State of the Union address, the president boldly said: "I ask the Congress to commit $15 billion over the next five years ... to turn the tide against AIDS in the most afflicted nations of Africa and the Caribbean" and "lead the world in sparing innocent people from a plague of nature."

[FroggyTheGremlim]

“This is a defense of Bush!? All from a big government, socialist perspective. Is there any hope when Republicans are spewing this filth. “

Filth? Saving lives is filth? You “Conservatives” are starting to scare me.

[Mr. Know It All]

Yup. W is a wonderful, compassionate man, but he had little respect for the constitutional limits on his power.

Excellent point. I wonder if people here are going to give Obama the same credit for "having the right intentions" if he trashes the Constitution (further). Oh, most certainly they won't, but it may be too late thanks to all the people who remained quite on Constitutional abuses during Bush's term.

[all the best]

“Filth” was obviously the wrong word. My big mistake. Still very wrong. When wrong things are done it’s not unusual for some good results with all the havoc. It is hard to escape good. It’s always there. Apologize for my mis-speaking in anger. Thanks for pointing that out. Peace

[Logical me]

He may have saved 10 million foreigners but it cost thousands of American soldiers lives. I wonder how many of the 10 Million have allegiance to America.

Like many here I suspect you lost the reason for Iraq and Afghanistan. First of all we were attacked by the Taliban in Afghanistan and without a response they might have believed we are so weak, they will follow up with another. Have you forgot all the attacks against the US by the Taliban including 9/11.

As for Iraq, it was a UN problem. And if Iraq had not attacked Kuwait, there probably would not have been a war. After Iraq was pushed back to their land, word from major countries of the world was Iraq was trying to build nukes. The world then had fear that if they do succeed, they could nuke many Countries in the area with our name being the foremost prey. Our part was an assignment of patrolling the neutral zone. Our aircraft was constantly targeted and they became more aggressive. Something had to happen and the world including our Senate agreed with the President that war was necessary because of the threat.

[BuddhaBrown]

“$15 billion/10 million - $15,000 per life”

Math check...

$1500 per.

[eureka!]

"According to the loons on left, then that’s about equal to the civilian fatalities in Iraq!"

LOL. So true. They are a twisted bunch. That said, they will be entertaining when Obama is revealed as a mere mortal...

[coloradan]

Thanks, I goofed. Still, clean water might be a lot cheaper than AIDS assistance. But then again, a president who works on quenching thirst doesn’t quite buy the political capital as one curing AIDS.