Mark Steyn: How Bush blew his chance

Chicago Sun-Times ^ | 09/16/2002 | Mark Steyn

[jwalsh07]

Sometimes I wonder what kind of day these guys have when they write these columsn.

I have no idea, they live in a world where logistics play no part. You just blink and all the men and Armor and fule and food and ammo and missiles are in place and ready to go.

[Mr. Mojo]

it was offensive to have a Rhamadan celebration at the "People's House". I guess I am about the only one offended by that.

Far from it.

[jwalsh07]

The difference: The House of Saud and the Bush family have been doing business, resulting in enormous finacial benefit to both, for a very long time now. Howard is merely a politician.

If you havae evidence of Saudi money finding its way to President Bush's pocket, I'd like to see it. Otherwise, I'd like you to withdraw your comment. Fair enough, right?

[Polonius]

I don't fault Bush for the UN speech (assuming he's willing to go all the way if the UN fails again), but I do think he's still way too easy on the Democrats.

Take the Homeland Security bill, for example. The worker flexibility issue should be an easy slam-dunk for the administration, but instead they seem to be allowing Daschle to run around calling it a "power grab" without a sufficiently outraged response. The simple answer, which should be shouted from the rooftops until Daschle is embarrassed into shutting up, is that the Democrats are putting the security of their union buddies' jobs before the security of the nation. It's short, pithy and true. Nevertheless, it appears that the Democrats may force Bush to veto the whole damned bill over the issue, or sign it without the increased flexibility — a loss in either case.

[Texasforever]

• I could be wrong, but it seems to me a good common-sense argument that if we are going to put terrorists on trial, having some judges available to try the cases is a Good Thing.
• I could be wrong, but it seems to me a good common-sense argument that if we are going to War in the Middle East, domestic oil we produce ourselves is a Good Thing.

Your first point would be valid if the plan was not try terrorists, except for US citizens, before military tribunals and I doubt that any realistic estimate of citizen terrorists would be high enough to be used as a justification for more Judges.

I agree on the domestic oil issue though.

[kayak]

Please don't start that argument on this thread ...... there's one from last December you can look up and add your comments to.

I'm not suggesting that you have said anything out of line here in expressing your opinions ......

..... but I would like to ask everyone not to sidetrack the current discussion with that issue.

[jwalsh07]

A veto is as loud as it gets. He's made it clear umpteen times that he will veto and why he will veto. If America is unaware of those two facts, it is because somebody doesn't want them to know.

Now who might that be?

[justshe]

Think about the kind of day Steyn had when he heard the U.N. speech.

Probably slapped his forehead and said.....DAMN.....I just HAD to defend my earlier predictions. WHY didn't I wait!

[WOSG]

Disagree with idea of using political capital from 9/11 for domestic agenda ... Clinton could get away with that kind of cynical behavior because the media would back him up ... the media in this case would cynically expose Bush. 9/11 capital is only for foreign policy. He has used it brilliantly to build case against Iraq and keep America supportive of this policy. That's enough.

We have to win domestic issues on domestic merits.

[jwalsh07]

Saudis will allow troops to stage in Saudi Arabia

Well now we know why the Prince was in Crawford, Texas. It wasn't to give Bush money so it must have been for Bush to read him the riot act and mention Qatar a few dozen times.

[MissAmericanPie]

"Bush was still inviting Saudi princes to the Crawford ranch and insisting that the kingdom was a ''staunch friend'' in the war against terror. This is not just ridiculous but offensive

Actually I thought it was part of the article, or at least part of the reasons that the author thought Bush has blown it, offensive relations with Muslim types, but ok, no biggy.

[Mr. Mojo]

Don't misunderstand; it's nothing illegal. The Saudis' only real business interest is oil, and the Bush family is very prominent in the same biz. I'm not condemning this relationship, I'm merely pointing out that it exists. This is no secret, so simmer down. It is a long and very established relationship. Why do you think the Prince got the royal treatment at Crawford, considering 15 of the 19 hijackers were Saudis and there's an enormous amount of evidence suggesting that the Saudis bankrolled (and continue to bankroll) al Qaeda?

[Polonius]

If America is unaware of the facts, it's ultimately the administration's own fault for not making its case loudly or frequently enough. Is the media biased? No doubt in my mind. But screaming "the big, bad media made us lose again" every time Republicans get outmaneuvered (or perhaps out-demagauged is a better term) on the issues will get us nowhere. The administration has to know the score when it comes to the mainstream media, so they have no excuse for not seeing the obstacles before them and finding ways through or around them. To not do so means they are not fully committed to victory.

[Texasforever]

Saudis' only real business interest is oil, and the Bush family is very prominent in the same biz.

The Bush oil "fortune" was made in West Texas NOT Saudi Arabia. The Bush oil ties are with the DOMESTIC oil interests. If Bush were to "line his pockets" it would be by driving oil to 50 bucks a barrel to make domestic drilling and production viable. Get it?

[jwalsh07]

The Prince didn't get the royal treatment Jack. The facts seem to bare out the following:

The Prince was told that we are moving our Force Command to Qatar and that we will be enlarging our military presence there. We are indeed moving our Command Post to Qatar and the House of Saud is getting the message. See the link above.

Saudi Arabia is not the oil industry. I know of no money that has flowed from Saudi to GWB and I don't think you do either.

I am in the xray business but GE doesn't sand me any of their scanner profits.

[Mr. Mojo]

A little sensitive, eh? I never said the Bush family made its fortune in business dealings with Saudis, nor did I suggest they "line their pockets" with Saudi oil money.

Have another beer.

[jwalsh07]

We are at opposite poles of the compass if you think this administration is being out maneuvered. No way the twain shall meet.

Bush can't force Daschle to do anything. It simply can't be done without overwhelming public opinion and despite what you think Bush can not do it by giving daily press conferences.

The WOT is a bigger issue right now than Judge Owens or the ANWR and conflating the two is a really bad idea.

[justshe]

The Prince was also delivering his daughter to Baylor, where she is a student.

[jwalsh07]

The House of Saud and the Bush family have been doing business, resulting in enormous finacial benefit to both, for a very long time now.

Jack, this is what you said. Just retract it and done. Its not true.

[MHT]

The initial criticism about the DWI is wrong. Many psychologists have said that Bush's reason for not bringing it up, i.e., because he didn't want his kids to know, was the RIGHT thing to do. We don't need to let our kids know the details of our previous mistakes because it subconsciously condones their own misbehavior (well, if dad did it and he turned out ok, etc.....). The man showed appropriate emotion at the time, embarassment and shame-- two qualities with which the Clinton's and Gore's (in spite of their own and children's misbehavior) are not familiar.