Bush Didn't Squander The World's Sympathy. He Spent It.

National Journal ^ | 5/9/03 | Jonathan Rauch

[Billthedrill]

He was right about "revolutionary," though the administration would prefer a gradual revolution. But "hubris"? Not exactly.

According to that classical political philosopher and social commentator John Wayne, "it ain't braggin' if he can do it." But that is a telling item - the left has always fancied itself the revolutionary wing, the forces of social progress, the vanguard of the new age. That it ended up supporting the most creaky, ossified, superannuated set of false premises and disproven social concepts is very, very slow to dawn. The principal threat to institutionalized "revolutionaries" such as Cohn-Bendit is not that it threatens their political programs, but that it threatens their self-image. It was funny enough to watch these clowns upholding the forces of social progress as exemplified by such refugees from a zombie movie as Breshnev, Chernenko, and Andropov, but this is funnier still.

Just stand back and carp, boys, we'll call you when it's safe.

[Mr. Mojo]

Favorable ratings of well above 60 percent [right after 9/11] in many countries declined to the 30s, 20s, and even teens [during the war with Iraq].

That's because the world prefers to see America being terrorized than exercising its strength and resolve.

[Paulus Invictus]

Hey Gramps! Will some enterprising person, like you, make the poster available later on in time for the elections? I would like to post them around.

[Grampa Dave]

I don't have the computer skills to do this personally. However, this poster and others will be available for us to use 2004 for the elections.

We have very creative/computer savy Freepers who will enable computer klutzes like me to replicate these great signs to use. Some are working on this at this time.

When the stuff is available, we will get one of our great indexers to create an index file with these great tools.

Thanks your support of our president, now in the future!

[Grampa Dave]

McAwful will have a nervous breakdown before the elections get really going, or the Clintoons will give him a great plane ride. Either way he will be gone probably before 2004.

[kayak]

I've posted it on a couple of other threads today trying to help spread it around. It's a GREAT poster!

[Grampa Dave]

The more of us who post it, the more it gets seen.

Then freepers will email it to their email list of friends, family members and fellow conservatives. Then they will send it out to their lists.

McAwful can't stop this use of our first amendment rights.

[Snerfling]

He is old enough to remember living in Tehran, and he says life there was great.

I'll give you a more recent example of how things are already changing back: my neighbors are Iranian emigres from the 70s. Their 18 y.o. son was just there during the Xmas holidays for a month. He says that it is very cosmopolitan in Tehran, with young folk everywhere on the street - sort of like a New York street scene.

He mentioned the only visible difference from the US is the number of soldiers on the street. But since they're all green kids as well, he attributed it mostly to the draft and poor economic opportunities.

When I talked to him and his mom after he got back, he seemed pretty matter-of-fact that the theocracy had no future. When half the pop. is under 25 and LIKES America, it doesn't take a genius to forsee the future.

[Utah Girl]

Ping

[MHGinTN]

"In Syria, it means hostile prodding; in Saudi Arabia, friendly prodding. It means setting a subversive example for Iran, creating the region's second democracy in Palestine ... " Uh, that would be the third, if one counts Israel first, Iraq second, then a Palestinian State third. I have more hope for a democracy in Iraq than in a Palestinian 'enclave'. Suicide murderers aren't going to allow self-governance with Palestinians they've spent generations indoctrinating in hate and bloodlust.

[browardchad]

BUMP!

[McGavin999]

Excellent, clear view of what is really happening. The peace and prosperity in that part of the world will be astounding in a few years if Bush stays at the helm. Even those who are now in charge (except Arafat) will find themselves far better off.

[MeekOneGOP]

Well, I'm not an artist but I have some storage available on my website to save/upload the good stuff !! :O)

[MeekOneGOP]

And here is the same pic uploaded to my site:

http://home.attbi.com/~mrgrumman/Bush_I_Want_You.JPG

[TEXOKIE]

Ping for a very good must-read article!!


"This is a breathtakingly bold undertaking. The difficulties are staggering. Everything might go wrong. But the crucial point to remember is that everything had already gone wrong. No available policy could justify optimism in the Arab world, but the new policy at least offers hope. "

So many great points in this article...but this one is my very favorite. "BUT THE CRUCIAL POINT TO REMEMBER IS THAT EVERYTHING HAD ALREADY GONE WRONG."

[Cicero]

I also took exception to that comment, "In fairness, the war's critics feared a quagmire not so much during the fight as after." Even Bush's most loyal supporters expected that it would take months to capture Baghdad and Basra. It was obvious to me that were going to quickly overrun the rest of the country, but I didn't expect that Baghdad would fall almost without resistance. I wonder if even Tommy Franks expected it to fall so quickly--and almost bloodlessly (despite the bleeding-heart media spinners)?

[Alamo-Girl]

Indeed! Thanks for the heads up!

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

W said,

"I know how to get political capital

and I know how to spend it."

That is big talk--but it ain't bragging if you can do it.

And when it comes to making tough decisions, Bush doesn't pucker. When inaction is the greater risk, the man moves.

It's too early to equate him with Reagan--but also far too early to dismiss the thought . . .

[Kathy in Alaska]

Terrific article. Inaction for so many years....action by President Bush at least allows the chance for freedom in Iraq. Thanks, Tex, for the ping.