George W. Bush: Resolute, Strong and Reckless

October 6 2004
Counterbias.com
Dennis Jones
D E M O C R A T I C   V I E W

The first debate is over. The President's strength and resolve are trumpeted as just what we need in this time of extreme peril. He means what he says and says what he means. He never refers to himself as a president, but always as the commander-in-chief; a lonely wartime paladin standing like an immovable and invincible force between us and the evil-doers. Men cheer, women weep and children stand in awe as he passes by.

Senator Kerry, the unworthy opponent, is a source of amusement to Mr. Bush. The President mocks him for being too weak to defend the country and too indecisive to be the champion of anything. Kerry is said to be a poll-driven politico without a moral compass. The Bushies have even managed to turn Mr. Kerry's war record against him. The shirker who avoided combat is the hero and the man who volunteered for combat is the coward whose campaign rhetoric is aiding the enemy.

But wait just a minute Mr. President. The American people saw something quite different in that debate. The guy on the other side of the stage didn't seem to be the quivering pussy that you have decried in your campaign thus far. We
saw a candidate who was firm in his views in opposition to yours. We saw a man who obviously has a greater command of the details of foreign policy than you do. We saw an eloquent leader under fire who doesn't vacillate or whine and
goes directly to the heart of the matter. John Kerry isn't the hopeless softy you told us he was. Me think you have tried to bamboozle us again Sir!

Mr. President, Americans also saw that you are still hopelessly overly optimistic in the face of the huge mess in the war on terror. I suggest that you watch a little more news, Sir. Those are not flowers that are being thrown at our troops in Iraq. We don't doubt the sincerity of your views. We recognize that you are resolute. But it is becoming more obvious as the days go by that you are lacking in wisdom. Reality is not your strong suit. Sir, strength without wisdom is recklessness.

Your mantra is that we are better off taking the fight to the terrorists over there rather than having to fight them here. Lots of agreement here Sir. The problem is that 'over there' was in Afghanistan where 'they' are. You failed to use our troops to secure the border and trap the Al Qaeda leadership. Instead, you lacked the wisdom to see that and instead sent us into a quagmire in Iraq, needlessly extending the war to a place where 'they' weren't and dangerously stretching our magnificent military. You have erroneously tied Iraq to Al Qaeda and have needlessly created another haven for terrorists. Strength and leadership maybe, but reckless!

We heard Senator Kerry say, "I believe in being strong and resolute and determined. And I will hunt down and kill the terrorists wherever they are. But we also have to be smart... And smart means not diverting your attention from the real war on terror in Afghanistan against Osama bin Laden and taking it off to Iraq where the 9/11 commission confirms there was no connection to 9/11 itself and Saddam Hussein. And where the reason for going to war was weapons of mass destruction, not the removal of Saddam Hussein." That doesn't sound like a mixed message to me. It sounds resolute and strong and wise.

Mr. President, you proudly claim that two thirds of the Al Qaeda leadership has been killed or captured. We are forced to take your word for the accuracy of that statement, but we do know one thing for sure; none of them were in Iraq. You constantly warn us of the impending threat of another attack on us here at home. What is the likelihood that it will be carried out by anyone in Iraq? The answer is obvious. Afghanistan maybe, but definitely not Iraq.

Mr. President you were asked about the priority of going after Al Qaeda versus going after Saddam Hussein. You answered that, " we've got the capability of doing both. As a matter of fact, this is a global effort... And that's why it's essential that we have strong alliances, and we do." I guess that's why we have suffered 90% of the casualties and incurred 90% of the costs in Iraq. Deceiving the public is not strong, but it is reckless. Deceiving yourself is dangerous.

Americans heard Senator Kerry say, "I believe America is safest and strongest when we are leading the world and when we are leading strong alliances. I'll never give a veto to any country over our security, but I also know how to lead those alliances." We heard you give lip service to diplomacy when you said about Iraq that, "I was hoping diplomacy would work." But you tipped your hand when you followed that up with, "But Saddam Hussein had no intention of disarming... The facts are that he was systematically deceiving the inspectors. That wasn't going to work." Could I remind you Sir; no weapons of mass destruction! Maybe the inspectors were doing a better job than you thought.

Americans heard you proudly point to 10 million people being registered to vote in an upcoming election in Afghanistan. Leaving aside that disputed figure, may I point out that elections are not always what they are cracked up to be and they certainly are not always a sign of democracy. Saddam Hussein was repeatedly elected to the presidency of Iraq. In the meantime you seem to want to ignore the fact that most of the country is controlled by warlords, not an elected government; that we have done nothing to reduce the opium poppy crop; that the Taliban and Al Qaeda are apparently reconstituting. Maybe if we weren't bogged down in Iraq we could have avoided those problems where 'they' were. Recklessness, not strength.

You repeatedly charged the Senator with sending "mixed messages" to the country, to the troops and to the world. Actually I heard Mr. Kerry say that "we have to be steadfast and resolved. And I am. And I will succeed for those troops now that we're there. We have to succeed. We can't leave a failed Iraq. But that doesn't mean it wasn't a mistake of judgment to go there and take the focus off of Osama bin Laden. It was. Now we can succeed. But I don't believe this president can. I think we need a president who has the credibility to bring the allies back to the table and to do what's necessary to make it so America isn't doing this alone." That doesn't sound very mixed to me. It sounds strong and better yet, wise.

You addressed homeland security by saying, "Of course we're doing everything we can to protect America." Later you added that, "We're doing everything we can at home, but you better have a president who chases these terrorists down and brings them to justice before they hurt us again." Everything? You proudly mentioned how much money your administration is spending on security. There is no question that improvements have been made, but everything? What about chemical plants that aren't protected properly? What about shipping containers which aren't searched? What about nuclear material not being protected around the world? Everything?

Senator Kerry rightly pointed out that, "And the test is not whether you're spending more money. The test is are you doing everything possible to make America safe. We didn't need that tax cut. America needed to be safe." That gets my vote!

In the unkindest cut of all you derided Mr. Kerry when you said, "My opponent says help is on the way, but what kind of message does that say to our troops in harm's way?" I could be wrong, but I think that most Americans would read that as a promise to try to make things better for the troops! This is wrong? This is a mixed message? I don't think so.

Last night America heard something we have heard before in another time and place. In the sixties LBJ said time and again that we needed to stay the course, that the generals were getting everything that they needed and that we were
winning. Mr. President, like you, LBJ was unable to see reality and refused to change his course. That stubbornness carried our country to a disaster. Frankly the thought of you, Vice President Cheney, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz and Perle continuing to conduct our foreign policy scares the shit out of me. Last night John Kerry offered us a strong, resolute and wise alternative to that nightmare.