Saturday, July 19, 2003
Give it Up George
We desperately need a gutsy, pragmatic President right now, not just a politician. Is Bush up to the task?
Bush has control of both houses of Congress, he has millions of dollars in his re-election war chest, he has the most powerful, most advanced armed services in the world. He has almost everything a world leader would want, with the exception of a good solution to our predicament in Iraq.
Bush's administration has bullied, bought and bribed the Coalition of the Willing" for support, only to find out the majority of them are ...not willing.
Lets be honest with ourselves, Bush gambled by rushing to war without UN approval. he lost. To put it in "Bush terms" his cards stink and its time to dump the hand and draw some other cards.
Its time to call in the U.N Cavalry.
George W. has been wounded by the Niger fiasco. Those "16 words"in his State of the Union speech hurt him. How hurt he is, depends on how far up, the blame goes; the amount of violence against our troops in that hot, torturous, bloody mound of sand over there; and the status of the ongoing search for WMD, of course.
Bush's selection of cabinet members with their singular ideologies, seems to have locked him into severely limited political courses' of action. Any move towards abdicating power of any sort to the UN could adversely risk the wrath of his "base" of support; something he will avoid with a passion. The loss of Bush Sr's "base", cost his father, re-election. Bush Jr seems to be taking all his cues from his father's experience. This becomes just one more factor to limit Bush Jr's options. He probably feels like a driver stuck on the inside lane of a roundabout.
The President can't solve the Iraqi issue with the armed service personnel he now has. Rumsfield could start the Draft again, but many draftees do not work out as well, as an all volunteer army. Does anyone remember Vietnam?
I know it must be a major disappointment, for Bush to realize how powerless he is at this point, but the solution is obvious.
We need additional "boots on the ground" in Iraqi, our troops are on extended rotations (This has not happened since the Vietnam war)
The U.S. and Iraq also need:
financial support for the rebuilding effort
increased aid to the Iraqi people
international recognition of the new Iraqi counsel
International Monetary funds to help the Iraqi financial institutions
U.N's. nation rebuilding experience
U.N's international resolutions to sell and exportation Iraqi oil
So my advice to Bush is, use whatever kind of front door, back door, side door, or garage door diplomacy that may be needed. JUST DO IT! For the sake of our troops, our country and our future,
A pragmatic President with some guts can solve this. A purely political President will not. Lets see who shows up.
Bush has control of both houses of Congress, he has millions of dollars in his re-election war chest, he has the most powerful, most advanced armed services in the world. He has almost everything a world leader would want, with the exception of a good solution to our predicament in Iraq.
Bush's administration has bullied, bought and bribed the Coalition of the Willing" for support, only to find out the majority of them are ...not willing.
Lets be honest with ourselves, Bush gambled by rushing to war without UN approval. he lost. To put it in "Bush terms" his cards stink and its time to dump the hand and draw some other cards.
Its time to call in the U.N Cavalry.
George W. has been wounded by the Niger fiasco. Those "16 words"in his State of the Union speech hurt him. How hurt he is, depends on how far up, the blame goes; the amount of violence against our troops in that hot, torturous, bloody mound of sand over there; and the status of the ongoing search for WMD, of course.
Bush's selection of cabinet members with their singular ideologies, seems to have locked him into severely limited political courses' of action. Any move towards abdicating power of any sort to the UN could adversely risk the wrath of his "base" of support; something he will avoid with a passion. The loss of Bush Sr's "base", cost his father, re-election. Bush Jr seems to be taking all his cues from his father's experience. This becomes just one more factor to limit Bush Jr's options. He probably feels like a driver stuck on the inside lane of a roundabout.
The President can't solve the Iraqi issue with the armed service personnel he now has. Rumsfield could start the Draft again, but many draftees do not work out as well, as an all volunteer army. Does anyone remember Vietnam?
I know it must be a major disappointment, for Bush to realize how powerless he is at this point, but the solution is obvious.
We need additional "boots on the ground" in Iraqi, our troops are on extended rotations (This has not happened since the Vietnam war)
The U.S. and Iraq also need:
financial support for the rebuilding effort
increased aid to the Iraqi people
international recognition of the new Iraqi counsel
International Monetary funds to help the Iraqi financial institutions
U.N's. nation rebuilding experience
U.N's international resolutions to sell and exportation Iraqi oil
So my advice to Bush is, use whatever kind of front door, back door, side door, or garage door diplomacy that may be needed. JUST DO IT! For the sake of our troops, our country and our future,
A pragmatic President with some guts can solve this. A purely political President will not. Lets see who shows up.
# posted by Thomas @ 5:53 PM 
