tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9157958.post110348583892985044..comments2023-11-29T12:25:25.631-08:00Comments on Dumpster Bust: Online Media Cultist: Keeping It Real Politik: No, they didn’t… Time magazine names George W. Bush 2004 Person of the YearUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9157958.post-1104138884992137142004-12-27T01:14:00.000-08:002004-12-27T01:14:00.000-08:00Al - thanks for sharing your thoughts.
I have no ...Al - thanks for sharing your thoughts.<br /><br />I have no doubt that George Bush is trying to protect my ass, I just don't like the way he's doing it. In fact, he's been a disaster in increasing the safety of Americans. Post-9/11 (which I'll give him a "pass" on, even though Clinton is often blamed for the tragedy), infrastructure and cargo ships are still woefully unprotected. Say what you will about "Fahrenheit 9/11," but the sub-plot involving the one part-time ranger protecting miles of Oregon coast is chilling. <br /><br />Bush made the "hard decision" to go into Iraq. It's debatable whether or not it was a good idea in the first place: that I'll concede. But the timing was blatantly political and blatantly stupid, and Americans are losing their lives daily because of it. The planning was blatantly stupid as well: the Powell Doctrine was eschewed in favor of light & quick Rummie Ball. And it worked... for the war phase. The peace-keeping phase is a disaster: we're asking 19-year-old trained killers (our boys and girls) to be peacekeepers, cops, and reconstruction and aid experts. Not gonna do it, in the words of Dana Carvey as Bush I.<br /><br />I'll be doing a post soon on this Barnett fellow over at the Department of the Navy who espouces an entirely new outlook for the US military and its approach to war & peace. Fascinating stuff -- stuff that should have been thought about pre-Iraq.<br /><br />Afghanistan was also a success... in the war phase. BUT: OBL is still missing (how's that for a story of the year?), opium production is booming, and the warlords are playing their warlord games once again. <br /><br />We'll see if the election goes as well in Iraq, indeed. If it happens at all...Staffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00204239335140313863noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9157958.post-1103943410908541472004-12-24T18:56:00.000-08:002004-12-24T18:56:00.000-08:00George Bush is protecting your liberal ass, whethe...George Bush is protecting your liberal ass, whether you appeciate it or not. I don't want to make a blanket endorsement of anything and everything he's ever done, but W is making the hard decisions to try to actually deal with the security problems we face.<br /><br />Also, in fairness George Bush should get some part of the credit for elections in Afghanistan, which I would rate as perhaps the top historical event of the year. <br /><br />We'll see if the election goes as well in Iraq.Alhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08940553284067503671noreply@blogger.com