July 12, 2005 by lonbud
Gimme 12 Steps
One of the greatest things about the Universe is that, often, just about the time I am feeling good and satisfied with my progress in it, it reveals to me just how little I do know, and how much further advanced are others around me.
Today I came across something that sums up neatly an aspect of George W. Bush’s defectiveness that I have touched upon from time to time over the years. But this puts it in a plain-spoken and clear manner that humbles me.
There’s also a wealth of additional info to be gained therein, so get click-happy.
Michael Herdegen - July 14, 2005 @ 6:23 am
How did Bush get a “pass on Step 4” from the Texas Air National Guard ?
Bush spent a year training to be an F-102 pilot, and completed his service obligations.
Much is made of the fact that he did not do so by attending all of the regular monthly drills, but he made up that time, and anyone with familiarity with the Army Reserves and National Guard will recognize that it’s common to skip drills and make up the time later.
In February 2003, General Shinseki [said] that the Iraqi occupation would require “something on the order of several hundred thousand soldiers.” […] Secretary Rumsfeld [said that] “the idea that it would take several hundred thousand U.S. forces I think is far off the mark.”
Bush’s SecDef told him that Shinseki was wrong.
That turned out to be a mistake, but was it a deliberate fraud upon the American people ?
No.
Richard Clarke, a 30 year civil servant whose career spanned Republican and Democratic administrations, made damning […] charges about the Bush team’s mishandling of the pre-9/11 terror threat…
And also, the Clinton team’s much longer mishandling of the pre-9/11 terror threat, including the bombing of the WTC, the bombing of Khobar Towers, the bombing of American Embassies in Africa, the explosive attack on the USS Cole…
Nobody was expecting 9/11.
Bush isn’t God, he cannot be expected to see all.
Jim Jeffords. The one-time GOP senator’s principled opposition to the Bush 2001 tax plan led to massive retaliation by the President and his staff. It’s no wonder he became an independent.
Or, could it be that Jeffords simply sold his alliegence to the highest bidder ?
The Dems gave him a committee chair, the GOP wasn’t willing to do so.
Residents of California […] In the spring of 2001, the Bush administration took no action to address out of control energy prices in California, despite now-confirmed claims of market manipulation by Enron, Dynegy and others.
The market manipulation was enabled and motivated by the California Utility Commission itself. By establishing a two-tiered system of allowable prices, depending on whether the power was generated in-state or out-of-state, they provided motivation for energy-trading companies to ship California-generated power out-of-state, and to ship an equal amount of electricity back to Cali.
California has no one to blame but itself for that debacle.
The Israelis and Palestinians. Over three years, the Bush administration has done essentially nothing to address the single most critical issue in the Middle East […] And now, the President backs the unilateral Sharon plan that preempts the very outcome (trading all Jewish West Bank settlements in exchange for no Palestinian right of return) most believe both sides must reach for real peace.
Except that that outcome is EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED in the past year.
The Israelis are pulling out of Gaza and most of the West Bank, and the Palestinians have no right of return.
Families of American Soldiers. The President’s has consistently – and cowardly misappropriated the courageous image of American servicemen and women. […] All the while, he has barred the networks from covering the return of fallen soldiers to Dover Air Force Base.
Bush often visits the wounded in military hospitals, and comforts families of fallen soldiers.
That he doesn’t invite the media along for those trips is to Bush’s credit.
To the American people, George W. Bush needs to make amends for all of the above. There is, of course, so much more, […] the tax give-away to the wealthy, a staggering budget deficit, a moribund economy…
Also, a tax give-away to everyone with children, such that the bottom 50% of American households pay only 5% of Federal income taxes.
A budget deficit totalling a mere $ 350 billion, or less, for ’05, and that in a time of war.
The economy is growing at an annual rate of 3.5%+, and unemployment is at 5%.
Michael Herdegen - July 14, 2005 @ 7:56 am
Also, re: Iraq, the stunning and swift defeat of the Taliban in Afghanistan conditioned the Bush admin to expect that Iraq might be as simple.
And, in fact, the invasion part went more quickly than any other campaign of its size in history. Even the vaunted German Blitzkrieg wasn’t as decisive or speedy.
lonbud - July 14, 2005 @ 8:27 am
What the administration failed to understand, and on which it remains in the dark, is that the fight is not against a traditional military force.
In fact, the German Blitzkrieg was just as speedy and decisive against the vaunted Polish and Czech armies of the late ’30s.
Kinda like Reagan’s speedy and decisive victory against the terrifying army in Granada that restored confidence in America’s military might back in the ’80s.
Michael Herdegen - July 14, 2005 @ 2:22 pm
Um…
Yeah. Granada = Iraq. Right-o.
You may not agree with the way that the Bush admin is addressing the problem, but they seem to understand very well that defeating the insurgents in Iraq won’t solve the terror problem.
However, just as bin Laden used Afghanistan as a refuge, from which he could plan, and train al Qaeda operatives, it’s the Bush admin’s hope that a fairly stable, somewhat affluent, mostly democratic Iraq will serve as an example to potential jihadists that there can be a future for them outside of the dead end of traditional Arab culture, or the faux glory of striking an irrelevant blow against the West.