Bush Is Running Out of Alibis, by Patrick J. Buchanan (a must read)

[truthpusher]

this article goes into Bush's bizarre attack on isolationism from the SOTU address....

Bush Is Running Out of Alibis

by Patrick J. Buchanan
Posted Feb 03, 2006

"The road of isolationism and protectionism may seem broad and inviting, yet it ends in danger and decline," railed President Bush in his State of the Union. Again and again, Bush returned to his theme.

"America rejects the false comfort of isolationism. ...

"Isolationism would not only tie our hands in fighting enemies, it would keep us from helping our friends in desperate need. ...

"American leaders from Roosevelt to Truman to Kennedy to Reagan rejected isolation and retreat."

Why would a president use his State of the Union to lash out at a school of foreign policy thought that has had zero influence in his administration? The answer is a simple one, but it is not an easy one for Bush to face: His foreign policy is visibly failing, and his critics have been proven right.

But rather than defend the fruits of his policy, Bush has chosen to caricature critics who warned him against interventionism. Like all politicians in trouble, Bush knows that the best defense is a good offense.

Having plunged us into an unnecessary war, Bush now confronts the real possibility of strategic defeat and a failed presidency. His victory in Iraq, like the wars of Wilson and FDR, has turned to ashes in our mouths. And like Truman's war in Korea and Kennedy's war in Vietnam, Bush's war has left America divided and her people regretting he ever led us in. But unlike the world wars, Korea and Vietnam, Bush cannot claim the enemy attacked us and we had no choice. Iraq is Bush's war. Isolationists had nothing to do with it. To a man and woman, they opposed it.

This is a short article...you need to read the rest...more: http://www.humaneventsonline.com/article.php?id=12168

[grasswire]

1. link doesn't work for me

I hope we can find a good one. Bush angered Patrick! Cool!

[boobooday]

2. It's a strange world when I agree with Patrick J. Buchanan

Very strange, indeed.

He makes the most important point, the point that should be our talking point on the SOTU:

"But what has done more to radicalize Islam than our invasion of Iraq? Who has done more to empower Islamic radicals than Bush with his clamor for elections across a region radicalized by our own policies? It is one thing to believe in ideals, another to be the prisoner of some democratist ideology."

You can't democratize people by force, which is exactly what Bush proposed. Then he proceeded to demonize all Muslims, spewing hatred and invective that would be enough to enrage even the most moderate followers of Islam.

It is like having a firefighter show up at your house with a can of gasoline instead of a hose. One can only conclude that he WANTS to radicalize more Muslims, and incite more violence in the Middle East, so he can justify his aggressive actions there.

[msgadget]

10. "Who has done more to empower Islamic radicals than Bush

with his clamor for elections across a region radicalized by our own policies?" Stunningly neither he nor Ms Rice expected Hamas to win. Incredible.

[boobooday]

13. I read Condi's quote

It sounds like what they have said about everything . . .

"nobody anticipated . . ."

the 9/11 hijackings
the breach of the levees in NO
the victory of Hamas

Condi is the poster child of the "we had no idea" administration.

[enid602]

3. Buchanan

More power to Buchanan for criticizing Bush, but blaming FDR for WWII, and Kennedy for Vietnam? That's stretching things by more than a bit.

[CJCRANE]

4. Buchanan makes some good points...

and the freepers definitely can't complain about liberal bias on this one.

[whododayis]

5. pat buchanan

it's a strange day when DU considers the opinions of a certifiable raving nutjob like buchanan as legit. the GOP will slap him back in line by tonight and he'll be "restating" his statement all weekend.

[Libby2]

9. A stopped clock is right , twice a day.

[GDAEx2]

6. Strange times indeed

when I find myself in agreement with Pat Buchanan.

[Auntie Bush]

7. I never thought I'd say it...but good for Pat. Actually , lately I've

given him the rah, rah a couple times now. Once in awhile he actually hits the nail on the head.

[kurth]

8. Buchanan is still a jerk, but this is an excellent article

[gratuitous]

11. Can't say I agree 100% with Buchanan's logic there

Bush will never run out of alibis, and the popular media will never stop reporting those alibis, no matter how lame-sounding or preposterous they are on their face. Why, I bet Bush could even start up a system and program of covert domestic spying outside of legislative or judicial review, even outside the rubber-stamp review of the FISA courts, and as long as he waved the bloody shirt of unspecified terrorism, a majority of pants-wetting nervous Nellies would support him.

I bet that would happen.

[Doctor_J]

12. HE is a HUGH paleocon publication

If they come over to our side wrt *, he's finished.