[continue]
While Giuliani was spinning Bush's resoluteness in the face of all the problems in this terror-plagued world, Bush himself was saying on NBC's Todays' Show with reference to the "war":
"I don't think you can win it, but I think you can create conditions so that those who use terror as a tool are less acceptable in parts of the world."
It didn't take long before Bush was on Rush Limbaugh's Show saying and repeating that we could win this "war." Some people may call this a flip-flop. But it isn't. Bush does not flip-flop. He is resolute. He was resolute from the very beginning of his presidency. He became even more resolute after September 11. Here are a few examples of his resoluteness:
1 - Bush RESOLUTELY shot down the Kyoto Environmental treaty. He didn't flip, he didn't flop. He offered no alternate ideas, no discussions. He merely disregarded the Europeans and others who were in favor of the treaty.
2 - Bush RESOLUTELY decided that America should not be part of the International Court. He even tried to make deals with countries to assure that no American would ever be tried in this court. You wonder why some foreigners think Bush is against justice.
3 - Bush RESOLUTELY decided to scrap the treaty U.S. had with Russia. What choice did Russia have? Then he just as resolutely advocated the anti-missile defense system, and even installed the hardware, though it was incapable of doing what it was supposed to. But why should facts interfere with resolve?
4 - Bush RESOLUTELY denigrated South Korea because it was trying to have a dialogue with North Korea. Later, North Korea developed nuclear bombs (we believe). But Bush resolutely insists that his actions have nothing to do with North Korea's actions.
5 - Bush RESOLUTELY cut all environmental programs promulgated by Bill Clinton. He followed the ABC rule: Anything but Clinton ideas. He is positive he is right and Clinton is wrong.
6 - On September 11, Bush RESOLUTELY stayed with the kids at the school he was at even though he had just been told of the perpetrated atrocities. Then he flew around for several hours before any of us knew where he was. He wan't flipping, he wasn't flopping. He was flying.
7 - Bush, as Giuliani says, RESOLUTELY told the terrorists that they would hear from us. Later Bush said that he wanted Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." Now Bush says it does not matter if we find Osama bin Laden or not. This is not a flip-flop. Bush got Saddam Hussein, which is just as good.
8 - We weren't long in Afghanistan when Bush RESOLUTELY began pushing for a war with Iraq. Despite the fact that the intelligence about weapons of mass destruction was murky, Bush was resolute in his advance toward war.
9 - When Garner was in charge of Iraq he advocated early elections. Bush RESOLUTELY fired him and placed Paul Bremer in charge. Bremer postponed elections and made so many mistakes that there is now a big insurgency in Iraq. Iraqis hate Americans. But "we're winning."
10 - After the war part of the Iraq war, Bush visited the Middle East and RESOLUTELY insisted that the Israelis and Palestinians make peace. Instead, there has been nothing but war. Bush didn't flip, he didn't flop. He just forgot about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
11 - Bush's RESOLUTENESS is so great that for many months he refused to talk to the German leader. Eventually he did. But this was no flip-flop. This was compassion.
12 - Bush RESOLUTELY said that if he labeled a guy an "enemy combatant," then there's no legal recourse for this guy. Even when lawyers objected, he resolutely stuck to his guns. No flip-flop here.
13 - Bush RESOLUTELY proclaimed that America was Taiwan's friend. Then he just as resolutely told Taiwan to behave itself when China began barking.
What is the result of all this resolve? According to the commander-in-chief himself, it is "catastrophic success." I have no idea what this means. Do you know? I guess it's something like "compassionate conservatism." They are both oxymorons.
As far as the war in Iraq is concerned, it's a catastrophe alright; not a success.
As far as the "war on terror" is concerned, we have millions more people around the world hating the U.S. It definitely is not a success.
Bush's "resoluteness" leads to "catastrophic success," the kind of success that is meaningless.
