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Reply to Daniel Pipes on President Bush

Reader comment on item: The Afghan War's Dismal End; Blame Bush Too

Submitted by Joe Willingham (United States), May 29, 2014 at 19:20

Daniels Pipes is way off the mark. For one thing Bush didn't initiate the war in Afghanistan. We were attacked on our own soil by people operating from Afghanistan and the Afghan government refused to turn over the perpetrators. 'there was no controversy over responding to the attack, any more than there was after Pearl Harbor. Under Bush the Taliban was overthrown and Al Qaeda knocked way back. It is during the years that Obama has been in office that the situation has deteriorated. Obama has managed the situation in Afghanistan the way he manages whatever is on his plate - poorly. Given that the real villain in Afghanistan is our dear ally Pakistan keeping our gains in Afghanistan is devilishly difficult. That is why we need to elect capable people to serve as
commander-in-chief, and not hack politicians who have never accomplished anything.

As for Iraq Bush didn't start that conflict. Saddam didn't live up to the terms of the armistice after the first Gulf war. He continued to make trouble for us and our allies. Again, the decision to invade Iraq was bi-partisan. The Democrats supported it, but when the going got tough they turned against it in a crass pursuit of political gain. About fifty countries supported the US, many of them sending troops. As for Bush "lying" about Saddam having WMDs, US, French, British and Russian intelligence all thought he did. He used chemical weapons is his war against Iran, and gave every indication that he wanted to get nuclear weapons.

It took Bush too long to quit mucking around and put a capable general in charge, but when he finally did we won the conflict. I am convinced that the situation in Iraq has deteriorated recently because the Iraqi government has decided that Obama can't be relied on, and have made a rational decision to look elsewhere, namely to Iran, for a strategic partner.

As for Bush's failure to achieve democracy in Afghanistan and Iraq he hasn't altogether failed. Both of those countries have governments elected more of less freely. The problem is that democracy without the willingness to compromise and respect the rule of law is not a good thing. It's what the classical liberal thinkers called "the tyranny of thethe majority".

But democracy or whatever form of government is not the main point, and I suspect even Bush was aware of that. The point of our foreign policy is, or at least was until Obama came into office,
to protect the security of the United States and to maintain minimal order in the world so that various bad actors are kept in check and the possiblity of human progress is kept alive.

Reagan set the standard for foreign policy. He was bold, he went for victory, but he brought down the evil empire without firing a shot. When it came time to negotiate with the Soviet Union he did, despite objections from some right-wingers.

The good news is that world has made tremendous progress in the last fifty years. As more and more countries have adopted capitalism and learned to use modern technology the problem of hunger in many parts of the globe has been replaced by an epidemic of obesity. Several libertarian writers have detailed this progress. We need to stay number one in military and every other form of strength and remain "the last best hope of mankind".

Submitting....

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Reader comments (40) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
Bush's limited responsibility [268 words]Rob A.Jun 18, 2014 12:22215476
Mistakes [47 words]Kepha HorJun 11, 2014 21:03215336
1The strange case of Bowe Burgdahl and his father the erstwhile hippie [137 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
dhimmi no moreJun 2, 2014 08:27215198
1The great Michael Hastings and Bowe Burgdahl and his strange family [107 words]dhimmi no moreJun 4, 2014 07:01215198
divine copyright notice [97 words]mythJun 6, 2014 06:36215198
1The basmala revisited [586 words]dhimmi no moreJun 10, 2014 07:25215198
for the sake of communication [138 words]mythJun 16, 2014 08:54215198
1The Qur'an is text with no context [321 words]dhimmi no moreJun 19, 2014 09:11215198
Bergdahl is not a deserter, he was naive. [42 words]JaneJan 24, 2016 13:27215198
2Bowe Bergdhal is not naive [28 words]dhimmi no moreJan 25, 2016 08:03215198
Iraq nuclear drive? [143 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
PezDispenserJun 1, 2014 12:48215164
Republican credibility on foreign policy [65 words]FrankzMay 31, 2014 17:01215142
4We're fighting the wrong wars [343 words]Halal McKosherSteinMay 30, 2014 20:49215128
1Prescience [131 words]y Brandstetter MDJun 1, 2014 08:50215128
1Prescience - As it is Written, So it is Happening [285 words]M. ToveyJun 4, 2014 14:12215128
1right on -add 1 more [17 words]Michael Hanni MorcosJun 9, 2014 02:11215128
1One mistake, however, was all Obama's [324 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Malcolm LoweMay 30, 2014 17:39215123
terrorists started the Iraq and Afganistan wars. [40 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
rodney allsworthMay 30, 2014 17:22215122
1Agree and Disagree [100 words]Luke LloydMay 30, 2014 10:43215121
1the grand fallacy in the Afghanistan region [62 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
mythMay 30, 2014 06:10215117
Access to Afghanistan [102 words]Gene TagliaJun 1, 2014 00:37215117
supply through Russia [34 words]mythJun 3, 2014 06:37215117
Pakistan has always been a part of the supply line. [130 words]Gene TagliaJun 6, 2014 04:50215117
no total failure [387 words]mythMay 30, 2014 05:31215116
1Reply to Daniel Pipes on President Bush [567 words]Joe WillinghamMay 29, 2014 19:20215108
Blame Bush [299 words]ChloeMay 29, 2014 16:44215106
1GWB vs BHO [189 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
YaleMay 29, 2014 12:43215103
What next? [154 words]dhimmi no moreMay 29, 2014 11:46215100
1Sanctity of precious Lives - is Key [149 words]Michael Hanni MorcosJun 9, 2014 02:51215100
RESPONSE TO THE AFGHAN WAR'S DISMAL END... [209 words]Ameer Labeeb HassanMay 29, 2014 10:34215099
1Re: Afghanistan [75 words]OLD DESERT RATMay 29, 2014 09:49215098
Cause rather than blame [35 words]John BMay 29, 2014 03:16215091
1Plenty of blame to go around [309 words]Gene TagliaMay 28, 2014 23:53215082
1Wanted: Islam Savvy Leader [95 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
DaveMay 28, 2014 21:09215079
1Truth, Knowledge and Wisdom [120 words]Mark WerfelMay 28, 2014 21:05215078
I was disappointed [52 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Philip WitriolMay 28, 2014 19:59215074
Bush 43 was not the Creator of the Problem [309 words]M. ToveyMay 28, 2014 19:08215071
The problem seems to be ours and we are stuck with it [148 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Jacques HadidaMay 28, 2014 18:56215069
1honesty [12 words]LewisMay 28, 2014 17:42215066
1Americans don't understand... [14 words]Robin RosenblattMay 28, 2014 17:11215064

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Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".

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