Time is of the essence
Reader comment on item: Defending and Advancing Freedom

Submitted by John A. Rosado (United States), Nov 2, 2005 at 13:48

I very much agree with analysis in your article, but with some exceptions. You mentioned :

"I cheered this change in direction when it was announced, and still do. But here, too, I find the implementation flawed. The administration is trying to build democracy much too quickly. A mere 22 months, for example, passed between the overthrow of Saddam Hussein and elections for the prime minister of Iraq; in my view, the interval should have been closer to 22 years."

The implementation may be flawed but there are good reasons for it. America is a nation of quick fixes. I am referring to the fact that planets are saved and cultures are changed in one short 1 hour episode of star trek, minus the commercials. Bad leaders get their comeuppance in one 2 hour movie, you pick the movie, the world is saved and they are out. Then of course there are the video games where anyone saves the universe in mere minutes.

All of this assumes the answer is obvious and everyone is happy with the outcome, the bad guys are gone. Well real life does not work the same. The air war in Iraq may have been over in less than 30 days each time and the actual ground action over in a few weeks, but not everyone was happy with the outcome. People starting with the John Kerry, who is still running for president, is using the fact that the enemy still has a say in what is happening in Iraq. Also we must acknowledge that the rest of the left is using every single bullet and roadside bomb in their arsenal of Bush hatred.

I agree that it should take 22 years because culture does not change in months, but Bush does not have 22 years. He must have a course plotted and well running before the left can convince the American people that terrorism was not a problem and would never be used against us if it was not for Bush doctrine. Never mind all the bombings in the Clinton years. Never mind destruction of the World Trade Center was planned and funded well before Bush was elected. The American left is simply not going to give Bush the time required to do it properly. He must act fast.

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