Under the circumstances, there was no viable "exit strategy" we could see, violating another of our principles. Furthermore, we had been self-consciously trying to set a pattern for handling aggression in the post-Cold War world. Going in and occupying Iraq, thus unilaterally exceeding the United Nations' mandate, would have destroyed the precedent of international response to aggression that we hoped to establish. Had we gone the invasion route, the United States could conceivably still be an occupying power in a bitterly hostile land. It would have been a dramatically different -- and perhaps barren -- outcome.

-- A World Transformed, by former President George H.W. Bush

Back then they didn't have WMDs or ties to Al Qaeda and 9/11.

(the rabbanification continues)

Last edited: Friday, March 24, 2006 at 12:06:52 PM

Hail to the thief!

It would seem that George Jr. Doesn't talk to George Sr. Very much. I would think it would be awesome to have a former president as your dad when you were president. That's better than Bill having Hillary! I mean, talk about an advisor. "So, dad, Saddam's back. What do you think I should do?" Surely he's talked to his dad about buying cattle and land, so it would seem to be natural to ask his advice before going to war with a country dad had already battled. Hmm, maybe Jeb's the favorite.

@ 44 - ?

44! Beyond anything rabbit would have posted. That's JJ/chief/kkb territory!

I have no real love for Bush Sr., but in this case, he seems to have a lot more under the hood than his progeny.

Listen to your dads, kids. Sometimes they know what they're talking about...

Sarcasm, right? (wanders off shaking his head...) Gotta be...

I remember reading that the subliterate Educator in Chief described his father, (Bush the a$$-kisser), as not the sort of person one looked to or went to for advice. The Edmund Morris bio of Reagan, "Dutch", is a good source for some interesting, and revealing, depictions of VP Bush. Kind of an odd character even apart from all the Machiavellian intrigue. (Nixon thought GHWBush was a light-weight, referring to him as "...someone you would appoint to something".)

God, I never thought I'd live to see an era in American politics when I would miss Nixon.

Last edited: Friday, March 24, 2006 at 5:02:35 PM

:) someone you would appoint to something! I love that. Was GHW more machiavellian then GW?

Can you imagine the subliterate Educator in Chief as Director of CIA? That's a hoot.

It's my understanding that Bush the Elder acted throughout his entire life cultivating powerful associations (especially in the Middle East), and rather carefully crafting his everything in relation to his Ambition. His son, on the other hand, seems merely to have been the perfect basically empty suit to act as a vessel on behalf of some of the most sinister corporate/political/defense managers of Reagan/Bush I. "House of Bush, House of Saud" by Craig Unger is especially informative...not that it's publication affected this deceitful imbecile's reelection.

I enjoy reading your posts, stink. You do good work.

Thanks nyarl! Someone has to keep these over-reaching righties in their place!

"His son, on the other hand, seems merely to have been the perfect basically empty suit to act as a vessel on behalf of some of the most sinister corporate/political/defense managers of Reagan/Bush"

That's how I've always viewed him myself. No, I can't even envision him running the CIA. But then again, I can't envision Bolton representing us at the UN either. Or perhaps a horse association president running FEMA, or a high school grad censoring NASA reports....strange times.

But I get your point: the idea of a cunning, crafty, calculating and patient bush 1 verses the slap-happy, empty-mined idealogue with delusions of entitlement, bush jr. I think when you compare the above quote with any quote by bush jr, you also get a sense of a contrast in intelligence, not to mention statesmenship.

Bush, the Inferior:
Hurricane Donation Earmarked for Bush Firm
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/24/AR2006032400815.html

^ that's the paradigm they operate under. Nothing goes anywhere unless there are strings attached...

I'm not familiar with "Ignite" products, but it seems to me that doing anything that looks like conflict of interest would be wise to avoid. She could have just bought the software and donated it herself instead.