Bush is Bad

Divided, we fail

Published on November 21, 2007 By joe-pro-photographer In Politics

In my last political posting, I suggested Bush was one of the worst Presidents in history. My reasoning was straight forward: no matter what your position on the war in Iraq, his handling of the planning up to war, the execution of the war itself, and the poor after-thought about the conflict's aftermath, make him a nominee for Lousy Prez.

So, many more conservative bloggers took me to task on the intelligence leading up to the war. "No," they write, "hind sight is 20/20, and it's easy to see the intelligence was wrong after the fact."

The problem is,from the beginning, Bush forced the intel to fit his agenda. It's not me who says this, it's a chorus of people from both the right and left. David Kay, former head of the Iraq Survey Group, couldn't believe the lack of intel on WMD's when he started looking for WMD's after the conflict began. And although he had no intel, was given a rag-tag group to look for WMDs, he still thought the wMDs probably existed. As he dug into the reports, he understood how everyone was duped.

The Bush Administration relied on Iraqi exhiles to support the WMD beliefs. Some of these folks hadn't been to Iraq since the first Gulf War. Their intel was more than 10 years old. One was later arrested for accepting money from SH himself, under the oil for food program. He had been a regular visitor at the White House.

A leader doesn't take facts and fit them to his agenda. A leader evaluates facts and reacts to the facts. A leader inspires others to come forward and voice their opinion, even when that opinion is different from theirs. A leader evaluates his team, and watches for power hungry people who can't run their department (read: Rumsfeld), a leader works with the minority and incorporates their concerns, where possible, into his agenda. A leader works within the Constitution. A leader unites and inspires.

Bush did none of these. (Though whether he stepped out of the bounds of the Constitution is open to debate). He took a "you're with us or you're against us" approach.

The uniter turned out to be the ultimate divider.

Comments (Page 14)

196

MountainHawk

on Nov 25, 2007

The infraction was Saddam was not allowing unconditional inspections, Saddam was hindering inspections and arguing the point as he had done for twelve years, Saddam was producing weapons that were a direct violation to his agreements and was seeking to acquire weaponry from oversees from Russia, China and France and Germany. Weaponry found after the invasion proves that those countries mentioned were assisting Saddam to violate resolutions. Enough paperwork has been found since for us to form the opinion that Saddam had a definite intent to restart ALL weapons programmes after the inspectors had left and that he deliberately shut them ALL down while inspections were on. The long range missile program continued and was found by Hans Blix in the week prior to the invasion. Never mind the media smoke screen. Look at the facts. There is still a long list of weaponry Saddam failed to prove or verify to inspectors that it had been destroyed or dismantled or rendered safe. As for Iran. If she is attacked it will be because she arrogantly defies inspectors of a thorough nature also. Do you want to risk Iran having a nuclear weapon? If she is producing nuclear energy for peaceful purposes then why does she not simply open her doors for thorough inspection and prove she has nothing to hide?

197

kona0197

on Nov 25, 2007

All I see is a bunch of people complaining about Bush.

Why don't I see anyone doing anything about the problems?

Complaining is easy. Take up a cause. Get involved.

Till then all you are is being part of the problem.

Be part of the solution.

198

PurrBall

on Nov 25, 2007

Bush is Bad

No shit, I knew that before he even got into office.

199

kingbee

on Nov 26, 2007

Worst president in history though?

Hamilton was nailed for everything from

hamilton was never president

200

Disturbedcomputer

on Nov 26, 2007

Cui Bono {Key Bone No} = Who Benefits From This Crime ?
Bush ?

Watch these films; 911 The great Illusion pt. 1/12

1 WWW Link Time 09:38

2 WWW Link Time 09:46

3 WWW Link Time 09:46

4 WWW Link Time 09:46

5 WWW Link Time 09:46

6 WWW Link Time 09:31

7 WWW Link Time 09:13

8 WWW Link Time 09:13

9 WWW Link Time 09:13

10 WWW Link Time 09:13

11 WWW Link Time 09:13

12 WWW Link Time 08:49

oh and We did not vote for Bush! He cheated .
remember back at is first term Florida was duped well the country was. and some of Bush's family was some
of the one doing the recounts.

Bush is the devil.

He is Killing our men and women for his gain..

201

joe-pro-photographer

on Nov 26, 2007

All I see is a bunch of people complaining about Bush.

I know there are 200 responses here. But if you delve into some of them, you will see proposed solutions. You may not like them, but they are there. A blog is a forum to log your thoughts. Sometimes, these thoughts are complaints. It is not a forum fo action.

202

joe-pro-photographer

on Nov 26, 2007

The infraction was Saddam was not allowing unconditional inspections, Saddam was hindering inspections and arguing the point as he had done for twelve years,

Mountainhawk,
We are actually closer in our beliefs than you might think. My gripe with Bush (and I know this thread has gone on very long so this may have been lost 30 comments ago) is the explanation, execution, planning and debathification (causing a lack of infrastructure) with our President. It is not whether we should have invaded Iraq. My gripe with Bush is he has surrounded himself with yes men and ego maniacs, Rumsfeld in particular, who (since you are obviously a military man) basically neutered the JOS. By not showing leadership, Bush let the troops down and created a fiasco.

If he'd of listened to Powell a bit more closely, instead of accepting his resignation, things may not be as f***d up as they currently are. I personally think Powell would have supported the surge (which seems to be working) -- it fits with his 'hit them 'till they can't breathe then hit them again' approach. But State did not run things the first 4 years of Bush's Presidency (the time when Powell was in charge). DOD did -- leaving Rumsfeld at the helm. He sunk the ship.

Rumsfeld, who won Bush's ear over Powell, supported 'tactical, surgical forces'. That is what caused our men and women to be hung out to dry on many, many instances. But the buck stops with Bush.

Bush is weak. He blusters well, but he is weak. That is why I think he is a poor leader, not because he chose to invade Iraq.

203

starkers

on Nov 26, 2007

starkers....Footscray Tech [University it's called these days] a year or three ago. Certainly not quite Columbine, though...

As I said, I could not recall a shooting incident in a school....and you'd think, being shootings here are so far and few between, to almost never, the media would have played that one up into monolithic proportions. Until you mentioned Footscray Tech, I had no recollection, still don't, of any shooting there...but then, that's the price one pays for living in Tasmania (at the time).... not all overseas news gets air-play down there.

I did see the news reports on the former Gold Coast biker's shooting rampage in Melbourne (was living in Qld at the time), but outlaw bikers believe and behave like thay're not a part of mainstream society, so we shan't count that as an Australian shooting ....being the outlaw biker culture/mentality is largely imported, anyhow.

Oh, and did you see that Howard's butt-plug, Costello isn't contesting the leadership ... may even/will probably depart politics altogether??? So with former deputy PM and leader of the Nationals, Michael Vaile, also stepping down/spitting the political dummy, they're uh...hehe, falling like proverbial nine pins in the coalition camp.

BTW: still nursing a bye, bye Johnny hangover, are we???

204

joe-pro-photographer

on Nov 26, 2007

I'm so lost! Geeze, I never dreamed I was one who thinks only in terms of the good old USA, but I know nothing about this part of the tread. Kinda cool though. I can tell you the news reports here in the US covering your election have been, I'd say, not front page above the fold.
M

205

starkers

on Nov 26, 2007

I can tell you the news reports here in the US covering your election have been, I'd say, not front page above the fold.

Well we've had nothing but election crap force fed down our throats for weeks now...well those who watch TV, listen to radio and read newspapers have. Me, well I don't do any of those things any more, so I've been oblivious to the whole damned thing.... blissful ignorance is what I think you call it.

I got the results off nine-msn's home page Sunday morning, that's more than enough politics for me these days, given I think politicians are despicable lying bastards who 'd steal their mother's purses and sell them back to them six parts empty.

Next, I suppose, we'll be inundated with constant news updates on the US election coverage. Gawd 'elp us! ...like we really need to know/care even

206

aufisch

on Nov 26, 2007

Oh, and did you see that Howard's butt-plug, Costello isn't contesting the leadership ... may even/will probably depart politics altogether???

Thats a bit odd, before I left Australia, I can distinctly remember that Howard said he would step back in favor of Costello after another year (I believe Costello was treasurer then). This obviously never happened?

207

starkers

on Nov 27, 2007

Nope, never happened.... been a big deal of it made in the press here, and much ado about the fact that Howard invited most other cabinet ministers to dinner at The Lodge, but not Peter Costello. To be honest, I don't think it was that Howard wasn't fond of Costello, but more that he was worried about spitting his entree...er, salad and dessert all over the table and other guests when ever Pete said to Tony Abbott: "Hey Bud.....!" I mean, lil Johnny wasn't entirely without a sense of humour....he too saw the striking similarities between them and the comic duo of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello.

208

joe-pro-photographer

on Nov 27, 2007

Next, I suppose, we'll be inundated with constant news updates on the US election coverage. Gawd 'elp us! ...like we really need to know/care even

Unless, of course, Oscar de la Hoya in a fishnet outfit and dress as photographed by a "dancer" overshadows the election coverage, as it very well might. Then, it'll be all things Oscar.

209

kingbee

on Nov 27, 2007

Oscar de la Hoya in a fishnet outfit and dress

no matter what oscar wears, it ain't gonna top this:

much less this...

(there must be moments when he thinks he's rudy nureyev rather than giuliani.)

210

SanChonino

on Nov 28, 2007

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