Inactive Rebunk
Poor George
I must confess, part of me almost feels sorry for our president. Having launched this war against Iraq on the basis of false information and outright deception; having waged the war itself incompetently; having not been able to locate Bin Laden; having an administration that continues to utter inconsistent and inaccurate statements on interviews; having caused massive national deficits, presided over increased trade deficits, and rising gas prices; having done all of these things, I really can not think of anything the president could possibly have said last night that would have made much of a difference to anyone.
Pity. Here is the speech he should have given (or something like it):
“My fellow Americans,
Today, this nation is engaged in a conflict in Iraq against an insurgency that seems to be getting more deadly and more organized. I have spent the past several years ignoring or antagonizing much of the international community that could potentially help us, but that is going to change.
It is time to put this country on a better path, which is why I have outlined this 6-step process for improving this nation’s security.
First, I will allow foreign governments, particularly those in the region, to train Iraqi troops on their own soil, rather than follow our current policy of forbidding such actions. This will be accompanied by inviting foreign companies into Iraq for reconstruction, even if their host countries did not participate in the conflict.
Second, I will ask the United Nations for their assistance in rebuilding much of the Iraqi infrastructure and civil service. Although this administration has rightly focused on building a democratic government, no such government can long sustain itself in the face of water shortages, power outages, and other problems ignored by much of the American press, caused mostly by insurgents who target those facilities. The UN, for all its faults, has the best experience in this area, and the most credibility in the region.
Third, I will meet with the leaders of Bulgaria, Japan, Ukraine, and other hesitant allies and discuss with them how we can go about keeping their troops in Iraq, rather than have them pull out. I will not order them to do this, and I may even have to make some concessions to their governments in order to justify this, but keeping this campaign as international as possible is vital, and more troops, not less, may be needed to finish this job.
Fourth, it is time that the United State recognize the other nations that threaten us. Our current policy on North Korea was bold, assertive, and disastrous, and although the US media have forgotten the fact that North Koreas has been developing nuclear weapons for the highest bidder, this administration has not, and will begin immediately with two-party talks. During these talks, this country will do what it has been incapable of doing in the past: negotiating rather than demanding. Because of this, we hope to find some agreement that will end with a disarmed North Korea. I will also give some encouragement to European leaders whose attempts at dealing with Iran have proven unsuccessful. While the United States will push the Europeans privately about the need for action, we will no longer make veiled threats against Iran, or inflame the situation by immediately making accusations against Iran’s new leader.
Fifth, our national security is directly related to our fiscal health, which is why it is time to ask Americans what they have never before been asked by me, to actually sacrifice something for this conflict that was once so popular. I am sending a bill to Congress to repeal part of the tax cuts and cut all necessary spending in order to being this nation’s deficits under control.
Finally, my fellow Americans, it is time to start being honest with you. I am optimistic that Iraq will succeed and can assure you that we will do whatever it takes, no matter how long it takes, and no matter how much it costs, to make that happen. But it may be years, and the number of lives may continue to increase. No more rosy exaggerations, no more talk of the insurgency being in its last throes without evidence, from now on, I am going to give honesty a try.”
Had Bush delivered THAT speech, it would certainly have made an impression on me.
- Good questions by Marc "Adam Moshe" Bacharach (June 29, 2005 at 12:26 PM)
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