Delusional Candidates This article is inspired by a George Will column entitled "Grand Delusions". http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A60974-2004Sep29.html. George Will believes that both candidates are deluded about Iraq. George Bush believes we are making "steady progress". John Kerry believes the "the world -- a geographical expression, not a political entity -- will help heal Iraq."
George Will doesn't believe either of them. He has no advice for Bush but a suggestion for John Kerry -- " By late this evening we may know whether, beyond wishful thinking, Kerry's real answer to the Iraq conundrum amounts to telling Americans to face defeat gracefully. In which case, he will have to do just that."
I don't think John Kerry will advise accepting defeat. The stakes are too high. Nor do I think Kerry's idea of help from other powers is such a delusion. It has at least a logical chance of working.
Gerge Bush was arrogant and clumsy in his handling of the nations on the U.N. Security Council. Still, it is just possible that the reason the major European powers did not go along with us has little to do with George Bush. Bush handled the diplomacy clumsily, but it might have never been in the cards for him. France, Germany and Russia were all doing business with Saddam. It has been charged that there was vast corruption having to do with these three countries in the oil for food program. It may be that the corruption rose to a level that could effect foreign policy. The large Muslim populations of these three countries may have made it politically impossible to go along with U.S. leadership.
Bush has recently been to the U.N. to remind them of ther promise to aid in Iraqi security and reconstruction. So far there has been no additional cooperation. What makes John Kerry believe that he could produce a better result? I am willing to speculate.
Someone, perhaps Degaulle, once said, "Nations do not have friends they have interests." Bush failed to explain how helping America in Iraq was in the interest of these three nations. I believe Kerry will find it easier to convince other nations to help us because conditions their interests are threatened by chaos in Iraq. The oil resources are the lifeblood of Western civilization. It is to the interest of every nation to have stability in the middle east. The current instability may be the fault of American policy, but Europe, Japan and China all need every drop of reasonably priced oil they can get.
The Global war against Islamic extremism is escalating. The world needs American strength in this fight. We must be free of Iraq if we are to provide that strength.
Finally, John Kerry would be starting with a clean slate. He will not have ordered soldiers into battle. He does not have to consider, as does George Bush that he did it it vain. He has not insulted other nations. He has a chance to pull it off. I hope we give it to him.
Mel
8:09:57 PM 
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