TO ARMS: Still the President of the United States
"On this day, at this hour, it is still within our power
to shape the outcome of this battle.
Let us find our resolve,
and turn events toward victory."
Jules Crittenden follows up on his essay, "The State of the Union is a Disaster," with his analysis of the speech Bush actually gave.
America loves a fighter. 
America loves to see someone who’s been beaten down and knocked around stand his ground and fight back.
I didn’t expect to see George Bush do that, not with the unapologetic confidence I saw last night. I even started out disgusted by the feel-good bipartisanship and the sugar-coating.
A balanced budget and an end to earmarks. Fine. I feel good, for as long as that lasts.
The promise of health care and social security debates, with proposals that will be dead on arrival. You could see the Democrats, even when they weren’t applauding, licking their chops at the prospect.
The overdue commitment to reduce oil usage, but with those little jabs about clean coal and boosting domestic oil production…. That’s when I began to think, maybe this guy has a little fight left in him. A House-warming gift of a brief nod to climate change … hey, the world gets hot, the world gets cold, the world gets hot again, that’s what it does. Whatever.
There was only one issue that mattered last night. It wasn’t any of the ones the New York Times and the Washington Post and the Boston Globe and the Associated Press tried to tell you were the big issues for a president on the ropes and ready to give in.
But let’s let this great American orator, finally coming into his own, with quiet confidence and determination even in lonely leadership so deep into this war, tell it himself:
“For all of us in this room, there is no higher responsibility than to protect the people of this country from danger. Five years have come and gone since we saw the scenes and felt the sorrow that the terrorists can cause … We know with certainty that the horrors of that September morning were just a glimpse of what the terrorists intend for us — unless we stop them …“Our success in this war is often measured by the things that did not happen … Every success against the terrorists is a reminder of the shoreless ambitions of this enemy. The evil that inspired and rejoiced in 9/11 is still at work in the world. And so long as that’s the case, America is still a nation at war.
“In the mind of the terrorist, this war began well before September the 11th, and will not end until their radical vision is fulfilled … Take almost any principle of civilization, and their goal is the opposite. They preach with threats, instruct with bullets and bombs, and promise paradise for the murder of the innocent.
“Our enemies are quite explicit about their intentions … By killing and terrorizing Americans, they want to force our country to retreat from the world and abandon the cause of liberty … Listen to this warning from the late terrorist Zarqawi: ‘We will sacrifice our blood and bodies to put an end to your dreams, and what is coming is even worse.’ Osama bin Laden declared: ‘Death is better than living on this Earth with the unbelievers among us.’
“These men are not given to idle words … “
Sunni Al Qaeda and Taliban, Iranian-sponsored Shiite death squads and Hezbollah. From Lebanon to Afghanistan. One election after another in 2005, met by fierce reaction and bloody terrorism in 2006.
“This war is more than a clash of arms — it is a decisive ideological struggle, and the security of our nation is in the balance. To prevail, we must remove the conditions that inspire blind hatred … So we advance our own security interests by helping moderates and reformers and brave voices for democracy. The great question of our day is whether America will help men and women in the Middle East to build free societies and share in the rights of all humanity. And I say, for the sake of our own security, we must.”
Of the outbreak of sectarian violence that exploded in 2006,
“This is not the fight we entered in Iraq, but it is the fight we’re in. Every one of us wishes this war were over and won. Yet it would not be like us to leave our promises unkept, our friends abandoned, and our own security at risk. Ladies and gentlemen: On this day, at this hour, it is still within our power to shape the outcome of this battle. Let us find our resolve, and turn events toward victory.“Many in this chamber understand that America must not fail in Iraq, because you understand that the consequences of failure would be grievous and far-reaching.
“If American forces step back before Baghdad is secure, the Iraqi government would be overrun by extremists on all sides. We could expect an epic battle between Shia extremists backed by Iran, and Sunni extremists aided by al Qaeda and supporters of the old regime. A contagion of violence could spill out across the country — and in time, the entire region could be drawn into the conflict.
“For America, this is a nightmare scenario. For the enemy, this is the objective. Chaos is the greatest ally — their greatest ally in this struggle. And out of chaos in Iraq would emerge an emboldened enemy with new safe havens, new recruits, new resources, and an even greater determination to harm America. To allow this to happen would be to ignore the lessons of September the 11th and invite tragedy.
“Ladies and gentlemen, nothing is more important at this moment in our history than for America to succeed in the Middle East, to succeed in Iraq and to spare the American people from this danger.
“Whatever you voted for, you did not vote for failure. Our country is pursuing a new strategy in Iraq, and I ask you to give it a chance to work. And I ask you to support our troops in the field, and those on their way.”
And at that moment, no matter what they said about it later, Bush had them. They all applauded, many of them against their will. They had no choice. Because he was right.
Is this the end of the debate on Iraq, or efforts to seize defeat? No way. But the case has been laid out as clearly it can be, and the president has made it clear he will not give an inch on only issue of the evening that mattered at all. The one issue without which none of the others matter a damn.
At last, at long last, we’re building the Army, 92,000 more troops in five years, and everyone applauded. Thank God. We’re building a Civilian Reserve Corps, a brilliant idea to expand our military capacity, if it survives Congress. It could be the beginning, at last, of a war footing for our nation in what Bush correctly called a “generational struggle that will continue long after you and I have turned our duties over to others.”
Is America ready to hear this call to arms? Today, we can be confident that it can happen, it is possible, despite the insistence of Congress that it not happen. Every bit of the speech and every political ploy will be picked over and picked apart today. The disparagement, the invitations to despair and calls for abandonment of Iraq will be fired up again.
But George Bush, unbowed, showed he is still the president of the United States, and showed us it is still possible to believe in the value of sacrifice and success against adversity, and gave us a glimpse of the greatness of our own nation. He introduced us several great Americans, Dikembe Mutombo, Sgt. Tom Rieman among them, and then he introduced us to Wesley Autrey. A man who left his two young daughters on the platform and jumped into the path of a train to save a stranger three weeks ago.
“He insists he’s not a hero. He says: ‘We got guys and girls overseas dying for us to have our freedoms. We have got to show each other some love.’ There is something wonderful about a country that produces a brave and humble man like Wesley Autrey.”
Something wonderful, and something worth fighting for.
Jules Crittenden is an editor and columnist for the Boston Herald.
Crittenden’s web page is at Forward Movement.
this president’s pretty stupid showing complete ignorance of world geography and political history (including the one of terrorism) – something becoming more and more apparent with every passing day of his presidency!
He’s even soo stupid while selecting his advisors (some very radical con evangelists and Neocons) after failing in one affair after another (Iraq, N.Korea, Afghan, etc)!
They say that country gets a leader they deserve – US deserve better than George!
One of the best speeches out of Washington in a long time. Shame on the cut ‘n run liberal cowards.
Frank:
Your head is so far up your ass, you obviously heard nothing the man said. It’s because of people like you that we are weaker as a nation than ever before in our history. The incessant elitist defeatism that comes from the left accomplishes NOTHING! Get a clue.
Frank -
Your argument serves as a good example of what is wrong with the Democrats. Soundbites and emotions – no apeal to logic or citation of facts. Kneejerk hatred of Bush. Thanks for yet again confirming my impressions of the Left.
The President is standing strong for America. WONDERFUL!! Now, the citizens need to give him all the help we can. We should email any US representative or senator, from either party, when they do not cooperate in the interest of the country. It is time they stopped their egotistical rants and self-serving photo ops and started thinking about what is best for America.
Frank,
Can you come up with something more original than the Bush is stupid meme. He’s the President, you’re not, ‘nuf said.
I agree that the foreign policy part of the speech was good although there remains a major hole when it comes to dealing with Iran.
It’s important for people like Frank to remember that irrespective of what happens to Iraq now or in the future – and let’s assume worst case that the U.S. leaves and it descends into chaos – without Saddam and the Ba’athists it will be at least 20 years before Iraq develops nuclear weapons and can threaten its neighbors. The alternate 2007 universe in which Saddam is in power, the U.N. sanctions have been lifted, and the U.S. is out because it never went in, is one in which a reconstituted Iraqi nuclear program is no more than a couple of years behind Iran’s. Why is that universe preferable to this one?
Bonus question: Why is any universe in which Iran has nukes desirable?
When opponents of the Bush Doctrine can offer rational responses to those questions, I’ll start listening to their objections – not before.
I keep being reminded of a poem written over a hundred years ago: Il Gran Rifiuta, or The Great No:
A day comes to some people when
they must pronounce the great Yes or the great No.
It is instantly clear who has the Yes within,
ready; and by uttering it, he crosses over to
his honor and conviction. The one who
refuses has no remorse. If asked again,
he’d say no again. And yet that No–
the right No-weighs him down to his life’s end.
The War on Terror & fighting Al Queda has nothing to do with getting in the middle of Sunnis and Shiites who desperately want to kill each other. Indeed, getting mired in that quagmire distracts us from Afganistan, etc., which is where we need to be fighting. And “training bases” in Iraq is a silly thing to worry about–Al Queda has all the training bases it can use already in Pakistan, as well as suburban London, Madrid, and probably the US. The sooner we get out of the Iraqi mess, even if doing so embarasses Bush, the sooner America can get back to fighting the War on Terror.
Frank
Better to keep one’s mouth shut and be thought an idiot….
“this president’s pretty stupid showing complete ignorance of world geography and political history”
Nice English…for such a brilliant person. Why don’t you dazzle all of us with your knowledge of world geography and political history
To Dan F.
Hey Dan, I appreciate your arguments. At least they are reasonable and not “Bush is stupid” But I must still disagree with you. Winning in Iraq is vitally important because this is still a world wide war on terror. I am constantly amazed at how the press continually downplays or overlooks this. As such, I am convinced we will have to react to Iran militarily. Being in Iraq, at the very least, presents a threat to Iran that I am very comfortable with.
Bushs quotes on what happens to us if terrorism is not confronted were right on the mark and involve long term analysis not short sighted thinking by the dems.
Of course if we’re hit again then the dems will claim that Bush didn’t do enough to counter the threat.
A wonderful, rousing call on the President’s part to stay the course, and a wonderful, rousing review on your part.
Did you notice the irony of the words “it would not be like us to leave our promises unkept, our friends abandoned, and our own security at risk”? It would not be like GW, but it is all too reminiscent of recent previous administrations.
To Dan F.
What makes you think that the locus of terrorism in the world is Afghanistan?
So if we abandon Iraq and Iran moves in to fill the vacuum while we’re ensconced in Afghanistan increasing it’s territory, oil reserves, and power, that will be a smart move exactly how?
The USA shown to be weak, frightened, and unable to fulfill our commitments, and giving our enemies a tremendous victory will help us exactly how?
You people are so consumed with poisonous personal hatred for George Bush that it has rendered you both idiotic and dangerous to the future of America.
That type of hatred is pathological and no one mired in it escapes the disfigurement of spirit that it inevitably engenders.
Frank,
It is exactly people like you that did not want to fight for our freedom in the Revolutionary War. It is people like you that can not see the big picture of the big threat from these people that openly state they want to kill us. It is people like you that will not wake up until one of our cities has a mushroom cloud over it. And even then you would sit back and blame Bush!! It is people like you that will want the rest of us to protect when chaos comes because of policies that you want. It is people like you America doesn’t need!!!
Dan F,
So if we defeat Al Q. it will mean the end of all radical Islamics?
I suppose some one has to believe it.
I don’t.
HaHaHaHaHaHaHa… Colbert you sly dog, spoofing Createnden just so spot on! How do you manage to catch his vacuous pomposity, that complete disregard for reality, the profound truthiness of Jules?
Love your article. You hit the bulls eye with your analysis.
GC
Soundbites and emotions – no apeal to logic or citation of facts.
Are you serious?!?
cut ‘n run liberal cowards;soundbite, no facts or logic
It’s because of people like you that we are weaker as a nation than ever before in our history.;emotion, no facts or logic
incessant elitist defeatism that comes from the left;soundbite AND emotion, no facts or logic
Kneejerk hatred of Bush.;emotion, no facts or logic
The President is standing strong for America;soundbite, no facts or logic
We should email any US representative or senator, from either party, when they do not cooperate in the interest of the country.;emotion, no facts or logic
let’s assume worst case that the U.S. leaves and it descends into chaos – without Saddam and the Ba’athists it will be at least 20 years before Iraq develops nuclear weapons and can threaten its neighbors. The alternate 2007 universe in which Saddam is in power, the U.N. sanctions have been lifted, and the U.S. is out because it never went in, is one in which a reconstituted Iraqi nuclear program is no more than a couple of years behind Iran’s.;actually well spoken and relatively logical (stretching a little, but what logic doesn’t) argument. Kudos!
Better to keep one’s mouth shut and be thought an idiot….;emotion, no facts or logic
Nice English…for such a brilliant person. Aren’t you reTHUGlicans always the ones crying about us lazy librulz attacking your poor grammer and spelling instead of arguing points on their merits? Hypocrite, much?
Winning in Iraq is vitally important because this is still a world wide war on terror.;soundbite AND emotion, no facts or logic
Bushs quotes on what happens to us if terrorism is not confronted were right on the mark and involve long term analysis not short sighted thinking by the dems.
Of course if we’re hit again then the dems will claim that Bush didn’t do enough to counter the threat.;soundbite AND emotion, no facts or logic OR reason
It would not be like GW, but it is all too reminiscent of recent previous administrations.;soundbite AND emotion, no facts or logic, aside from being factually disputed repeatedly
It is exactly people like you that did not want to fight for our freedom in the Revolutionary War. Just wow.
I don’t understand you people. Look I am as much of a supporter of our Commander in Chief as anyone, I think he’s a real down to earth man. Yet, don’t you even realize that that speech was, although not word for word, exactly like all other SOTUs since Reagan?? I.E. balance the budget, reduce oil dependence, win the ongoing conflict at the time. The socialist leftists and the media (one in the same) have left our own president completely powerless and ineffective. This two party system will destroy America by the time of our grandchildren. They do nothing but try and secure votes and bicker. It is time for a realistic, independent, true conservative party to save this country. Republicans and Democrats are one in the same. Don’t you realize we live in an oligarchy?? Only the rich can be elected, and God forbid if Satan (hillary) wins in 08 we will have had 20 yrs of the same two families in power?? welcome the the united monarchy of america.
Given the state of your writing abilities (your spelling and punctuation are abysmal), Frank, the stupid one is not living at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, but rather in YOUR house, using YOUR name.
No specific examples, no specificity of attributions, just foaming-at-the-mouth invective directed at a man whose boots you are not fit to lick!
This nation is blessed to have President George W. Bush. Unlike Frank’s fellow travelers, President Bush is a man of morality, strength and intelligence with the backbone that allows him to remain steadfast in the face of the left’s stupidities and character assassination attempts.
That’s just funny!
Please, click A href=”http://www.askoxford.com/concise_oed/hypocrisy?view=uk”>this link!
Vern, Frank’s words and tone are the evidence. Isn’t that obvious? “Stupid,” “complete ignorance,” “stupid,” again, the oh-so-spooooooky “very radical con evangelists and Neocons,” “failing in one affair after another” with even Afghanistan (or “Afghan,” as this savvy world geographer says) in the count – why, the only things missing are references to the President’s being a drunk, a deserter, and/or a chimp.
The rhetoric on my side of the aisle can get trite, true; but I don’t think we’re quite the (anti-)personality cultists that our esteemed opponents are at present.
Dan F. does better by at least wanting to fight the fight; I think he’s absolutely wrong that (everybody now) “Iraq is a distraction” (and, yes, I know it’s not a quotation from Dan; it’s a restatement of the meme that’s been floating around since the early days of Iraq), since a moderate, democratic, vast-majority Muslim nation smack in the middle of the Middle East and interrupting supply lines in all directions would be, IMHO, a giant step toward ending state support of terrorism in that region. That doesn’t even take into account the relatively intangible but no less important benefit of demonstrating to the world that this single superpower still is one: that we’re still the same country who said “Nuts!” to a demand for surrender.
Dan F:
“Indeed, getting mired in that quagmire distracts us from Afganistan, etc., which is where we need to be fighting.”
“The sooner we get out of the Iraqi mess, even if doing so embarasses Bush, the sooner America can get back to fighting the War on Terror.”
.. and in doing so, create yet another Afghanistan in the making. Short sighted to say the least.
“great American orator”
Bwahahahahahahahah!!!!!
That’s like saying that Richard Reid is a great Christian leader.
Heh, idiot.
P.S. For those of you too thick to understand, I used Reid as an example because, just like George W., he is an incompetent.
Seems so easy for some folks to hurl invectives instead of facts.
Frank, do you even know what the caliphate is? President Bush does. Do some serious reading on your own.
There are folks in this world that’d just as soon burn you and your family as say hello. And this has been true since long before Mr. Bush came on the scene.
We can take the fight to them or wait for them to come to our shores. Do you really like sticking your head in the sand (and butt into the air) to wait for that?
this great American orator
you’re fucking crazy
tell it himself
you really think he wrote any of that speech ?
Newsflash!! There is good and evil in this world. The United States in its actions shows that it is predominantly good. The nations that support terrorists show by their actions that they are predominantly evil. That the “liberals” refuse to even acknowledge evil shows how shallow their worldview really is.
More to the point, this message is addressed to the people who love the idea of the United States and our contributions to the world. The one theme consistent with ALL the “liberal” comments is the influence of the sound-bite media on their thinking. If they had to string two or three sentences together that made reference to diplomatic or strategic thinking, they would remain mute. They may be educated but remain incapable of intelligent thought, blinded by their emotional hatred of anything good. Their emails are nothing but name-calling and spiteful grade school illogical rebuttals.
Second, don’t spend your energy trying to fill such worthless minds with your arguments. Ignoring “liberals” is the worst thing you can do to them. Instead, convey your thoughts and arguments to legislators and decision makers in support of our country to give opposition to those who want to destroy the United States. Write to the newspapers and news stations to change the content of the editorial pages by flooding them with messages of support for our country in this world of conflict.
where was the world wide war on terror after 1993. you know the first world trade bombing, you might remember they even caught and convicted someone for that.
The fact is the neocons whom george bush is the lead spokesman for USED the deaths of innocent Americans to start a war for oil.
thier actions have increased the threat to america from the forces who do not acquiesce to them.
tell me all the supporters of bushco do you think it is right and just to start wars for resources?
Great…American…orator???
GREAT…AMERICAN…ORATOR?!?!?!
Well, why not? In Bizarro world, he’s also a great war leader and a compassionate conservative, so you might as well go for the delusional trifecta…
Wow Lars, you really beat the hell out of those strawmen. Good job!
I love teh irony! Kool-aid chuggers unite against everyone that doesn’t think or have an opinion just like yours. Now that’s critical thinking!
what he said
http://haloscan.com/tb/tbogg/116973855597832490
But let’s let this great American orator
So sayeth Smithers of Burns.
Anyone who can claim Bush is a “great American orator” is clearly delusional. And the commentor who said that the problem with Democrats is “soundbites and emotions – no apeal to logic or citation of facts” only got one detail wrong -this has been the modus operanid not of Democrats, but of the disgraceful Bush adminstration and its irresponsible, ignorant and hysterical enablers over the last miserable six plus years. Years it will take our great nation- and the rest of the world – a much longer time to heal from
Hello Gayle Miller!
If you believe that you are in SERIOUS trouble dear.
Please do a little research on this man you call your leader.
You won’t for long call him your leader
Beautiful!
I love this part;
Which is immediately followed by…. wait for it………wait for it;
the influence of the sound-bite media!!!
Hi all! From down here in New Zealand, it strikes me that Republicans and Democrats have well and truly retreated to their corners over the war issue, which is all somewhat disturbing for the rest of us in the world who don’t get to participate in American politics but are nevertheless profoundly affected by them.
As I recall, the invasion of Iraq was NOT originally part of the ‘War on Terror’. Saddam Hussein was an unreliable despot with the potential to cause serious instability in a region that was already on the brink of chaos. Deposing the man wasn’t necessarily a terrible idea, but in my view history demonstrates that the plan to do so was poorly thought out and badly executed, perhaps with too much reliance on a subsequent emergence of some resistance movement that could step up to run the country (but which had unfortunately been flushed out and exterminated following the previous U.S. invasion…? Speculating here, really, but this did seem to be the expectation at the time from what I remember).
I raise this point because the President’s speech appears to represent the Iraq war as the ‘War on Terror’ itself, as if it is a battle-front against which the Allied armies are fighting the proponents of 9/11. Frankly, I don’t believe this is a fair representation (the Iraq fight seems like more of a ‘War on Anarchy’ to me); but more importantly, given that the nature of the fight has changed so much (i.e. from an invasion and regime-change to a re-instatement of civil order), I wish I had more confidence in the U.S. administration’s ability to adapt and meet this change.
I agree that an immediate withdrawal from Iraq would be irresponsible; but sending more troops is no panacea either. If they were my kids over there, I’d be demanding more information on why the strategy hasn’t worked until now, and what changes will be made to give confidence that it’ll work from now on. Every good strategy should also include some measurable targets and timeframes also, and I think it’s not unreasonable to expect to be told what these are. For the price your citizens have paid for this war, surely you can demand more than rhetoric, however rousing?