Conflicted, not confused

Submitted by Pat (United States), Jul 3, 2007 at 11:08

The leaders of all Western countries remain conflicted, even after the events of the past six years. They are mired in the cold war idea that we should just "talk to our enemy". 9/11 looked like it might alert them to the very real danger posed by radical Islam but they can't let go of the old ways of doing things. George Bush tried briefly and he was roundly condemned for doing so. After years of hearing "we need to work with our allies" in such areas as the Middle East and North Korea, he finally gave in. Today, Europeans consider the US to be the greatest threat to world peace.

Any confrontation with the regime in Tehran is considered cowboyish. We hear that Iran's leaders were willing to work with us in Afghanistan against al qaeda until the "axis of evil" speech and then then they turned away. Once again, the US is to blame for alienating a potential ally(?) in the war on terror.

I only wish I could believe that Giuliani, Romney and Thompson would fight, but all are from the old school. We have seen all too often the meaninglessness of words uttered on the campaign trail. Candidates talk tough but the realities of governing change their views. Candidate George Bush opposed "nation-building". President George Bush initiated two massive nation-building projects. He might have instituted a third if Hamas had not gotten in the way in Palestine.

As mayor of NYC, Giuliani could afford to take such actions as refusing donations from an Islamist but he won't have similar leeway as president. George Bush held the hand of the Saudi King after 9/11. Instead of demanding action from the Islamic countries, he bends over backward to prove to them that America is on their side. All of these people are elitists. They think they know better than everyone else and that they can work with governments even as the people in those countries are being taught to hate the West. Immigrants from Jordan and Iraq (allies of the West?) are suspected of plotting the London and Glasgow attacks.

Can we really believe that Romney, Thompson or even Giuliani would do anything different from George Bush - work with the leaders and ignore the danger faced by ordinary Americans? In their view, nothing can be allowed to interfere with world commerce. Otherwise we might have seen different immigration policies instituted after 9/11. The words of campaigners are drowned out by their actions.

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