By D. LINDLEY YOUNG
The Modern Tribune - April 3, 2004

WASHINGTON, D.C. (4/2) - After unparalleled international support for America and the war on terror following 9/11, Bush has not only squandered a great opportunity to bring the world together against a common enemy, he has single handedly alienated virtually every major ally and provided fuel for greater Anti-American hatred around the world and the spread of the bin Laden ideology.  The Bush arrogance (name calling and "bring em' on), unilateralism (no permission slip needed), plans to democratize the Middle East though military means and his one-sided favoritism of Israel, has made America the greatest threat to world peace and the greatest obstacle to the war on terrorism. The Bush threaten and kill, arm us with more nuclear weapons and disarm them, policies are not working. The short term impact is alarming as we see more frequent terror attacks with greater magnitude, but, the long-term impact provides even greater cause for concern. At a time when we most need allies to fight the war on terrorism Bush is driving them away and helping to incite greater terror.

Either Bush has no idea where his foreign policies are taking this country, or, he does. I do not know which is scarier. The evidence may support either argument. There was a clear, systematic, political manipulation of the American people about the reasons for going to war with Iraq - in what may have been the biggest public relations campaign in the history of the world. Now, after "fuzzy" reasons for the war on Iraq have shifted several times from 9/11, nuclear threat, WMD, to freedom and democracy, the Bush administration just shrugs off the initial reasons for going to war as "bad intelligence." In the end, freeing people by military force is a good enough reason - the ends justifies the means - it justifies the loss of American lives, the alienation of allies, damage to the economy, a failure to meet domestic needs, and the failure to better protect our very own land. Freeing certain people now, justifies it all.

The cart is now clearly before the horse and the cart is leading the way. Freeing people and democratizing the Middle East has a priority over protecting our rail systems, our buses, our ports, our nuclear plants, our water and food supply,  and our borders. The solution to terrorism, in the mind of George Bush, is democratizing nations through military might and there is a sense of urgency to this plan although it certainly is not a quick fix.   The new urgency promotes the idea of freedom and democracy as a good enough reason for any war on the theory that democratic countries don't breed terrorists. The call of history - often referred to by Bush - for democracy will now be used as a springboard for the Bush plan to deliver God's gift of democracy to the entire Middle East by military force. It is evident that the more Bush uses military might to impose his ideas, the more the "world" will resist. Bush appears to be deliberately throwing fuel on the fire. He has salted virtually every possible fault line for the the creation of long term and short-term wars.

The biggest obstacle to stopping terrorism and a possible cause of 9/11was the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. According to reports bin Laden specifically set forth that the Palestinian-Israeli conflict was one of the reasons for 9/11. Bush has broadened the conflict - and caused the sped of bin Laden ideology - to make it a conflict with the entire region - an east versus west war - and has exacerbated global tensions as a result thereof. Not only has the purported "Roadmap to Peace" turned out to be a complete failure - primarily because the US is not a fair broker.

The US may not be a fair broker for peace because it appears part of the plan that for the US and Israel are to dominate the region. In an interview on C-SPAN (4/4) with Anthony Shadid of the Washington Post in Iraq that there is a perception in the region that the war on Iraq was to protect Israel. Based upon Project New American Century, the Middle East Initiative, and statements by Bush. On Meet the Press Bush stated the main issue in the 2004 election is "the use of American power to better the world" and his promise to deliver "God's gift of democracy."

If Bush were a doctor, he would be a failure. The patient has a gapping open sore -  the Palestinian-Israeli conflict - and Bush fails to even treat it. As a navigator Bush would be a failure. He tears down the wall to the room rather than walk through the door or even crawl out the window. As a carpenter Bush would be a failure. He does not know how to build anything. He is destroying alliances in the war on terrorism at a time when they are most needed. In terms of foreign policy Bush is a failure as a President.