President Bush’s response to the September 11 attacks has never taken into account the reasons why we were vulnerable to attack – and we’re not talking about a lack of homeland security.
Bush ran his pre-September 11 foreign policy by using the might of the United States to bully the world – refusing to sign treaties, ignoring international commitments and generally demanding rather than consulting. His post- September 11 foreign policy has gone from bad to worse, from “you’re either with us or against us” to the axis of evil to the invasion of Iraq.
And the world took notice.
The President reigns over a Washington that embarrasses itself by renaming French fries in the House cafeteria, lies about a war in which nearly 200 Americans and thousands of Iraqi civilians have died, and, with a post-war Iraq in shambles, moves on with swords drawn towards Syria and Iran.
Once again Americans are fearful as they travel throughout the world. Even worse, we are embarrassed to admit where we've come from - disheartened by our government's actions in the world and despairing of the woe we have wrought.
