The Dangers of Wishful Thinking…

Many of my friends and colleagues have already put the Bush presidency behind them. But that may be wishful thinking. And a dangerous mistake.

The fact is that George W. Bush may have one more arrow in his quiver—and that’s the ability to impact what is going to happen on the international stage long after he’s left office. A thought that staggers the imagination.

At least, that may be so if there is any validity in an article published in the Jerusalem Post recently.

According to the Post article, Bush is planning to go to War with Iran before he leaves office in January. It is all but a done deal.

The article is the result of an interview on Israeli radio with a high placed military official.

According to this official, as of now the only thing standing between War and peace is the reluctance of Secretary Rice and Secretary of Defense, Gates.

The president and the vice president are solidly for going to War.

This would explain Bush’s remarks to the Knesset during his recent visit that equate the democratic stance in the Middle East with Hitler and appeasement.

George Bush’s fundamental “get even” mentality combined with an absolutist’s view of things casts the Middle East in a very black and white situation.

This would also explain all of the arguments proffered by this administration to pin the blame on Iran for the recent outcomes in Iraq. It is very reminiscent of the conditioning of the American people before we went to war against Iraq.

In the end, the War card could still be played and any successor would be saddled with Bush’s legacy for a long time to come. It would certainly guarantee George W. Bush a place in the history books but for all the wrong reasons.

To date, Congress has not speculated on this outcome; nor have the candidates addressed the fact that they might inherit a Bush-inspired debacle, a government that is bankrupt and a world on the brink of chaos….It may be the price we pay for inattention.

Les Aaron
The Armchair Curmudgeon