Critics are constantly bashing President Bush about Iraq. It’s time to clear some things up.
The U.S. didn’t start the war on terror. It was started by terrorists before 9/11. Let’s look at the “worst” president and mismanagement claims: FDR led us into World War II. Germany never attacked us, Japan did. From 1941-1945, 450,000 lives were lost.
President Truman finished that war and started one in Korea. North Korea never attacked us. From 1950-1953, 55,000 lives were lost.
John F. Kennedy started the Vietnam conflict in 1962. Vietnam never attacked us. History might show Eisenhower committed the troops and Kennedy was honoring that commitment. Johnson turned Vietnam into a quagmire. From 1965-1975, 58,000 lives were lost.
Bosnia never attacked us, but Clinton went to war there without U.N. or French consent.
Within two years after the terrorist attack on us, President Bush liberated two countries, crushed the Taliban, crippled al-Qaida, put nuclear inspectors in Libya, Iran and North Korea without firing a shot, and captured a terrorist who slaughtered 300,000 of his own people.
It took less time to take Iraq than it took Janet Reno to take the Branch Davidian compound. That was a 51-day operation. It took less time to take Iraq than it took to count the votes in Florida or for Hillary Clinton to find the Rose Law Firm billing records.
Sadly, we have lost more than 1,000 lives in Iraq. But that figure doesn’t begin to compare with the losses of other wars. Without telling us how he’s going to do it, John Kerry, who seems to have trouble remembering what he’s said from one day to the next, promises to solve our every problem when he’s president. But what has he accomplished as a senator?
Instead of bashing President Bush, who is working under enormously difficult circumstances he inherited, let’s join in praying that he and his staff will have the wisdom to best lead our country.
MAE KANEEN
Stanwood
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