doc mercer

MODERATOR: New question. How would you go about as president deciding when it was in the national interest to use U.S. force, generally?

BUSH: Well, if it's in our vital national interest, and that means whether our territory is threatened or people could be harmed, whether or not the alliances are -- our defense alliances are threatened, whether or not our friends in the Middle East are threatened. That would be a time to seriously consider the use of force. Secondly, whether or not the mission was clear. Whether or not it was a clear understanding as to what the mission would be. Thirdly, whether or not we were prepared and trained to win. Whether or not our forces were of high morale and high standing and well-equipped. And finally, whether or not there was an exit strategy. I would take the use of force very seriously. I would be guarded in my approach. I don't think we can be all things to all people in the world. I think we've got to be very careful when we commit our troops. The vice president and I have a disagreement about the use of troops. He believes in nation building. I would be very careful about using our troops as nation builders.

BUSH: If we don't have a clear vision of the military, if we don't stop extending our troops all around the world and nation building missions, then we're going to have a serious problem coming down the road, and I'm going to prevent that.

http://www.debates.org/pages/trans2000a.html

Drew1369

and then when we were attacked and our nation was threatened, we went to war...

Nik00117

With afganstain, Which was 100% acceptable.

Then he hit Iraq

Thats when **** hit the fans.

People have to understand that the world doesn't hate us for Afganstain. They hate us for Iraq.

bry623

The world hates us because we are the world's parents. We have to make the tough decisions and try to protect the rest of them, because when they need help, whose door do they go a knocking on?

A better Bush quote would have been when they asked him which philospher her admired the most and he said Jesus Christ.

Nik00117

Iraq wasn't knocking on your door...

And the world doesn't need America. And they aren't our parents. As a german/american citizen such a comment is well no need to insult it for it does the job itself.

But look, Germany doesn't need America, spain doesn't need America, France doesn't need America, Japan doesn't need America. America can go somewhere else. It isn't the worlds parent. In fact its a young nation compared to some (France, Spain, UK, Japan, China, Russia, India, Etc)

bruiser

Next time some disaster strikes one of these countries that don't need us Yanks, I think we should just stay home. Don't help'em as they obviously can take care of themselves. Even if somebody else decides they want to take'em over. They won't need our help, they can handle it.

bry623

No, but it's people were, and so was the rest of the world.

That is exactly the kind of childish answer that I get from my children. It is what the world says when they are at a point where they don't need us for a time being, but they will come crying when they need something. Perhaps with age comes wisdom.....


France needed America in 1942. The UK needed us in 1939. China needed us in 1933. Japan wanted us in 1945 to clean up a couple of cities. Germany needed America in 1945 until reunification, but I suppose you were born after East Germany. I'll concede Spain to you. America is the world's only super power and will go when and where needed and trust me, we will be needed again.

Young is perceptive. Isn't France in it's third republic? China became communist in the late 40s. Spain lost Franco in the 70's. Germany 1945 in the west and whole in the 90s when Russia gave up on communism. In fact, pick a country with a government older than the U.S. Here is some help if you need it

yustr

Need I point out (yet again) the stench from the pile of BS Bush spewed forth in that speech? Wait, before I'm accused of being blind, I'll give you the Oil-for-food program. But I'm sure there's more to that than meets the eye too...

When are you going to admit that the rational for attacking and occupying Iraq was fabricated? It matters not the Cheney was able to con the UN too. It's still a con.

"You can fool all of the people some of the time."

bry623

If so, then the world (and you can include us) needs to elect sadnnominate better leaders.

Chode

The fact that Bush realized the importance of "an exit strategy" (also known as "victory conditions", "conditions for victory", or just a plain old "goal") suggests that something went badly wrong with his plan for Iraq. Personally, I think that in the process of removing his head from his rump Wubbya's ears got stuck.

Zazula

I demand a paternity test, then! Unless, of course, I ask my Mother Country, which I'm sure will prompty reply: "Yeah, the Americans have been screwing us since WWII". But there will still be some doubt; since the British and the Soviets (among others) were also doing that, too.


Oh, I didn't know the US are so eager to help UN Resolutions being enforced; then, I'm sure you'd like to be reminded that: "The United Nations Security Council decisions for the immediate unconditional withdrawal of all foreign troops from Cyprus soil and the safe return of the refugees to their homes have not been implemented by Turkey and the (so-called by them only) Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). [See UN Security Council resolutions 353(1974), 357(1974), 358(1974), 359(1974), 360(1974), 365(1974) endorsing General Assembly resolution 3212(XXIX)(1974), 367(1975), 541(1983), 550(1984).] UN Security Council Resolution 541(1983) considered the 'attempt to create the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is invalid, and will contribute to a worsening of the situation in Cyprus'. It went on to state that it 'Considers the declaration refereed to above as legally invalid and calls for its withdrawal'. In the following year UN resolution 550(1984) condemned the 'exchange of Ambassadors' between Turkey and the TRNC and went on to add that the Security Council 'Considers attempts to settle any part of Varosha by people other than its inhabitants as inadmissible and calls for the transfer of this area to the administration of the United Nations'. To this day, neither Turkey nor the TRNC have complied with the above resolutions and Varosha remains deserted."


Governments and nations are not the same, bry. Even countries and nations are not the same... There are some REALLY ancient nations in this world. (On the other hand, maybe it'd be far easier if the History I was taught at school started at the 15th century AD! )