Whenever I or anyone else makes the claim that President Bush is a dim, incurious empty suit, the reaction from both sides of the political spectrum can be outrage. The Right, of course, objects because it would mean that they have been supporting this dolt for all this while. That’s not flattering to their self-image. However, many on the Left who lean toward conspiracy theories object as well because they want to believe that Bush and cronies had planned it all – because they are evil. If the Bushites are incompetent, there is no way that they could have plotted 9-11 and the subsequent invasion of Iraq for the purpose of gaining oil, money and power; therefore Bush is simply a devious and cynical genius of sorts.
The problem is that in no facet of Bush’s life has he displayed a talent for anything but failure, stupidity and shallowness. Here’s the latest evidence of his shallowness, which has even some conservatives shaking their heads.
It’s a statement Bush made on July 17, 2007, with ten conservative journalists in attendance and reported by National Review’s Rich Lowry. Bush told them, “The other debate is whether or not it is a hopeless venture to encourage the spread of liberty. Most of you all around this table are much better historians than I am. And people have said, you know, this is Wilsonian, it's hopelessly idealistic. One, it is idealistic, to this extent: It's idealistic to believe people long to be free. And nothing will change my belief. I come at it many different ways. Really not primarily from a political science perspective, frankly; it's more of a theological perspective. I do believe there is anAlmighty, and I believe a gift of that Almighty to all is freedom. And I will tell you that is a principle that no one can convince me that doesn't exist."
Here it is in all it’s juvenile glory: Bush believes that disasters such as his invasion of Iraq will succeed (when?) because it’s a faith-held certainty that freedom will prevail. Please note, he specifically admits that this conclusion is NOT the result of scientific politcal analysis. It’s purely a belief held on faith in his version of God.
Here is what the conservative Lowry had to say: “"You can believe freedom is a gift from the Almighty and still recognize that some cultural soil is more or less compatible with supporting political systems that protect liberty," he wrote. "But Bush believes the spread of liberty is 'inevitable.' If that is the case, why not spare ourselves all the effort and let the inevitable flowering of liberty take hold?"
Indeed, why?
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