Where Bill Clinton took the "let's downsize the military" approach after the Cold War, Bush has built up the military and used it to fix one of the great leftover issues of the Cold War: The U.S. coddled too many dictators in order to keep them from going over to the Soviet side. At the time, it was necessary.
Now, the Saddam Husseins of the world need to be overthrown and replaced with democratically elected governments. As long as people live in poverty while their leaders live the good life, no one on this planet will be safe. Terrorism is just one symptom of this problem.
I know it is not realistic to expect the U.S. to continue this policy. That is why the world needs to get behind the U.S., or even lead the way if they prefer, in confronting this issue.
In the U.S., we need to recognize what a great thing Bush has done. In a Wall Street Journal editorial, "Dissident President:
George W. Bush has the courage to speak out for freedom.", Natan Sharansky gives Bush the credit he is due:
"Today, we are in the midst of a great struggle between the forces of terror and the forces of freedom. The greatest weapon that the free world possesses in this struggle is the awesome power of its ideas.
The Bush Doctrine, based on a recognition of the dangers posed by non-democratic regimes and on committing the United States to support the advance of democracy, offers hope to many dissident voices struggling to bring democracy to their own countries. The democratic earthquake it has helped unleash, even with all the dangers its tremors entail, offers the promise of a more peaceful world."
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