Black and White Cat

This blog is a disgrace. I haven’t posted a single thing since May. I was tired. Sorry! There may or may not be some sporadic posting this month, but I’m now on holiday so I might not do anything much at all. Normal (i.e. equally irregular) posting should resume in August.

But for today, a look back at one single statement made by Governor George W. Bush in October 2000.

Eight years ago I bet one mao that Gore would beat Bush. I lost my one mao. The same evening I argued, with little conviction, against a claim that it would make no difference who won the election. I may or may not have been wrong about that too.

Anyway, seven years into the war (without end?) in Afghanistan and five years into the war (without end?) in Iraq and x number of months before the possible war (without end?) with Iran - the one that could send oil prices up to $400 a barrel - let’s remember what Governor Bush said about war in his first debate against Vice President Gore:

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. I believe the role of the military is to fight and win war and therefore prevent war from happening in the first place. So I would take my responsibility seriously. And it starts with making sure we rebuild our military power. Morale in today’s military is too low. We’re having trouble meeting recruiting goals. We met the goals this year, but in the previous years we have not met recruiting goals. Some of our troops are not well-equipped. I believe we’re overextended in too many places. And therefore I want to rebuild the military power. It starts with a billion dollar pay raise for the men and women who wear the uniform. A billion dollars more than the president recently signed into law. It’s to make sure our troops are well-housed and well-equipped. Bonus plans to keep some of our high-skilled folks in the services and a commander in chief that sets the mission to fight and win war and prevent war from happening in the first place.

Well, it all worked out very well didn’t it. Looking forward to the epilogue?