Only Four More Years

21 January 2005



George W. Bush Takes His Second Presidential Oath

Earlier this week, Muslims on their pilgrimage to Mecca, the Hajj, threw seven stones at pillars called Jamaraat in Mina located in three spots where they believe Satan tempted Abraham. This “Stoning of Satan” occurred shortly before George W. Bush took the presidential oath of office for the second time. The Creator’s sense of humor never ceases to astonish.

In his second inaugural speech, Mr. Bush went on and on about freedom, liberty and democracy with scant acknowledgement that they are distinct (and while usually complementary are not always so). While the speech had no great “Nothing to fear but fear itself” line, it did include

There is only one force of history that can break the reign of hatred and resentment, and expose the pretensions of tyrants, and reward the hopes of the decent and tolerant, and that is the force of human freedom [interestingly, not Christianity from the born-again Mr. Bush].
With this idea, he could transform his second administration into what he would like it to be. Of course, in his first such speech, back when Manhattan sported two towers at its lower end, he also said, “We will show purpose without arrogance” in foreign affairs. Deeds count, not words.

Yet it is a powerful message, so powerful that America’s enemies (and it really does have some) condemn America not for its values, but for its hypocrisy. The examples are, regrettably, legion. On the one hand, America runs a trade deficit of billions with China, which is run by communist murderers. On the other hand, Fidel Castro’s Cuba is in its fifth decade of embargo. US arms shipments to Saddam Hussein in the 1980s have not been forgotten by those the dictator tortured – and may even now be used to kill US troops in Baghdad.

Meanwhile, Imam Abdul Rahman Sudeis, a top Sunni cleric in Saudi Arabia, spoke to the faithful during the Hajj, saying, “Because Muslims strayed from moderation, we are now suffering this dangerous phenomenon of branding people infidels and inciting Muslims to rise against their leaders." Mr. Bush backs the Saudi royals, who run a rather illiberal state (e.g., women can’t drive because they’re women). It would be interesting to ask the Imam if Muslims are allowed to rise up against tyrants, and if so, does the House of Saud qualify – if not, why not? And since the biggest opponent they have is a mass-murdering rich kid named Usama bin Laden, one hopes for a third choice.

Mr. Bush has been the worst president in living memory, and perhaps in of all American history. He has four years to fix that. One hopes he listens very carefully to Republican Senator Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, who said during Condoleezza Rice’s confirmation hearings, “There's more than one way to implement the ‘city on the hill’ moral mission that we have in this country to spread freedom around the world. One way is to change a regime and try to make a country more like ours. Another way might be to celebrate our own values and strengthen ourselves and be a good example, and by doing that, to spread freedom.”



© Copyright 2005 by The Kensington Review, J. Myhre, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent.

Home
Google
WWW Kensington Review







Amazon Honor System Click Here to Pay Learn More