Wednesday, May 19, 2004
The AWOL Charge That Really Counts
Andrew Sullivan is looking for presidential leadership and seeing an empty suit:
In any war, people need to be reminded constantly of what is going on, what is at stake, what our immediate, medium-term and ultimate objectives are. The president has said nothing cogent about Karbala; nothing apposite about al Sadr; nothing specific about what our strategy is in Falluja. Events transpire and are interpreted by critics and the anti-war media and by everyone on the planet but the president...
This is not war-leadership; it's the abdication of war-leadership. He has to tell us how we will win, what we are doing, how it all holds together, why the infrastructure repair is still in disarray, and how a political solution is possible. I'm not sure any more that this president has the skills or competence to pull it off. But I am sure that he has very little time to persuade us he can.
You've got a bully pulpit, Mr. President. You owe it to the Iraqis and to the troops to use it.
Congressional hawks need to get back out in front, too, and show some spine. Like they used to.
Because otherwise you're left with opinion being shaped be mealy-mouthed milquetoasts like Greg Mitchell, who is using his status as editor of Editor and Publisher to wheedle newspapers to publish op-eds in favor of cutting and running.
And justifying himself by hiding behind polls, of all things.
Mr. President, if you don't get out in front, and lead, then you leave it to others.
The head salesman for Iraq policy--or for any Administration policy--is not the press secretary, and it's not Condi Rice and it's not the Vice President. It's YOU.
Splash, out
Jason
In any war, people need to be reminded constantly of what is going on, what is at stake, what our immediate, medium-term and ultimate objectives are. The president has said nothing cogent about Karbala; nothing apposite about al Sadr; nothing specific about what our strategy is in Falluja. Events transpire and are interpreted by critics and the anti-war media and by everyone on the planet but the president...
This is not war-leadership; it's the abdication of war-leadership. He has to tell us how we will win, what we are doing, how it all holds together, why the infrastructure repair is still in disarray, and how a political solution is possible. I'm not sure any more that this president has the skills or competence to pull it off. But I am sure that he has very little time to persuade us he can.
You've got a bully pulpit, Mr. President. You owe it to the Iraqis and to the troops to use it.
Congressional hawks need to get back out in front, too, and show some spine. Like they used to.
Because otherwise you're left with opinion being shaped be mealy-mouthed milquetoasts like Greg Mitchell, who is using his status as editor of Editor and Publisher to wheedle newspapers to publish op-eds in favor of cutting and running.
And justifying himself by hiding behind polls, of all things.
Mr. President, if you don't get out in front, and lead, then you leave it to others.
The head salesman for Iraq policy--or for any Administration policy--is not the press secretary, and it's not Condi Rice and it's not the Vice President. It's YOU.
Splash, out
Jason
Comments:
Hello, just happened to locate your blog on book christian publisher. I wanted to say thank you for having an informative blog like this. If you have a chance, please drop by my site. We provide fresh resources on book christian publisher. I will be sure and bookmark your site and return again. Thanks, Larry
Post a Comment
# posted by 
: 9:52 PM
: 9:52 PM
