Your newspaper has endorsed the wrong candidate. There is no virtue in George Bush’s steadfast stubbornness. Let’s not debate the validity of the Iraq war. Let us talk instead of the way Bush executed his plan.
Almost anyone could have told you the Iraqi army would be overwhelmed by the U.S. armed forces. The president was correct to believe that the war would last only a short while. The key to creating a democratic foothold in the Middle East was winning the peace after the fall of Baghdad.
Bush steadfastly refused to listen to anyone who told him he wasn’t using enough troops to secure the peace. The results were lawlessness and insurgency that continue to this day.
And yet, the president proudly proclaims everything in Iraq is going wonderfully.
The president’s stubborn refusal to admit mistakes and correct them makes him a major liability. His steadfastness could use a healthy dose of practical pragmatism.
Let’s hope that given a second term he can come to terms with reality.
If not, we will greatly regret not supporting John Kerry.
