Saturday, October 09, 2004
Replies to a tentative Bush supporter
Here is a comment I left in reply to a tentative Bush supporter while posting on another blog (his comments are italicized):
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isn't it possible that overall it was a mistake that actually produced very favorable consequences?
Well, first, it is far from certain (and actually unlikely) that the consequences of invading and occupying Iraq will be all that favorable in the long-term. And in fact, the means to the ends you describe here are extremely important in determining whether those favorable consequences were worth the enormous human, financial, and credibility cost that our government paid to try to make this happen.
we and the rest of the world are better off with an agressive approach that does not wait for certainty
Americans are probably better protected with such an approach, and our intentions for places like Afghanistan and Iraq are admirable, so I tend to think the aggressive Bush approach is probably better even with inevitable mistakes along the way.
I think we should elect that guy who will make America safer. Overall, it seems like that person is Bush
These three comments come across more as articles of faith than actual arguments or reasons to 'stay the course'. They are based more on very superficial perceptions than actual analysis and reasoning. This is what concerns me most about continuing on this path that Bush has led us on. It doesn't seem to be based on recognition of reality, but a notion of how they wish things were.
Although I think it's misguided to be a 'one-issue' guy, I imagine there are many more potential voters like you, Brian. Even accepting that, I just don't understand why people think that 'talking tough' and basing an entire foreign policy on a very limited notion (and expending that aforementioned capital pursuing it) of what it means to fight terrorism is utter lunacy, and ultimately counterproductive.
It is often said that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and over again, but expecting different results. It seems to be that by that measure, this administration is totally insane.
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isn't it possible that overall it was a mistake that actually produced very favorable consequences?
Well, first, it is far from certain (and actually unlikely) that the consequences of invading and occupying Iraq will be all that favorable in the long-term. And in fact, the means to the ends you describe here are extremely important in determining whether those favorable consequences were worth the enormous human, financial, and credibility cost that our government paid to try to make this happen.
we and the rest of the world are better off with an agressive approach that does not wait for certainty
Americans are probably better protected with such an approach, and our intentions for places like Afghanistan and Iraq are admirable, so I tend to think the aggressive Bush approach is probably better even with inevitable mistakes along the way.
I think we should elect that guy who will make America safer. Overall, it seems like that person is Bush
These three comments come across more as articles of faith than actual arguments or reasons to 'stay the course'. They are based more on very superficial perceptions than actual analysis and reasoning. This is what concerns me most about continuing on this path that Bush has led us on. It doesn't seem to be based on recognition of reality, but a notion of how they wish things were.
Although I think it's misguided to be a 'one-issue' guy, I imagine there are many more potential voters like you, Brian. Even accepting that, I just don't understand why people think that 'talking tough' and basing an entire foreign policy on a very limited notion (and expending that aforementioned capital pursuing it) of what it means to fight terrorism is utter lunacy, and ultimately counterproductive.
It is often said that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and over again, but expecting different results. It seems to be that by that measure, this administration is totally insane.
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