Huh? “kept us safe”?
In the WSJ Peggy Noonan writes an opinion piece on Dec 5 where she talks about republican wealth in northern Virginia as a result of government work. She also talks about government being a growth industry through good times and bad. She suggested that Obama change the name of Homeland Security to something less Nazi-sounding - also a pet peeve of mine.
But much of her piece talks about how the republicans have the meme that no matter what you think of Bush at least “he kept us safe” since 9/11. WTF? In what way did he increase our safety?
- Before 9/11 (which is being glossed over above like it is some act of God) the Bush administration ignored evidence of the 9/11 attacks and actually prevented a lower-level FBI field agent from following up on some issues. This was clear in Rice’s testimony where she said, “Actually, I believe the name of the brief was ‘Bin Laden determined to attack the US’”. This report was delivered to Bush’s desk three months before 9/11. While it’s not clear what might have been done to “connect the dots” and stop 9/11, it’s also clear the the Bush administration didn’t even try.
- After invading Afghanistan and making numerous promises to build roads, provide schools and healthcare, clear mines, and generally make the country livable we did little of that. Instead, we turned around and invaded Iraq on false pretenses. Al Queda wasn’t in Iraq at the time, Hussein and Al Queda didn’t get along. In the end, our resources primarily went into Iraq - which hadn’t attacked us. And we largely sidelined Afghanistan which did attack us through the Taliban.
- Through the Iraq invasion and numerous other unilateral actions both diplomatic and military, Bush has fostered terrorism and anti-American hatred around the world.
- By using and condoning torture, indefinite incarceration, rendition, and other extra-legal activities Bush has undermined the rule of law and gravely threatened any moral justification that we once tried to have. A former special forces officer says in a new book that this can be connected to the deaths of thousands of US servicemen and women.
- Bush abrogated the Koyoto accord and has consistently denied climate change and other critical environmental issues while subsidizing and supporting the coal and oil industries. And while belittling renewables.
- Here at home, the Bush administration has supported wire tapping, illegal evesdropping and other non-constitutional actions.
- The Dept. of Homeland Security (there’s that name again!) has through the TSA and other sub-agencies both intimidated and violated the rights of many Americans.
In summary, if you limit safer to physical attacks, you might be right in a restricted sense (if you’re not travelling overseas, or in the military, or interact with the TSA, or have kids that will deal with climate change effects). But with any realistic definition of safety, Bush has consistently made us less safe, less secure, and then attempted to use our fear for political purposes.