Forget the economy. Forget Katrina. Forget his misguided positions on the environment, energy, stem cell research, and immigration. Forget that he started a war in one country based on false pretenses, and neglected a war in another country, enabling the very enemy we aimed to destroy almost fully reconstitute themselves. Forget that he secretly implemented a program that made law the largest breach of civil privacy since the Japanese internment during World War II. Forget he left office poised to be ranked among the worst presidents in the nation’s history and brought the Republican Party to the brink of ruin. Most of all, forget 9/11.
Why?
Because, at the end of the day, when the cold and sober gaze of history looks back on these times, George W. Bush will predominately be remembered for two things: 1.) he prevented a second terrorist attack after 9/11, and 2.) the degree of success to which he brought democracy to the Middle East. A president only gets a few signature issues, and those are undoubtedly fated to be his two. These things are facts – no matter how bad you wish they weren’t.
While those who trumpet the former president’s national security record conveniently leave out the 2,ooo pound gorilla in the room (he did preside over the largest and most catastrophic terrorist attack in American history), President Bush’s record since that day has been immaculate. There were no dirty bombs. No mass shootings on July 4th or Christmas Day or New Years Day. No doomsday chemical or biological attacks. No pipe-bombs on the streets, no runaway car-bombs, and no suicide bombers. There were domestic scares, of course – the Anthrax letters and the DC sniper – but they were handled quickly and without unnecessary panic. The Orwellian color-coded terror meter, which seems ridiculous now, was useful and heeded by all at the time. And whether it was a scare tactic or not, every suburban mom and dad went out and bought duct tape, flashlights, and a battery powered radio – and that’s a good thing. President Bush simultaneously enacted policy that that kept Americans safe while preparing us for what most thought was not only probable, but inevitable. To what extent he used the pervading climate of fear for political gain is debatable – what isn’t, is the fact that 9/11 part 2 never made its way to our shores. And that is truly commendable.
When President Bush left office, foreign affairs looked dire. Iraq, while improving, had been to civil war and back. Afghanistan was tilting in the direction of a stalemate, North Korea was beginning to defy The West again after being taken off the Terrorist States list, and our relations with foreign allies were frosty at best – to say nothing of the unexpected conflict in Gaza. Since then however, the turn-around has been drastic, and much of it is due to the current president. Barack Obama swooped in and immediately calmed the international waters. Obama smiled, shook hands, and speechified his way to eased tensioned and mutual understandings. Without accomplishing much concretely, much was accomplished. The uneasiness subsided.
However, there are things going on now internationally that cannot be attributed to Barack Obama – and these things are much more important. American soldiers are now pulling out of Iraqi cities, and although this will more than likely be attributed to President Obama in the history books, it must be remembered that it was a deadline negotiated and set by the Bush administration. In addition, amidst a troop increase and the bloodiest month seen as of yet in Afghanistan, the Afghan people are poised to hold their second free and fair elections on August 20th. This, along with the prospect of Iraq holding it’s own second national election in March of next year, shows a promising and incredible display of democracy in places few thought it would ever exist.
But the most staggering sign of the spread of democracy in the Middle East is more current, more incredible, and surprising that nobody is giving it proper attribution.
The recent protests in Iran, by all indications, show a population of young, motivated citizens speaking out and demonstrating against their totalitarian dictatorship. With the ever present threat of execution floating overhead, Iranians are taking to the streets and demanding their election process be fair and transparent, and that their current president be deposed.
Iran sits directly in between Iraq and Afghanistan. With real elections being held on both sides – albeit, each being reached in an ugly, and maybe dishonest way – can it be then extrapolated that the winds of democracy are spreading across the boarders and into Iran? That the Iranian protests are directly related to our actions in Iraq and Afghanistan? Can it be assumed that once the Iranian people saw their neighbors casting ballots and electing government officials of their own choosing, they finally believed that they could have the same – or better yet, that they deserved it? Can we really believe that the timing of the largest display of defiance to the Iranian theocracy in 30 years is really just a coincidence? That it just happens to come once their neighbors are finally taking part in government and getting honest results? Can we, with all intellectual honesty, believe that?
And if we can agree that we can’t, isn’t this exactly the vision George W. Bush laid out after 9/11? Could his dream, thought to be naive and laughable only 6 or 7 years ago, really be showing signs of becoming a reality?
One day there will be a free Iran. Then what? Saudi Arabia? Syria? Could the seeds planted by George W. Bush really lead to a peaceful and more stable Middle East in 50 or 100 years? If that hypothetical eventually materializes, invading Iraq and Afghanistan will become the linchpin to what will no doubt be touted as the greatest political and humanitarian achievement since the defeat of the Nazi’s.
When it’s all said and done, like Truman before him, could the presidency of George W. Bush really be considered a magnificent achievement?
Could George W. Bush turn out to be a success?
Imagine, if you would, a world where all the pertinent news of the day could be had with one click of a mouse. As free from corporate or political bias as could be found anywhere, there used to be a place where the purveyors of the Internet could find breaking news and special interest stories in a singular location, always up to date, always relevant. Compared to all other news sources – NBC, CBS, ABC, Fox, CNN – this source towered high above the rest with it’s up-to-the-second updates and its absolute might to influence the powerful and well connected.
