A rchive Date
[ 05-06-2003 ]
Category
[ International Relations ]
sub-Categoy
[ U.S ]
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[http://www.canoe.ca/Columnists/macdonald.html
Underestimating Bush
By BOB MACDONALD - Toronto Sun
June 4, 2003
One of U.S. President George W. Bush's most effective weapons is that of being underestimated. Especially by his foes and critics. However, he also possesses another unusual trait for a political leader: He says what he means and he means what he says.
In other words, this is an American president who is prepared to deliver on his promises - and threats, if need be. In fact, he has already built up an international reputation as a guy you shouldn't mess with - unless you're prepared to go all the way.
In politics, his "bright" opponents often tried to put him down as a dummy, a guy who couldn't safely put two words together. They conveniently ignored that he graduated from both Yale University and Harvard - not exactly known for graduating idiots. And he flew jet fighters in the Texas National Air Guard - something that requires a pretty good combination of intelligence and reflexes.
Before making it to Washington, he was elected and re-elected for a decade as governor of Texas and built a reputation as an able administrator who had a good rapport with the opposition Democrats.
I mention these things because people like Osama bin Laden, head of the fanatical Muslim al-Qaida terrorist network, obviously were not impressed. Nor were al-Qaida's protectors, the ruthless Taliban regime that ran Afghanistan.
The result was the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 that killed more than 3,000 innocent men, women and children - including 25 Canadians. "We're at war," declared Bush. Out of that came the war against Afghanistan by the U.S.-led coalition that booted out the Taliban and scattered the al-Qaida.
WAR ON TERROR
And then came the war against the terroristic state of Iraq's sadistic dictator Saddam Hussein, a guy who had defied the UN Security Council's disarmament edicts since 1991. That's after an earlier U.S.-led coalition had crushed his armies that had invaded Kuwait.
Of course, it may be too simplistic for the armies of political leaders, political scientists and other "experts" to appreciate, but President Bush keeps going straight ahead. He's known as one who delegates authority and likes to have brief and to-the-point reports from his staff. And he makes decisions that are acted upon.
I know, we Canadians are not used to such leadership. After all, we've become used to the ditherings of our three-term, majority government of Prime Minister Jean Chretien. And we've become used to Chretien's boastfulness, despite the fact he has allowed such things as our armed forces to fall apart through deliberate neglect.
Also, we've watched as Chretien announced at the last minute - after months of dithering - that Canada would not support a U.S.-British-led coalition in going after Saddam. Instead, Chretien threw Canada's lot in with French President Jacques Chirac, who led Germany and Russia in their opposition to the coalition war against Saddam.
Afterwards, many believed there would be very bad blood between Bush and the Chirac-led group at the G-8 Economic Summit in Evian, France.
Ah, but it didn't work that way. Bush proved to be a much bigger - and probably smarter - leader than most would have believed. He talked about co-operation with everyone - especially with Chirac - and even went out of his way to chat with Chretien, the next-door neighbour who let him down.
And now this president that one of Chretien's aides once called "a moron" is meeting in Jordan today with key leaders of Arab states. He is tackling one of the great "unsolvables" of our age, the Israel-Palestine quagmire.
Once more, many experts predict Bush can't win on this one it's too complicated and there's too much hatred involved.
But, again, Bush appears to be going directly at the leaders and challenging all sides to come on side. The aim is to realistically end terrorism and violence in the area - and begin the creation of a peaceful Palestinian state alongside a fully recognized state of Israel.
It will not be easy. But Bush is going after it in the same straightforward way he goes after every goal. As he said yesterday to Arab leaders in Egypt:
"We must not allow a few people, a few killers, a few terrorists, to destroy the dreams and hope of the many."
Read Bob MacDonald on Wednesdays and Sundays. Reach him at bob.macdonald@tor.sunpub.com or 416-947-2236. Letters to the editor should be sent to editor@sunpub.com
 World Fact Book (CIA)]
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