Winning the War on Terror , by Bill Moyers

[G_j]

http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0406-14.htm

Published on Tuesday, April 6, 2004 by CommonDreams.org

Winning the War on Terror
by Bill Moyers

President Bush spoke eloquently the other day about what the war on terror requires of us. He said, "The war on terror is not a figure of speech. It is an inescapable calling of our generation." Those words ring true. Whatever drives them, whatever grieves them, Islamic fanatics have declared war and seem willing to wage it to the death. If they prevail, our children will grow up in a world where fear governs the imagination and determines the rules of life.

Mr. Bush clearly believes what he said: The war on terror is an inescapable calling of the generation now in charge.
Like most Americans, I want to support him in that work; I want to do my part. But the president makes it hard. He confused us by going after Saddam Hussein when the villain behind the mass murders of 9/11 was Osama bin Laden. He seems not to realize how his credibility has been shredded by all the false and misleading reasons put forth to justify invading Iraq; Lyndon Johnson never recovered from using the dubious events at the Gulf of Tonkin as an excuse to go to war in Vietnam, and even if Mr. Bush wins reelection this November, he, too, will eventually be dragged down by the powerful undertow that inevitably accompanies public deception. The public will grow intolerant of partisan predators and crony capitalists indulging in a frenzy of feeding at the troughs in Baghdad and Washington. And there will come a time when the president will have no one to rely on except his most rabid allies in the right wing media; he will discover too late that you cannot win the hearts and minds of the public at large in a nation polarized and pulverized by endless propaganda at odds with reality.

So what to do? How to assure we win this war?

The hearings in Washington suggest a start. It is clear now the Bush White House bungled the warnings about Al Qaeda, but it's also clear that the Democrats under Bill Clinton made plenty of mistakes, too. Why can't both parties come clean, apologize, and start over? Either party could lose this war but both parties together just might win it. Why not a wartime cabinet to serve a wartime nation? Al Gore as head of Homeland Security. Gary Hart at Defense. The independent-minded John McCain or Warren Rudman at State. The world would get the point: This time we mean it, all of us - the war on terror no longer a partisan cause.


..more..

[countmyvote4real]

1. Moyers is God.

That's hyperbole, but damn he seems so rational and clear. IMHO

And thanks for the link.

[ochazuke]

2. In that last paragraph, the germ of an idea:

Kerry could propose a "National Unity Governemnt" starting with McCain as VEEP, and some other non-neo-cons in various positions (remeber, Clinton had a 'pub at DOD). Of course, McCain isn't likely to sign on, but it could still work. It would attract independents and 'pubs who don't like the Neocons.

[bpilgrim]

3. that is radical

though i guess you could say we now live in radical times but i just want to know WHO we are FIGHTING and if we LOOSE our freedoms how can we WIN?

peace

[Stone_Spirits]

4. interesting read

thought provoking stuff...