January 20th, 2009 marked a day of history for not only America, for the entire world. Barrack Obama was sworn in as America’s 44th President and I need to remind no one of the historic significant that’s this election of President Obama represents. Millions of people around this great nation cheered as Obama was sworn in officially excite by the prospect of change that he has promised in his campaign to win the highest office in the land, the office of the Presidency. Millions more across the nation cheered to as Obama was sworn in, but not because they believe in Barrack Obama necessarily, but because the man being sworn in as the President, was NOT George W. Bush. Even many republicans are happy that Bush is leaving office; his unpopularity has hurt the Republican Party’s numbers in local, state, and federal government. George W. Bush leaves the office of the President as one of the most despised and unpopular Presidents in the history of America. If a Presidents success was measured in terms of his popularity, Bush should rightfully be called what some historians are already saying, that his Presidency will be remembered as an utter failure and one of the most ineffective Presidents in history.
But thank God, that being President is not a popularity contest. President Bush took an oath, to “faithfully execute the Office of the Presidency” and to "Defend the Constitution” and the American way of life. President Bush did NOT play politics, he did not make decisions based on popular opinion at the time, he did not waver (flip-flop) when his decisions turned unpopular, instead he led this great nation like he was supposed to. He made choices that he believed to be the right choice for America, some of which were not very popular at home and abroad, but he made them and I honestly believe he believed that they were I would challenge any of President Bush’s critics to endure a Presidency like he did, from day one, President Bush’s term in office was one of the most tried and tested Presidency’s that the oval office has seen in a long time. From terror attacks to wars on two fronts, from domestic disasters reaching from coast to coast, and one of the worst economic crashes in recent times, President Bush has had to make tough decisions to keep the American people secure, and to ensure the survival of the American way of life. Here is a look back at the many crises that President Bush had to endure and lead the American people through.
CHINESE CRISIS :
Most American’s forget that almost right off the bat President Bush was tested in the area of foreign policy. The Chinese had shot down and captured an American pilot and would not release him. Bush, with little foreign policy experience had to carefully negotiate with the Chinese, not only about the safe and swift release of our American pilot, but also had to deal with the pressure associated with the Taiwan/China crisis as well. This early crisis was adverted with the release of our pilot and the crisis between Taiwan and China put on the backburner of the President’s mind due to a catastrophe event that affected the American Homeland, the unexpected and deadly act of terrorism launched directly against the People of the United States: The Terror Attacks of September 11th, 2001.
THE TERROR ATTACKS OF SEPTEMBER 11TH, 2001:
Almost any American of age can recall with vivid imagery exactly where they were when the first news of the terror attacks on the east coast that put the American people across the county into panic. I was in 9th grade, a freshman at Des Moines East High School. I had just finished morning marching band practice and was returning to the band room, where our TV, which was always turned to the local news station, was filled with fiery images of flames and smoke pouring from one of the twin towers. I watched long enough to learn that a plane had hit the tower and I headed off to class with that impression. I must have just missed the impending attack on the second tower. By the time third period came, I learned of the true horror of the images I had seen earlier, I watched as the TV, now a staple in every classroom, was turned to CNN and images of the second plane crash was shown over and over, as was the collapse of both the towers and the loss of thousands of American lives. I remember listening to President Bush’s speech, an as tears welled up in my eyes, I was filled with a sense of confidence that the evil powers that brought this cowardly and murderess act on our nation, would be brought to justice. President Bush wasn’t going to just sit back as relax and try the “why can’t we be friends and talk this out approach” NO, as our leader he swore an oath to protect this nation, and he went after those reasonable. Remember America, it was under Bill Clinton’s watch America, or its embassies were attacked at least 10 times including a 1993 attack on the World Trade Center, and what was done, nothing. Was the death count not high enough for Clinton to act??? Also, Bill Clinton had Osama bin Laden offered to him by Saudi Arabia, but he turned the offer down and to this day we still hunt the 9/11 mastermind through the caves of Afghanistan and Pakistan. Bush chose to defend the American people, not by harsh words denouncing the actions of the terrorists, not by launching a few cruise missiles from ships, not by ineffective economic sanctions, but by going to war and taking out the terrorist, unlike President Clinton, who let them get away time and time again. On September 14th, 2001 on Ground Zero, President Bush gave what in at least my mind was one of the greatest and heartwarming speeches ever given, it was not a long speech or an eloquent speech, but it was a speech filled with passion for America, and a speech that in one phrase assured the Country that the dead would be avenged, and the criminals brought to justice. It was a speech that America needed to hear and one that America rallied around. Even to this day, the speech brings tears to my eyes as I hear the rescue workers in the background calling for George to “Go get Em.”
President Bush: Thank you all. I want you all to know -- it [the bullhorn] can’t go any louder -- I want you all to know that American today, American today is on bended knee, in prayer for the people whose lives were lost here, for the workers who work here, for the families who mourn. The nation stands with the good people of New York City and New Jersey and Connecticut as we mourn the loss of thousands of our citizens
Rescue Worker: I can’t here you!
President Bush: I can here you! I can here you! The rest of the world hears you! And the people -- and the people who knocked these buildings down will hear all of us soon!
Rescue Worker: “Go get em’ George!”
Rescue Workers: [Chanting] U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.!
How can I ever forget how President Bush became like a father to all American’s. He rallied America around the flag and around the principles of our Nation. He embraced America, and he went after those who wanted to bring terror on our nation. He made the decision to go to invade Afghanistan hunt down those responsible.
This Nation suffered an unprovoked by the Global Terrorist Organization “Al-Qaeda” who were harbored by the Taliban leaders of Afghanistan and led by Osama bin Laden. In keeping with the finest traditions of this Nation and our Military, we did everything we could to spare innocent life in Afghanistan as we sought to bring those who planned and carried out the deadly attacks on 9/11 to justice.
Contrary to all the predictions of those who said “Operation Enduring Freedom” would be a quagmire similar to Vietnam and that millions of Afghan people would starve or freeze to death because of our Military actions. How wrong they were! Our brave men and women in uniform were dropping blankets and food long before the first bombs were dropped on the Taliban. This great country of ours has had a long history of coming to the aid of those who are oppressed. Over the 230 year history of the United States of America, we have shed more blood in the defense of others, than we have defending ourselves.
President Bush and Operation Enduring Freedom ended up overthrowing the Taliban government who allowed the terror groups to have refuge in the country and he wiped out a majority of Al Qaida and its members, and just for the record thanks to the actions of President Bush, America has not been attacked since. President Bush also spread democracy to this nation and less than 3 years after being liberated, the Afghan people voted on a constitution that embraced democracy and elected people to lead their country.
THE WAR IN IRAQ:
The war in Iraq is one of President Bush’s most controversial decisions. The war was supported at first, with many congressman both Republican and Democratic voting for it, and so America with a coalitions of nearly 100 country invaded Iraq. American’s were filled with a sense of pride as images of Iraqis cheering their new found freedom and greeting out troops in the street with open arms as Saddam Hussein’s reign of terror came to an end. However, President Bush did not realize the insurgency that would hamper the rebuilding process. Terrorists entered Iraq from all different directions; the bombed not only troops, but the Iraqi people, trying to scare them from supporting America. They attacked American Allies in the War, like most notably in Spain, where the train attacks in Madrid scared the Spanish government from with-drawling from the war, giving the terrorist a noted victory. Bush stayed the course and in a very unpopular decision, but one that in time would prove to be effective, Bush increased the number of troops in Iraq, against popular opinion and the recommendations of bi-partisan boards. This troop surge as he called it showed the terrorists, that under his watch they would not win and that they could not scare him or the America people away, it also showed the people of Iraq that Bush wanted to finish the job and clean up the mess, that he wasn’t going to leave them behind. It wasn’t until the Presidential debate in 2008 did President Obama actually admit that the troop surge has worked and Iraq is making significant progress and each day becoming more and more self-governing. For those who don’t believe that we should have invaded Iraq, I ask you, would you rather have the Iraqi people living like they were? Saddam Hussein was a brutal dictator. He dropped people in plastic shredders alive, if they were lucky they went in head first and died instantly, he sprayed mustard gas on a 12year old boy in front of his dad; his son’s kidnapped and raped a newlywed bride in front of her husband before they killed them both. He tortured and imprisoned those who opposed them, he used chemical weapons on his own people, and he starved them economically, living in hundreds of fancy palaces across the country, while his people lived in poverty and despair. Today the Iraqi people are free, the designed their own constitution, and elected their own officials, they even prosecuted, convicted, and executed Saddam under the laws they created with their very own constitution. Was President Bush justified in invading Iraq, many members of congress thought so, almost 100 nations thought so, and whether you believe so or not, remember the end result, A nation is free from brutality and free to govern as they choice. Girls are allowed in schools for the first time, oil revenues will be shared across the nation, and Saddam is no longer a threat to the world.
HUURIACANE KATRINA:
President Bush also faced problems on the home front as well. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina flooded nearly the entire city of New Orleans. People were stranded on rooftops and inside the Superdome for days. President Bush was ridiculed for what seemed to be a slow response to one of the greatest natural disasters ever. However, was it really his responsibility??? First there is local and state government as well. The whole state was not under water, the National Guard could have been mobilized by the governor, and the mayor could have done a much better job coordinating the rescue efforts in the city in which they were mayor over. Second New Orleans is way below sea level, and built next to the frickin ocean, whose genius idea is that, it will eventually flood. Third, its not like the storm snuck up on them like a tornado does, they were given warning and told to evacuate, if they didn’t heed the warnings which were given days in advance, well… President Bush sent the national guard, he sent food and water relief, he set up a disaster fund, and worked with congress to pass laws to help the victims regroup. What more was he supposed to do, was FEMA a little screwed up and maybe mismanaged some of the details of the rescue, yes, but it is not the Presidents job to micromanage everything, that’s why he was Secretaries of… and department leaders. The Government also had limited resources and New Orleans was not the only place where disaster struck, there was other places as well and FEMA had to coordinate those supplies and rescue agents as well. Once again, that’s why there is local and state government, each with their own resources and rescue options. As I said, the entire state wasn’t under water, why didn’t the governor do more??? President Bush didn’t build the city under sea level next to the ocean, he didn’t bring the hurricane, he didn’t tell people to ignore the call to evacuate, he did send supplies, and troops. How was it mishandled, because at other levels of government it was??? Once again not the Presidents fault.
THE ECONOMY CRASH:
President Bush has had the worst luck in his Presidency. Just because a crisis happens during his watch does not mean he could have stopped it. Bush’s last impression on the American people was the fact that he left with the economy in shambles, but was this economic break his fault no, it was the fault of the democratic congress. In 2004, right after his re-election the Dow Jones Industrial Average was at an all-time high and in 2006 BEFORE the Democrats took control of Congress, unemployment was at its lowest since July 2001. But as soon as the Democratic congress took over the economy and initiated their policy’s the economy plummeted along with George W’s reputation and legacy. The economy was on a path for downfall since the Clinton administration encouraged Fannie May and Freddie Mac to took high risk loans. Well in turn more and more Americans were getting approved for loans they couldn’t afford, and when the sub-prime mortgage crisis happened and more and more people defaulted it lead to a chain of events that because the American Economy is based on stock and non-tangible capital, the whole system crashed when the stock market, the 401k’s, and other investments crashed or defaulted. This lead to a crash crunch and the credit institutions are now less likely to loan out cash to even good people. Interest rates were raised and it became a vicious cycle, of which was not President Bush’s fault, the wheels were already turning for this economic crash long before he took the oath of office in 2001.
IN CLOSING:
Most American’s don’t read between the lines, they don’t do the research themselves; the listen to the media what the media says is truth. If the media says Bush was a failure then surely he must be one. But when you research his Presidency, you see he was tested and challenged again and again. He had to make decisions, decisions that would affect the nation as a whole. Some decisions he could ponder over and research, other’s he had to go with his instinct and what he believe was the best course of action for the American people and for America as a Nation. President Bush for 8 enduring years was our President; his job has a job that he worked 365 days a year, 24 hours straight, for 8 consecutive years, that’s nearly 3000 straight days on the job. Bush just can’t go get a few beers on a Friday night after a hard stressful week, because he had to always be in a state of mind to make good and informed decisions for all of America. Besides these major crisis listed and detailed above, Bush also had to deal with hundreds of other issues from immigration to education and social security reform, to AIDS relief in Africa and other foreign affairs and treaties, he had to deal with energy independence, and nominate judges and etc. Americas need to be thankful we had a President like George W. Bush in office, who doesn’t waver under pressure, who makes decisions, who isn’t afraid to defend this great nation, who wasn’t playing politics and trying to win a popularity contest, but enacting polices he believed would help America grow and remain the great nation that she is. I salute George W. Bush for all he did to serve America, for sacrificing eight long years of his life to serve and lead this Nation. I have no doubt that Bush loves America and what America stands for and before we criticize him, before we write him off as a failure, I ask could we step into his shoes and do any better? Under Clinton, America was attacked 10 times and planning for 9/11 was long in the making, under Bush, 9/11 did happen but he went after the people and country’s responsible, he brought justice and he brought it hard for each and every one of us, he liberated 2 countries from brutal authoritarian regimes, and brought democracy and freedom to those people, he contributed over 10 billion dollars to fight AIDS, he had natural distastes like floods, fires, and tornadoes. He also tragetically has President when a NASA space shuttle explooded, killing all on board upon re-entry. Over his Presidency he was tested in each and every way, and he never backed down, always rising to the challenge and leading America. If anything else, President Bush should go down in history as a great protector of America, our way of life and our freedom
Thank you W, Thank You very much, I salute you, I believe America is a better place now that you have been in charge, I thank God everyday you were in office during 9/11, I believe you did your best, what you thought was the best decision, you didn’t play popular politics and never cared about approval ratings, so after 8 years, Thank You, Thank you George Walker Bush, the 43rd President of the United States of America.
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