Back to Iraq page.

The Iraqi War: Conclusion



 
  3/31/03
In a televised address aboard the aircraft carrier USS Lincoln, President Bush declared the war over. He congratulated the troops, as well as a new American hero, Donald Rumsfeld.
And to some extent, he was correct in doing so. It was a well fought war that showed American might and skill.
But I have to admit that I found Bush's speech a little troubling. To me, here is what the speech said:
Here I am, your President, and I own this friggin' huge carrier. I am very powerful, and I can strike whoever pisses me off. And you should vote for me, because I am the face of American military might.
Well, I'm not sure I agree with that. First, I don't know if I agree that our President should be portrayed to the world as a warrior. It is true that the President is the Commander in Chief, but he is also a civilian. I would prefer the President appear as a diplomat, someone capable of solving problems in a peaceful way.
Second, I don't think the President owns the carrier USS Lincoln. It is not a Republican carrier or a Democratic carrier. And President Bush didn't build that carrier. It is owned by the people of the United States, which means that I own it as much as anyone else.
Now President Bush is turning to domestic concerns. But I am not optimistic that his efforts will have any positive effect on the economy. I might note that I am unemployed, and probably I will get a job working for the military. But I think that this economy is pretty weak.
Certainly I am 100% relieved that the war went well. But I think Bush is trying to define himself as the man who responded to Sept.11 by fighting just wars. He is trying to use the image of himself on a carrier as his campaign commerical for the next election. I don't think that this sends the right message to the country or to the world.