In The Great Big Sandbox

In my very naïve and amateur view, George Bush is much more than simply a neoconservative. The neocon philosophers have been very successful in appealing to the president’s messianic view of the world and to all outward appearances he is following their game plan line by line with all of the `i’s dotted and all of the `t’s crossed.

The president’s speeches are filled with images of freedom, democracy, and universal prosperity and, more menacingly, of the apocalypse should we fail to follow his commands. But in my view, there is more, much more to the president than a great father figure reading from stone tablets; there is a little boy playing with rockets, planes, tanks and soldiers in a sandbox in which his orders are never questioned by his forces or by those opposing him behind the little dunes and rises. Unfortunately, the real world is not George’s sandbox, and America’s enemies, rivals, opponents, and even its friends and allies do not jump to the bidding of the master of the playpen. And George – and his philosopher kings - cannot comprehend why the world does not jump to America’s bidding.

All that the president desires for friend and foe alike is freedom and prosperity for everyone, an end to fighting and dieing, and eternal happiness for all peoples and nations. It’s as if Woodrow Wilson has been reborn – on steroids. Who can possibly argue with this idealistic world view? If I correctly read my daily paper and information websites and the pictures coming into my house on television, quite a lot of folks, starting with most Americans (including many in his own party), the vast majority of the citizens and governments of our traditional Western allies, an even higher proportion of the peoples and leaders of the Muslim world.

Of course there are many who are pleased to see America hard at work on this great vision. China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, and others watch our daily progress in Iraq and elsewhere and are encouraged by our idealism – so long as we’re too bogged down to help them democratize their shares of the planet.

On 9/11, the American people were unified in our horror at the attacks upon us and in our resolve to punish those who perpetrated the atrocity. This vision was supported by most of those now opposed to George’s vision. The president’s initial moves against el Qaeda and the Taliban government of Afghanistan drew protests from almost no one in the civilized world. But the neocon vision of a peaceful world presided over by the United States as defined by George Bush has brought us to our sorry state where almost every one in the play area is kicking sand in George’s face – and ours with him.

The world is not full of people wanting to do right according to the messianic image of George Bush. It is populated by human beings with differing views of the world, with different economic, political, and social ideas and, most importantly, interests. These people are willing to resist America, and our super power capacity is of limited use when we deal with these people who have studied the ways and means of thwarting our military and economic might.

We have to regain the initiative in dealing with those who would hurt us. And we must think in terms of doing it initially where possible by means of diplomacy, economic and political assistance rather than at the point of a gun.

Had enough? Vote Democratic in November?

Blog on!

Wild Bill