President’s speech

I listened intently to President Bush’s speech to the VFW convention Wednesday (I wish it had been given during TV’s prime time), and it was the best speech I have ever heard him give.

The historical background he provided regarding the stand that President Harry Truman and others took during World War II, as well as in the Korean and Vietnam wars, resonated in clarity and accuracy. Our successful introduction of democracy in Japan after World War II and the resulting peace in Asia can give us hope for the future of the Mideast.

My father worked with Harry Truman (he was the first curator of the Truman Library), and I think President Truman would endorse Bush’s stand in Iraq. It is not easy to stand for principle — particularly when public opinion is against you.

However, Truman held the course during the war and afterward, when told that democracy in Asia was impossible. If alive today, Truman would agree with Bush’s commitment to persevere in Iraq so that the Mideast, too, can achieve democracy and peace.

Julie Perry Sherriff
Leawood

Again the president, in his speech at the VFW convention, contends that Iraq is a democracy. Well, Mr. President, if Iraq is a democracy, why is Islam its “official religion,” which you put your stamp of approval on, being the supreme commander of that occupation? There is no such thing as “democracy” without freedom of religion.

Under Saddam Hussein, the Christian community was able to attend services in peace. Now they are being run out of the country altogether. Now the Sunnis are battling the Shiites in the streets.

Is this what our country was founded on? Is this worth losing American troops for? I’m sorry, it in no way resembles democracy.

D.R. Sartain
St. Joseph

Comments

[NavyMan]

Is Julie Sherriff serious? If she believes Harry Truman would ever endorse Bush's idiotic war of choice in Iraq, an unwarranted, unjustified and incompetently executed atrocity, then she is just as deluded as all of the other Bush true believers.

These people live in a fantasy world, surrounded by an ureality bubble just like their moronic leader. It is obvious that Julie holds Truman in very low regard.

And it's obvious that the Bush propaganda machine is spinning up its misinformation production again. It is shameful that they have veteran amputees saying that we need to stay in Iraq because they attacked us.

Well I guess it's not surprising that immoral people have no concept of what is right and what is wrong.

[freethinker]

The professor whom Bush cited for his views on Japan has already publicly said that Bush's use of his research was irresponsible and false. It's just another in a long line of "truisms" that Bush is trying to push on the American public. Misleading? False pretenses? Free-thinking Americans who question their leaders should no better than to trust anything the president says.

[truebluehawk]

I, too, wish the speech had been on prime time TV so the entire nation could have observed W's delusional rantings. He is clearly a desperate man in a desperate situation, and will do and say anything to try and save his legacy. I find it hard to believe so many are still behind this man and his administration.

[irishguy]

George Bush as Harry Truman? Oh puh-leeze! What next? Richard Nixon as FDR?