Presidential outrage
On Sunday, Iraqi insurgents fired a surface-to-air missile at a CH-47 Chinook helicopter, killing 16 and injuring 20. Many of the soldiers onboard – stationed in Iraq for far longer than anyone initially expected – were on their way home for two weeks leave. Sgt. Ernest Bucklew was among the dead. Bucklew, who grew up in Spinghill Township, had earlier turned down the chance for a couple weeks at home, reasoning that it would be too hard for his young sons to comprehend. But his plans changed Friday when his mother unexpectedly died from an aneurysm. He was on his way home for her funeral. And now, Donald Bucklew must bury his wife and son. Sunday’s strike was the deadliest for U.S. forces since President Bush declared major combat in Iraq was over on May 1. What, if anything, the president thinks about the mounting casualties is unknown. On Sunday Mr. Bush was at his Texas ranch, grabbing some respite between campaign stops. On Monday he toured a couple of Alabama businesses, drumming up support for his re-election bid. He was 4,100 words into a 4,500 word speech before he mentioned any war casualties and only in general terms: “And some of the best have fallen in service to our fellow Americans. We mourn every loss. We honor every name. We grieve with every family. And we will always be grateful that liberty has found such brave defenders.”
Bush failed to mention the 16 soldiers who died in the downing of the helicopter, or for that matter the two others who died in separate battles that day. He hasn’t talked about the withdraw of the International Red Cross or the United Nations, driven out by bombings, except to continue the worn-out litany: Terrorists are evil. Terrorists hate freedom. He even joked about it in the Alabama speech: “We can’t hope terrorists will change their attitudes. I like to remind people that therapy is not going to work with this bunch.”
Is our president really this na?ve? Or does he think that Americans are so gullible that they will continue to rally around his theme of America is the homeland of freedom and we are freedom’s defenders. Mr. Bush needs to be straight with Americans. He needs to tell us exactly what is happening in Iraq and what he plans to do about it without trying to soft-peddle reality. There are many who believe that former President Jimmy Carter lost his re-election bid because he became too fixated on the Iranian hostages, refusing to leave the nation’s capital and bringing a depressing somber mood to the country.
President Bush has veered too far in the other direction. He is sadly mistaken if he believes Americans will don rose-colored glasses and follow him blindly. We expect a president to acknowledge reality and to provide the vision to lead the country out of this morass. Simplistic rhetoric won’t cut it. The Bucklew family and the growing number of families just like them deserve much more.