The Invisible Hand

"Let There Be No Mistake . . . "

. . . I will never hesitate to use force when it is required. Any attack will be met with a swift and a certain response."

So this means the United States won't respond to threats until after there is another smoking crater in Lower Manhattan? I believe this was the Clinton Doctrine which became the Bush Doctrine until 9/11 when most of us realized that was a far too dangerous position to take in a far too dangerous world. Praise for Bush for recognizing that that policy was a mistake.

"The future doesn't belong to fear; it belongs to freedom."

Well, not by default. You have to do something to ensure that the future belongs to freedom. That might require projecting military force. Perhaps even before the enemy strikes. George Bush, though his actions and words, believes we have to shape history not sit back and see how it shapes us.

"I defended this country as a young man, and I will defend it as President."

As Lileks observes this morning, this is the first time anyone has heard a liberal say that Vietnam was a war of national defense. After all, Vietnam didn't attack us and we were there without UN mandate. Plus, after he was safely stateside Kerry did all he could to erode public support for the war even while his "brothers on arms" were under fire abroad and vilified as baby killers when they returned.

How would Kerry react to Iran announcing that it had developed a nuclear weapon? We have no idea whatsoever.