NYT: A Bush Alarm: Urging U.S. to Shun Isolationism

[Pirate Smile]

WASHINGTON, March 12 — The president who made pre-emption and going it alone the watchwords of his first term is quietly turning in a new direction, warning at every opportunity of the dangers of turning the nation inward and isolationist, and making the case for international engagement on issues from national security to global economics.

-snip-
In interviews over the past week, Mr. Bush's aides, insisting on anonymity, they say, because they do not want to worsen the fissures, say they fear that the new mood threatens to undermine the international agenda for the rest of Mr. Bush's presidency.
"We're seeing it in everything," said one of Mr. Bush's closest aides last week. "Iraq. The ferocity of an irrational argument over the ports. Guest workers. China and India."

-snip-
To his critics, the internationalist approach is too little too late — the price Mr. Bush has paid for a foreign policy that seemed relentlessly focused on building defensive walls and hunting enemies. A search of the White House Web site confirms that Mr. Bush, who in the days before he took office kept the take-no-prisoners speeches of Teddy Roosevelt on a table at his ranch, made little mention of "globalization" for much of his first five years in office, even when European leaders brought it up.
Asked once, several years ago, about his aversion to the topic, one of his senior aides said Mr. Bush associated the word with "mushy Clintonianism."
"It ranks up there with 'nation-building,' " he added.

-snip-
"Clinton ran on taking a tough line with China, and decided we needed China," Mr. Rothkopf said. "Bush came in with a philosophy that was almost neo-isolationist. When they dealt with Iraq, they did it alone — outside the context of what globalization implies. That's why the second term is the un-first term."

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/13/politics/13prexy.html?hp&ex=1142226000&en=8ec91228649d8c1b&ei=5094&partner=homepage

If this is what Bush is going to be pushing going into the election, the Congressional Republicans should be freaking out.

Teach us all, Georgie. In an election year, Bush is going to tell everyone how great globalization is - the jobs moved to India, China that is a good thing, lecture his party on how wrong they are on illegal immigration, the Ports deal, etc.

The American people are going to get "edjumacated" by the Prez. Enjoy the lessons.

:evilgrin:

[RedOnce]

1. Must have switched meds!

[The Magistrate]

2. It Is Rather Funny, Ma'am, Is It Not?

Attempts to agitate against it are politically suicidal, and run especially contrary to the views of the Republican base itself. The people of our country are traditionally inclined to ignore the rest of the world, and leave it to go to hell in its own handbasket. The recent past has given the people several sharp reminders of the basic wisdom of that traditional course.

[Pirate Smile]

4. I know. This is hilarious and the fact that he is going to do this in

an election year makes me ecstatic.

He is completely going against what most of the Republican base (the voters) are in favor of - excluding the really power force in the Republican Party - the Corporations.

He is arguing the Corporate side and going counter to the majority of the Republican base.

Read the entire article. The irony is delicious.

I would think Republican candidates up in 2006, their consultants, etc. have to just be freaking out after reading this article which is all sourced from insiders in the Bush WH.

[mikehiggins]

3. He's afraid the Great Collapse will take place during his term in

office if we piss off too many foriegn countries. Is the real Iranian threat developing nukes, or switching the currency they use to Euros? Slate has a real good article and link dealing with the actual economic state of this nation (and the world) that should be required reading for everyone who knows how to read.

Bad moon rising, folks, and the whole world could pay the price.

[Oversea Visitor]

5. Inevitable

The price will be paid.
The bills is waiting.

The goverments of this world stand guilty of inaction in witnessing the rape of a country.
Such acts cannot but have future consequence.

Either through a correction of a further walk down this road to nightmare.
Every action has a reaction.
So far we still on nightmare highway and speeding fast.
The world will need to pay the price
Ultimately US will pay the most all for what.
For WHAT?

[brokensymmetry]

6. Those whom the Gods would destroy, they first drive mad.

And isn't it beautiful to watch?

:evilgrin:

[Pirate Smile]

9. Here is some more that I enjoyed -the INTERDEPENDENCE of us with the world

is his new theme. Ha!


"He acknowledged on Saturday that "many of our fellow citizens" are "now wondering if the entire mission is worth it."

But rather than simply delve into the familiar talk about the need to root out terrorists abroad so they cannot strike Americans here, the White House plans to have Mr. Bush expand his discussion of the need for the United States to embrace a new role in the world, even if that means explaining the benefits of globalization to a nation that does not appear to be in a mood to hear that message.

It is yet another change for a man who came to office talking of a "humble foreign policy," and after Sept. 11 used the hammer of the world's sole superpower around the globe.

-snip-
His new theme is different, because it is all about interdependence. Two of his aides say the near defeat of the Central American Free Trade Agreement in Congress last summer — it passed by one vote, after arm-twisting by the president brought just enough Republicans back into the fold — jolted Mr. Bush into recognizing a new retreat from the world by his own party.

[laugle]

7. He thumbed his nose at the whole planet and now wants to make friends!!

The poster is right....I noticed he is on different meds.....I call them his "Happy" pills. He's always grinning at the most inappropriate times!!

And telling us all we are "addicted to oil" he is really getting out there!! Totally disconnected from reality......

[Pirate Smile]

11. Are you ready? Here is BushCo's new theme:

His new theme is different, because it is all about interdependence.



Am I weird because this just cracks me up?

They still are completely clueless about the publics POV right now - even after the Dubai fiasco.

I hope he goes on one of his "campaign-style" crusades throughout the country with this theme.

It reminds me of his social security campaign because I think it would have the same resonance. The public's response would be :wow:

[anitar1]

13. He is going around the country, starting this week, to get

all of us back on track about Iraq. He just seems to have confidence that he can persuade "the People". Saw it on the "news" tonight. With his limited vocabulary, it should be fun to watch.

[radfringe]

14. he can persuade "the People".

what people? guess he means just the ones who have been pre-screened, allowed to attend the staged events and have had their questions "scripted"

[laugle]

17. I had to laugh today--Bush kicked-off his new campaignto muster

support for the Iraq war. I didn't get to hear it--not that I could listen for very long, but he just dropped another point down to 36%. LOL!!

I just wish I could think of a STRONGER WORD FOR MORON!! Any suggestions?

Oh well, we should all be very happy that the Bush house of cards is falling fast. No more new Rovian tricks in the goody bag!!

Also, we are now polling 8% higher in the area of "who can better handle the war and national security."

BUSHCO IS TOAST--I just hope that he won't be able to do much more damage!!

[IndianaGreen]

8. I am all for a lengthy period of isolationism

We need some time alone to fix things here, starting with restoring Constitutional government, and studying what the Founders and George Washington warned us about "foreign entanglements."

[Pirate Smile]

16. I think that is definitely the feeling of most of the American public now.

[madrchsod]

10. the rantings of a delusional mind

the world is isolating the usa, we are not isolating them

[Erika]

12. Remember when France and the UN were irrelevant?

How, we alone, would lead the war against whatever because others wouldn't. How we needed to protect us even if the rest of the world disagreed with our policies?

Or was that just a dream? Now all of a sudden, we wish to be a part of the global community, once again. Corporatism rears its ugly head at every turn.

[Pirate Smile]

15. kick