Britain - Bush Is Right

Max Hastings, of all people, writing in the Guardian, of all papers!

Max nails it with just one quote.

We must respect American power, and also acknowledge that the world sometimes has much need of it. As Sir Michael Howard, wisest of British strategic thinkers, often remarks: "If America does not do things, nobody else will." We should acknowledge the limitations of the UN. The pitiful performance of many international peacekeeping contingents, not least in Afghanistan, highlights the feebleness of what passes for European security policy.

But then Max backpedals.

Yet it still seems reasonable to question the optimism currently prevailing among Washington's neocons, because this remains founded upon a woefully simplistic vision. It is true that, in some chronic, unstable regions, some bad governments — those of the Taliban and Saddam Hussein — have been removed by the Americans. But the fragile advantages gained will be lost, unless Washington can match its boldness in the deployment of military power with a new sensitivity to alien cultures, matched by far more subtle political skills.

Sounds like John Kerry nuance to me. And what would that "woefully simplistic vision" be? Stop supporting dictators, go after terrorists in their safe havens, tell governments that support terror that your either with us or against us, insist Syria withdraw from occupied Lebanon, pressure tyrants to institute democratic reforms, insist North Korea and Iran stop nuclear proliferation, etc.

Notice how Max leaves out Libya's capitulation on WMDs and Syria's withdrawal from Lebanon without America firing a shot - at least in those countries.

This is what Bush's "woefully simplistic vision" has brought about: Afghanistan freed, Iraq freed, Lebanon freed, Libya gave up WMDs, Palestinian elections, Egypt to have multi party elections and on it goes.

And what's this Max - "a new sensitivity to alien cultures, matched by far more subtle political skills"? Yeah, like that's worked out so well in the past.

Still, it's nice to see the left starting to admit they are wrong and Bush is right, even if they do it grudgingly.
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