by Tina Grazier
You remember the old media paradigm; the one foisted on the American public once the Bush doctrine was born. That cowboy in the White House, with his arrogant swagger and his big stick diplomacy, was just going to make those terrorists mad. He wasn’t making things better, he was making things worse! What an incompetent, unsophisticated boob! Yah dah, yah dah, yah dah.
After seven years of war abroad and safety on the home front the incompetent big stick cowboy graciously hit the trail leaving behind a forward moving plan for the broader war, an exit plan for Iraq, a warning of continuing danger, and from many quarters across the globe and at home, quiet gratitude for his steadfast commitment to fight the good fight and defeat the enemy.
Being kept safe at home after 9/11 was taken for granted by the American people, Democrat and media Bush bashing had taken its toll, and a war weary country was eager leave the Wild West behind. With great fanfare and excitement they jumped on the hype and change band wagon offered by the Democrat candidate, Barack Obama. Deemed sophisticated, brilliant and cool, it was thought that this historic candidate, when elected, would bring order and peace where the cowboy had only brought chaos and discontent. He promised to bring the soldiers home, close Guantanamo, and capture or kill the mastermind of 9/11. He would bring a new era of respect and cooperation from friend and foe alike all across the globe. He was a unifier, a peacemaker, a miracle worker! He would extend the hand of friendship and cooperation. This was a paradigm straight out of the “all you need is love” sixties that would surely calm the “troubled waters” churned up by that useless cowboy!
Uh huh.
The public soon began to realize that the hope and change president was not going to be able to use his charming sophisticated ways to bring peace to the world. It wasn’t long before we knew that sophistication, charm, and cool would not change the determination of those who hate us and want to destroy our way of life. We watched in incredulity as the president insulted our allies and bowed to our foes and despite his open hand approach in the Middle East we’ve now had three attacks on the homeland in the past year. Massive failures have occurred in our security system. Enemy combatants are dangerously being given citizenship status in our courts. Returned Gitmo detainees continue to return to Jihad. As Rich Lowry has said, “Guantanamo,” has become “AQAP’s (Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula) farm team.”
Could it be that George Bush and his advisors were exactly right about the motivations and intentions of this enemy? Could it be that they were exactly correct in saying this enemy was different and that it would take action, both seen and unseen, on many fronts over twenty years or more to come to victory? Could it be that the cowboy way of tough determined and adapting military and diplomatic efforts worked? Why yes, I think it is more than possible. In fact it’s quite apparent.
Cowboys tamed the Wild West. The enemy combatants we face are outlaws who refuse to live within the bounds of civilized society. It’s time to sweep “cool” aside and saddle up.