With friends like these who needs George Bush?

Regarding international relations and The ONE, I will paraphrase Winston Churchill: The election of Barack Obama is not the end of the world hating us. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning of improved relations.

During the years where the Bush administration was busy protecting us from the evils of Islamic terrorism we were told often by the media, opposition politicians and Hollywood types who attended dinner parties with dictators how much the rest of the world despised the United States. The former President's International trips, G7 summit attendances and shopping trips to Rome disguised as official business (oh wait, that last one is Nancy Pelosi) were met with protests covered in earnest by all forms of news agencies. Photos of Bush as Hitler, Bush as a killer and Bush as a cross dressing former FBI head noted for keeping secret files on everyone were splashed across television screens in Tel Aviv, as Newspaper headlines in New Delhi, blog posts in Beijing and on drums in the Congo. It seemed as though everyone in the world hated us. But Bush did what he had to. Churchill said, "A man does what he must - in spite of personal consequences, in spite of obstacles and dangers and pressures - and that is the basis of all human morality." He also said, "You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life. "

Once in a great while, and usually on page four opposite reports of good news stories from Iraq, there would be a photo of a smiling middle eastern woman free to pursue a life without worry of mass graves, rape rooms and torture camps run by her country's dictator or his two sons facing the camera mouthing "thank you George Bush". For some, no for millions, the actions taken by the last administration were not war crimes they were justifiable actions. These actions were taken primarily to protect us but a wonderful by product was the freeing of millions and a signal to the world that some actions have consequences. Even perennial thorn in our side Muammar al-Gaddafi in Libya behaved for a while. I guess opinions of the United States are all a matter of perspective. Perhaps the hateful opinions of the world were a product of home grown angst. Tossing once again to Mr. Churchill for comment: "A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on."

Obama's victory was heralded, in addition to being the end of racism and the end of politics as usual, as being a referendum on Bush's foreign policy and a signal to the rest of the world that we can be friends again. The world breathed a collective sigh of relief that Bush was being relieved of the power of his office and a collective of like minded thinkers was now breathing in the office's power. A new and great leader, The ONE was at the helm. Churchill said it well, "Great and good are seldom the same man."

Gone is the bumbler of words, replaced by an eloquent teleprompter proficient orator. The United States will end torture, close it's terrorist holding facility in Cuba, meet with fanatical rulers with no pre-existing conditions and flowers will begin to bloom everywhere. Instead of killing those who wish to kill us we will begin to understand their reasons for hating us.

"An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last." - Winston Churchill

Thankfully, for the time being, Obama is a bit of a disappointment to the radical leftist apologists in regard to information gained in wiretaps and the rights of terrorists.

What is my affinity with the former Prime Minister of England today? It seems in his haste to make buddy buddy with our enemies, President Obama is pissing off our greatest ally. Where the media in the United States continue to fawn over our messianic leader papers in the United Kingdom are running headlines with less endearing intent. There still are signs of affection but having seen few successes in their own efforts they are peppered with questions on the wisdom of his stimulus package. They, more than our own lapdog media, see how his decisions fly in the face of historical experience. "Study history, study history. In history lies all the secrets of statecraft." - Winston Churchill

Headline (in the UK Telegraph): Barack Obama under fire for picking a crony fundraiser as his ambassador to Britain
It seems the Brits are a bit set back because once again Obama breaks his pledge to change the old ways of Washington by rewarding a fundraiser with a posh position. Perhaps he should have heeded Churchill's advice, "There is no such thing as public opinion. There is only published opinion."

This article on the Mail Online which mentions Obama's paraphrasing of a Churchill quote also refers to his returning of a bust (see below) of Winston and is littered with comments trashing our President.
One posting said, "if Obama, the USA and the world are lucky he will not be truly tested...don't hold your breath...there are many who don't share the ideals of 'western democracies' and they will use all their wily tricks and deceptions to 'play' him..then we will see just how astute and capable he really is..rhetoric may win elections but courage, resolve and fortitude wins battles".
Another says, "Seems to be a man with very few words (or idea's) of his own."

George Bush had a bust of Winston Churchill in the Oval Office that was loaned to him right after the attacks of September 11, 2001. Bush admired Churchill. Right after the inauguration, when every President remodels the office to suit his own personality, Obama removed the bust and returned it to the Brits. In its place now is one of Abraham Lincoln, a leader Obama tries constantly to have himself compared with but against whom he fails miserably in comparison. The English have mixed feelings on the signal the new American President is sending in this action.

George Bush has more in common with Winston Churchill than Barack Obama could ever hope to have in common with Abraham Lincoln. In his quest to be liked by everyone in the world, the First African American president would be wise to remember some of these words of wisdom from a man who truly was one of the greatest leaders the world has ever known (and loved!). Reading these, I imagine President Bush was well aware of the man Churchill was and the importance of these quotes:

"Broadly speaking, the short words are the best, and the old words best of all."

"Do not let spacious plans for a new world divert your energies from saving what is left of the old."

"However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results."

"If you are going through hell, keep going."

"In war, you can only be killed once, but in politics, many times."

"It is no use saying, 'We are doing our best.' You have got to succeed in doing what is necessary."

"Politics is the ability to foretell what is going to happen tomorrow, next week, next month and next year. And to have the ability afterwards to explain why it didn't happen."

"Short words are best and the old words when short are best of all."

"Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery."

Obama seems to have learned one already:
"The first quality that is needed is audacity."

Before signing the Stimulus Package he should have thought: "To build may have to be the slow and laborious task of years. To destroy can be the thoughtless act of a single day."

In naming this site, in addition to what I thought was a cool Mexican phrase, I did have this in mind: "Never, never, never give up."

In writing today's post I obviously learned this:

"It is a good thing for an uneducated man to read books of quotations."

S2