The 2004 presidential election promises to be one of the closest in history, and perhaps the most important. President George W. Bush, the Republican, faces Senator John F. Kerry, the Massachusetts Democrat. Many of you may already know I will cast my vote for President Bush. What you might not know is the reason I have made this decision.
I will not vote for the President because I support everything he has done. In fact, he has done plenty I don’t not agree with. Under him government spending has exploded. He has increased the power of the FCC, and signed the liberty-threatening Campaign Finance Reform. Other than his tax cuts and the partial-birth abortion ban, there is much to criticize about Bush’s domestic policies. Yet these infractions are minor when compared to Bush’s handling of the most important issue of our day: the War on Terror.
On September 11, 2001, we were attacked by Islamic extremists, and found ourselves at war. We did not choose this war. We were forced into it. We all remember how President Bush responded to these attacks, with a calming voice and a strong resolve. Shortly thereafter, the Taliban regime was removed from Afghanistan and a new government installed, one that respected the rights of the Afghans and works to destroy terrorism.
Bush also faced another great challenge with Saddam Hussein, the Iraqi dictator who defied the world for years. Saddam had gassed his own people, and was responsible for the deaths of over a million people. Contrary to what some will say, Saddam also possessed weapons of mass destruction (sarin gas has been discovered in Iraq), and was working on more. Even Russia’s Vladimir Putin, who strongly opposed war in Iraq, said Saddam was planning attacks in the U.S. As the 9/11 Commission determined, his regime had also worked with Al Qeada. Removing Saddam was necessary for the security of the free world, and clearly part of the War on Terror.
Much has been said about America’s reputation abroad. We have alienated the world, some argue. Kerry has said he would get the “international community” and our “European allies” involved in Iraq. While it would be nice if everyone in the world supported our action in Iraq, it is unrealistic. The opposition to our action in Iraq from the French and Germans has nothing to do with President Bush. Lord Palmerston once said that nations have no permanent allies, only permanent interests. Currently, France and Germany are interested in leading a United Europe, which would rival America. Since they are pursuing a policy of competition with the U.S., helping in Iraq is not in their interests, and will not be regardless of who our president is.
Whether or not you supported removing Saddam Hussein, the war is over, and he is gone. We must now build a stable, democratic Iraq that will become the leader of the Arab world, and spread the seeds of liberty through a region dominated by dictatorships and theocracies. President Bush is the man who can do this.
The War on Terror is the most important issue in this election. It is just as critical we win now as it was to win WWII. The stated goal of Al Qeada is to convert every “infidel” (non-Muslim) or kill them. This is one reason former New York City Mayor Ed Koch, a lifelong Democrat who does not agree with President Bush on a single domestic issue, supports Bush. “…I believe one issue overwhelms all others: the president’s strong commitment to fight the forces of international terrorism regardless of the cost or how long it takes to achieve victory,” Koch said.
It has become something of a Republican cliché to say that Kerry flip-flops on issues, but it is true. He voted in favor of giving President Bush the authority to go to war against Saddam, but has been backpedaling ever since. He claims to support “a stronger America,” but has supported countless military and intelligence cuts. He believes life begins at conception, but thinks abortion is just dandy.
One of the greatest Democratic myths concerns the economy. In reality, Bush inherited a recession that was made worse by 9/11. Today, the economy is growing at a rate that has to be considered amazing considering all that has happened in the past four years. Bush learned from Reagan that tax cuts stimulate the economy, and he has put this belief into practice with spectacular results.
Bush’s strong stand against terrorism, and his record of reducing the tax burden for hard working Americans points to one conclusion: President Bush deserves four more years.
John Brown (www.johnnorrisbrown.com) is a senior in political science and history at the University of Tennessee @ Knoxville. Contact him at johnnyb325@aol.com. This column originally appeared in the August 14, 2004 edition of The Daily Beacon, entitled "War on Terror most important issue, reason to keep Bush ," and is available here.