Inauguration Speech
I personally viewed President Bush's Inauguration speech in a favorable light. I believed it was more than appropriate to speak about Freedom and Liberty not just for America but the for world as well. Clearly it was a not so subtle signal to the authoritarian regimes in the Middle East and the world to shape up or ship out. What I especially enjoyed about the impact of the speech was the reaction from the world. Everyone seems to be afraid of what the speech implied. Yes, it indeed means the USA is number one and we are unapologetic about our place in history! We will act unilaterally even though we might call upon the UN to clean up behind us.
Some will say that our Forefathers didn't want us to get embroiled in foreign entanglements, however, I would argue that the old policy of staying out of European Affairs was for the old Republic from 1789 to 1861 as the United States really wasn't in a position to shape affairs in our favor. After the Civil War from 1865 to present, the "new" Republic was much more engaged in the world. The Old Republic was at war with Britain; the New Republic was its ally. The Old Republic had state militia; the New had the National Guard, which Washington DC controlled when they would be mustered for duty. The Old Republic viewed the federal government as a "fearful master"; the New Republic viewed federal goverment as an instrument to shape domestic and foreign policy for the "greater good". George Washington bequeathed to us the Old Republic from the ashes of the War for Independence; Abraham Lincoln bequeathed to us the New Republic from the ashes of the War between the States.
Many Americans long for the Old Republic, however, those days are no longer with us. GW Bush's speech simply outlined what has been the modus operandi of the United States of America since 1865: To use the Federal Government to make right the wrongs of history! If this entails war, then so be it. America has been waging war for various causes for nearly 150 years, both domestic and foreign, from pacifying the West in the 1870's to the present War on Terror in the 21st century.
A fools hope? Perhaps. Endless war? Could be. Dreamy and unrealistic? Probably. We must remember that Islamic Terrorism, from the arab oil embargo of 1974 to the World Trade Center attack in 2001, has put us in check on the chess board of global politics. Now we must break out, which we have the power to do, and put our enemy in permanent check-mate. If we maintain the offensive, then it is only a matter of time before we are victorious.
Long live the New Republic.
Some will say that our Forefathers didn't want us to get embroiled in foreign entanglements, however, I would argue that the old policy of staying out of European Affairs was for the old Republic from 1789 to 1861 as the United States really wasn't in a position to shape affairs in our favor. After the Civil War from 1865 to present, the "new" Republic was much more engaged in the world. The Old Republic was at war with Britain; the New Republic was its ally. The Old Republic had state militia; the New had the National Guard, which Washington DC controlled when they would be mustered for duty. The Old Republic viewed the federal government as a "fearful master"; the New Republic viewed federal goverment as an instrument to shape domestic and foreign policy for the "greater good". George Washington bequeathed to us the Old Republic from the ashes of the War for Independence; Abraham Lincoln bequeathed to us the New Republic from the ashes of the War between the States.
Many Americans long for the Old Republic, however, those days are no longer with us. GW Bush's speech simply outlined what has been the modus operandi of the United States of America since 1865: To use the Federal Government to make right the wrongs of history! If this entails war, then so be it. America has been waging war for various causes for nearly 150 years, both domestic and foreign, from pacifying the West in the 1870's to the present War on Terror in the 21st century.
A fools hope? Perhaps. Endless war? Could be. Dreamy and unrealistic? Probably. We must remember that Islamic Terrorism, from the arab oil embargo of 1974 to the World Trade Center attack in 2001, has put us in check on the chess board of global politics. Now we must break out, which we have the power to do, and put our enemy in permanent check-mate. If we maintain the offensive, then it is only a matter of time before we are victorious.
Long live the New Republic.
posted by Bruce R. McConnell | 5:41 PM
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