I feel bad for not writing about it sooner. It was a terrific call to arms. This passage was particularly affecting:
This is the great challenge of our time, the storm in which we fly. History is once again witnessing a great clash. This is not a clash of civilizations. The civilization of Islam, with its humane traditions of learning and tolerance, has no place for this violent sect of killers and aspiring tyrants. This is not a clash of religions. The faith of Islam teaches moral responsibility that enobles men and women, and forbids the shedding of innocent blood. Instead, this is a clash of political visions. In the terrorists’ vision of the world, the Middle East must fall under the rule of radical governments, moderate Arab states must be overthrown, nonbelievers must be expelled from Muslim lands, and the harshest practice of extremist rule must be universally enforced. In this vision, books are burned, terrorists are sheltered, women are whipped, and children are schooled in hatred and murder and suicide. Our vision is completely different. We believe that every person has a right to think and pray and live in obedience to God and conscience, not in frightened submission to despots. (Applause.) We believe that societies find their greatness by encouraging the creative gifts of their people, not in controlling their lives and feeding their resentments. And we have confidence that people share this vision of dignity and freedom in every culture because liberty is not the invention of Western culture, liberty is the deepest need and hope of all humanity.
But I am still left wanting to hear something deeper: that the president understands where he has gone wrong, why he has made mistakes, and how he is going to correct them. Alongside this stirring speech, with which I agree almost completely, was the president’s bizarre, surreal announcement yesterday that George Tenet was resigning. How can you describe Tenet’s record in the glowing terms that Bush used and hope to retain the kind of credibility you need to be an effective war leader? Instead, the president appeared yet again divorced from anything vaguely representing reality. That is not a good thing for a nation at war. Ask yourself: do you trust Bush to deliver bad war news if it’s necessary and if it requires his taking responsibility for his own failures? I don’t any more. The Democrats bear some responsibility: the way they have exploited the few times the Bushies have admitted error has been a case study in politics conducted by people who really do not grasp the threat we face. But Bush’s response – to clam up, admit nothing, and refuse to take any real responsibility – is very damaging to his credibility and therefore to the war effort as a whole. It’s not a pretty cycle.
The Dish 