5. “[Saddam] is the guy who tried to kill my dad.”

Many Americans do see George W. Bush as strong, bold, and courageous. I can understand that. His 1950's stereotype of "manliness" does genuinely appeal to some.

Particularly in times of crisis (such as post 9/11), people crave someone, something, anyone, anything to trust in, someone to give even an illusion of safety (even if one cannot provide safety) and justice (even if one cannot provide justice). A tough-talking authority figure can fit that bill. I appreciate the power of our deep security and survival needs; these non-rational impulses can easily override our higher thinking. (Harry Harlow's classic work with baby rhesus monkeys shows the power of an artificial wire surrogate mother in the absence of any actual mother for real nurturing. I see President Bush as the wire monkey. With no better leader to cling to, many of us rely on his John-Wayne caricature. Any shelter in time of desert storm.)

Despite our president's self-assessment as "bold" and "decisive," international poll after poll shows that America’s moral credibility as a world leader has dropped substantially under his "leadership," even among many of our long-standing allies, most of whom did endorse the Afghanistan assaults. With Clinton and Monicagate, a few international figures scorned him, and many smirked. But with Bush and Iraq, many more leaders of civilized nations have outright rejected us, turned away, condemned our belligerence. Bush’s response? “So? Who cares what they think? I'm in charge here." That means when you go to the U.N. for weeks and months and they repeatedly say that they do not agree with you and will not support your military ambitions, you do what you want regardless, and blame everyone else for not kowtowing to your agenda.

I concede that some Americans do consider this "leadership." We disagree. I believe courageous leadership calls for much more than stubbornness and self-importance.

I'd like to find some positive motive instead of the cocksure swagger Mr. Bush often displays. Perhaps Mr. Bush needs to convince not only America, but himself, that in all this he acts out of some higher moral calling. Why? I fear he actually may have acted on something much more primal, more visceral, more animal.

As of spring 2004, several recent books have clearly documented Bush's disturbingly pervasive obsession with Iraq. I keep wondering why he has this overriding determination to find some justification for starting a war in Iraq. Consider this one: http://www.cnn.com/2002/ALLPOLITICS/09/27/bush.war.talk/.

Again, speaking without the security of a thoughtfully crafted script, speaking honestly, President Bush shows us what really goes on inside his head. And again I find it unsettling. Hypothesis: George Bush pursued this “crusade” as his personal vendetta for la famiglia. That certainly would explain his relentless desire to get back at Saddam. Like Harrison Ford's Patriot Games portrayal of Jack Ryan using CIA satellite technology and sending a special team in harm's way to take out a terrorist camp that threatened his family, in real life George Bush had the power to go after Saddam.

Don't mess with Texas, Saddam. Payback's a bitch.

Most people don't generally do really stupid or cruel or selfish or violent things unless the emotional brain overrides the neocortex. And that can happen to anyone, given certain circumstances. But you and I can't send a literal army out to satisfy our rage when someone insults our mother or cuts us off in traffic. Bush can. And this strikes me as all too plausible. Does he see his military exploits as an abuse of his power? I doubt it. He sees himself simply as defending his family honor. A noble motive, certainly.

But whether such vengefulness justifies inflaming many other former allies against us, galvanizing the radical opposition, and conducting over 800 funerals so far (as of Memorial Day 2004), I don't think so. I lay this at the door of the Oval Office.

Not that George Bush will accept responsibility for any of it. John Wayne doesn't apologize.

“To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or that we are to stand by the president right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public.” Theodore Roosevelt “History, we don’t know. We’ll all be dead.” George W. Bush   Intro   Election 2004 Introduction 1   I Yam What I Yam 2a People Die for Mr. Bush's Mistakes. He Laughs It Off 2b Supplement: Mr. Bush Laughs It Off 3a   Mr. Bush's Religious Rhetoric: The Uncaped Crusader 3b   Mr. Bush's Religious Rhetoric: Ripping Off Jesus 4   WMDWMDWMDWMDWMD—Oh, Never Mind, Forget I Ever Said WMD 5   President Bush: Saddam Tried to Kill My Dad 6   President Bush's Real World Patriot Games 7   In Mr. Bush's Own Words: "Major League Asshole" 8a   Responsibilty? Accountability? The Buck Stops Somewhere Else 8b Supplement: Responsibilty and Dodge Ball 9a   Forgive Osama? Love Saddam? You CRAZY, Jesus? 9b   Supplement: Christian Nonresistance 10   Democracy? Not on This Watch. Undo the Presidential Records Act 11   The Arsonist Owns the Fire Truck 12   Environment 13   Mr. Bush's Taunt: "Bring It On!" 14   Conclusions 15   Update 5/5/04     Please sign my Election Site Dreambook (and visit my other sites as well). And read others' comments.