Unlike many of my colleague writers and editors who have long been waiting for the day when they unleash their battery of criticism as you exit the presidential office, I shall take on a different stance.
My approach is softer as I believe that the world community should have some appreciation for your eight-year governance.
Truly, you should be thanked for many of the policies you had adopted and the numerousactions members of your administration had carried out regardless of the ensuing repercussions.
First, George you should be thanked for the policy you had embraced immediately after the 9/11 attacks. The initiation of the so-called ‘war on terror' has established many followers, recruited many believers, and entangled the entire world in a campaign that had a beginning but never an end. Thanks to you, every party across all four corners of the globe have re-defined, altered, and set up its own definition of what exactly that war had meantand whom would be held accountable as the culprits.
In fact, this dogmatic approach of "nail'em all" at all costs has enabled the world to witness the extent with which rights could be infringed. It actually made us appreciate the clauses of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which highlight the moral rights of humanbeings, based on the principles of fairness and justice.
Over the years, the world was reminded that humans have rights regardless of their citizenship, race, ethnicity,language, gender, or abilities.
It is the very fact that thousands across the globe were viewed as ‘guilty until proven innocent' because of their citizenship, race, language, and religion that made usweigh the essence of justice. And in all fairness, your policy George has helped us reach this perspective. So thank you.
Second, the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (better known as the Patriot Act) you signed made people appreciate the liberties that many had taken for granted. The Act gave US law enforcement agencies in part a green light to search telephone, e-mail, and any other forms of records and to detain and deport immigrant suspects. All was eligible to be in full exposure without restriction of any privacy law.
Not only had thousands been detained but the Justice Department had also refused to identify them as if keeping their names hidden facilitated keeping them in detention for long periods. This not only became the standard practice but also the norm followed by other governments worldwide. Law enforcement agencies had turned into experts in defining the best and maximum means of infringing civil liberties.
Today, after coming to know of the endless miseries innocent lives have had to endure as a result of such infringements, we became more respectful to concepts and principles of due process, fair trial, privacy, and freedom of speech. So thank you.
Third, identifying all detainees who were suspected of involvement in terrorist activities as ‘Enemy Combatants' in November 2001, sure educated us on the best means of using (and very much abusing)
language in order to break international norms, laws and procedures. In fact, stating that such ‘combatants' would be tried in military tribunals — disregarding the Geneva Convention — made us wonder whether the US was a signatory in 1949. Ignoring the Conventions' protocols forced us to refresh our memories of how important such clauses are to protecting the human dignity in war as much as in peace. So thank you George for that.
Fourth, when Guantanamo opened in January 2002 and the first prisoners in Afghanistan – sorry, I meant the ‘unlawful combatants' as per ex-Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's label — arrived at ‘Camp X-Ray', our appreciation for the value of freedom had taken on a new dimension. The very idea that humans can be plucked out from their surrounding, transported across borders with no questions asked or objections raised, and appear one fine day in orange suits in cages has made us wonder the true value of treaties and protocols that many countries (democratic as
well) are signatories of.
In fact, the endless imprisonment of so many lives, without due process, trial, and not even conviction have sure made the world ashamed of these treaties' clauses which claimed that human life is most precious on this planet. So thank you for making this so prominent and high on the agenda.
Fifth, the birth of the ‘Bush Doctrine' which came as the cornerstone for waging preemptive wars could not have been named with a better label. The policy, based on the principle of ‘attack first, set the reasons as to why later' have flared many unjustified wars. If it was not for this doctrine, the Iraq war front would not have been opened and the country would not have become a prisoner of an
occupation five years on following its invasion.
The doctrine of course opened pandora's box as it played as the umbrella for carrying out attacks against countries that are deemed hostile or dangerous for one reason or the other. If a country had the might and the power — such as the US - it can surely roll out its tanks and armour without
even having to secure the consensus of the international community as represented in the UN.
So thank you George for enabling the world community to appreciate the importance of a nation's sovereignty. In fact, it showed the way of how countries could be easily invaded based on dubious or ill-founded reasons. Claims could be made up on the way as an invasion is being build up. After all, it is this doctrine that functioned as the preplan for invading Iraq under the disguise of locating and destroying WMD's. Only years later did the world come to know that after much high and low search, neither the W, nor the M, or the D was located as there wasn't a single WMD found. So thank you for the educational process in how lies and wars are staged to perfection.
Sixth, the leak of the Abu Ghraib prison photos have helped reveal how institutionalised the systematic disregard of human rights within the ranks of the administration have become.
In fact, the manner with which torture and mistreatment became intertwined within the system has
showed that even democratic superpowers can become blinded by their might. Losing their moral compass, they set out on a course of action that brings them closer to the characters of dictatorships.
So thank you once again.
Last, you have certainly kept the world entertained with the endless list of silly goof ups. The world should not make a mockery of your presidency as you yourself have provided the subject matter. If it was not your foreign policy, it is your goof ups that made the headlines. Whatever
said and done, you did make people laugh: "I think it was in the Rose Garden where I issued this brilliant statement: If I had a magic wand — but the president doesn't have a magic wand. You just can't say, ‘low gas'." "I'll be long gone before some smart person ever figures out what happened
inside this Oval Office." "I don't particularly like it when people put words in my mouth, either, by the way, unless I say it."
So thank you very much George W. Bush.
Well drafted and well timed article! Mr George Bush has played a major role in stamping all Muslims with the logo of 'terrorism' on their foreheads! Besides, not forgetting his small role, in initiating a new found enthusiasm and love for religion among the Muslims - Many youngsters are getting to know faith in a better way now than ever before. For this, you are to be thanked Mr. Ex-President.
Agniyah Shaikh
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: January 20, 2009, 13:13
