American Leaders

During our civil war, the President was quoted, “I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go. My own wisdom and that of all about me seemed insufficient for the day." Such is the life of a president during war.

Mr. Bush wears a sturdy 'war president' veneer for multiple political reasons (foreign & domestic), but I think his redrawing of 'the line in the sand' was essential. Allowing international terrorism to destroy the international structure (composed of nation-states) is against the interest of the United States. Maintaining a nation-state based international system allows for the implementation of international norms (human rights, international trade, treatment for POWs, etc.), which forms the basis for international law (Justice Anthony Kennedy even cited international law during Supreme Court proceedings concerning the death penalty for juveniles). As the bona fide hegemon of this state-based system, a strong response against those employing outlier methods was necessary, especially after decades of appearing weak in the eyes of current enemies.

While achieving unprecedented military modernization under President Reagan, America still seemed a paper tiger to the Muslim World. Years of military ineptitude in the region combined with 'paper' becoming our favorite our 'tiger' (the US funded the enemies our enemies, bolstering Saddam against Iran and organizing OBL & Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan against the Soviets) painted Americans as loath to rigor. Modern Americans chafe at the notion of enduring sacrifice to win a war (so maybe we are a paper tiger). The 'War on Terrorism' is a broad axiom without a specific ‘timeline’, but folding before the Muslim world (again) certainly emboldens those fighting against us. We are at war; isn't that right General?