I’ve always like Fred Barnes. I liked him when he was on the McLaughlin Report, and I enjoy his inights when he’s commenting on something on Fox News. his views are most like my own out of all the talking heads on television. I never end up yelling at the TV when it’s Fred talking.
He’s also a bit fearless when he feels strongly about something, as his column in The Weekly Standard shows. While everyone is is bemoaning what didn’t happen during the Bush Administration, Fred is celebrating Bush’s Achievements; Ten things the president got right.
Bush prompted nearly unanimous disapproval in January 2007 when he announced he was sending more troops to Iraq and adopting a new counterinsurgency strategy. His opponents initially included the State Department, the Pentagon, most of Congress, the media, the foreign policy establishment, indeed the whole world. This makes his decision a profile in courage. Best of all, the surge worked. Iraq is now a fragile but functioning democracy.
How does Bush rank as a president? We won’t know until he’s judged from the perspective of two or three decades. Hindsight forced a sharp upgrading of the presidencies of Harry Truman and Dwight Eisenhower. Given his achievements, it may have the same effect for Bush.
Fairly short article, but well worth the two minutes to read it. Good stuff.
~~JD~~
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