World War II: Two empires defeated. Two dictators stopped. Four years, nine months.
The "Global War on Terror": One terrorist organization. One leader forgotten and still free. Five years and counting.
In World War II, the United States of America unified after a brutal surprise attack and rallied behind the flag to take on enemies who threatened democracy, our way of life, and peace around the world. In less than five years, from the Pearl Harbor attack in December 1941 to Germay and Japan's surrender in the summer of 1945, our nation fought two major wars at the same time. They were on opposite sides of the planet. And with Adolf Hitler's suicide and Emperor Hirohito's unconditional surrender, we won decisively. Our nation was stronger because of it.
Today, five years after the 2001 World Trade Center attack by a small band of terrorists living in caves, George Bush still cannot defeat the enemy in two poor, small countries. He cannot even find the leader of the 9/11 attacks, Osama bin Laden. Our nation is weaker. Our people demoralized. And our world leadership diminished.
This week, after years of hardly mentioning Osama bin Laden, saying that "he wasn't that concerned about him," and closing down the CIA office charged with his capture, President Bush seemed to have a new found interest, citing Bin Laden seventeen different times in a single speech.
What's happening? It's election year and the Republicans, in trouble once again, have returned to their tried and true (and successful) strategy of scaring us just enough to keep them and their failed policies in power. The DNC just released a video chronicling this. Take a look.
2001: After Attacks Bush Wanted Him "Dead or Alive." "We will win the war and there will be costs," President Bush said shortly after the attacks. He said that he wanted Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." Associated Press, 9/15/01; Associated Press, 9/17/01
BUT, the tune changed...
2002: Bush: "Not That Concerned" About Bin Laden. In a news conference, President Bush was asked about Osama bin Laden. "I don't know where he is. I-I'll repeat what I said. I am truly not that concerned about him." White House Press Conference, 3/13/02
2005: Bush "Hardly Ever Utters" Osama Bin Laden's Name. "The White House has sought to play down the significance of bin Laden to the global anti-terror battle. As a result, Bush hardly ever utters the name of the man he.repeatedly promised would be caught." Associated Press, 3/3/05
With Bush's rediscovery of his own personal Waldo, the game's on again. The problem for him is, finding Bin Laden in a speech is not the same as finding him for real. Even more, the American people don't believe him anymore.
if the United States, under a real president, could defeat two brutal empires in less than five years, why can't George Bush defeat the enemy today?
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Pass the Democratic National Committee's video to your friends. You can find it here:
http://a9.g.akamai.net/7/9/8082/v001/democratic1.download.akamai.com/8082/video/binLaden_6A.wmv