President Begins Tour in Support of his Foreign Policy

August 31st 2005

The President compared the current war on terror with World War II (WWII) at the 60^th anniversary of VJ Day (Victory over Japan).  In a speech at the Naval Air Station North Island in San Diego California, the President said "As we mark this anniversary, we are again a nation at war. Once again war came to our shores with a surprise attack that killed thousands in cold blood,"

With our newest aircraft carrier the USS Ronald Reagan in the background, the President told veterans “As we look into your faces, we see the same quiet resolve that defeated our enemies.” The President later told the audience “Once again, we face determined enemies who follow a ruthless ideology that despises everything America stands for. Once again, America and our allies are waging a global campaign with forces deployed on virtually every continent. And once again, we will not rest until victory is America's and our freedom is secure.” 

President Bush compared himself to Franklin Roosevelt.  Bush told the audience "His (FDR’s) optimism reflected his belief that the enemy's will to power could not withstand our will to live in freedom."

The President has begun a two week intensified effort to garner support for his foreign policy, including the war in Iraq.  According to some polls the public has become increasingly skeptical about his Iraq policies.  His approval rating on Iraq has dropped below 40 percent. 

In an Opinion piece for the New York Times Francis Fukuyama tried to explain the shift in American support for the war in Iraq by saying we have “squandered the overwhelming public mandate it had received after Sept. 11. At the same time, it alienated most of its close allies, many of whom have since engaged in "soft balancing" against American influence, and stirred up anti-Americanism in the Middle East.”

Even the administration is not completely satisfied with certain aspects of the process, according to the Associated Press.  The Iraqi constitutional process has been delayed and the final version may not adequately protect religious freedom and women’s rights. 

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By Dan Wilson
Best Syndication Staff Writer

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Keywords and misspellings: Ronald Reagan Regan Air Craft Carrier WWII