What Bush Did Right

Posted by Andrew Tobolowsky on 01.14.2009

Big hopes, big fears...

Nothing.

Nah, I'm just joshin' ya. I know I've got a reputation in these parts for rabid liberalism but now that the election's over. I'm a moderate by trade, but my thing is, I'm not a moderate for the sake of moderacy—I think things can be good or bad. However, I am somewhat predisposed to seeing both sides of a thing, SOME of the time. In other words I fell into moderation and can at my own whim fall out of it. In the case of the election, once a very old man with a history of serious health problems DID select Sarah Palin as his VP candidate, I was convinced that that situation had the makings of a national disaster. In this I was not alone even among Republicans. And if I think the Republican party is overly exclusive, this has been echoed by pretty much every major Republican over the last year.

Not that you came here for an apologia. Since this is a forum, not a newspaper, I feel we've gotten to know one another a bit—and I only wanted to say, I am not healed, I will probably be backsliding, but when I can I will give a nod of the head in what I do not consider so much the other direction as some may believe about me. So be it. Neither my objectivity nor subjectivity is on purpose. You are my brothers, sisters, and my deadly foes. Amen.

Now: One thing the Bush Administration has done really well is protect America. Since September 11th there has not been a single terrorist attack on the United States. We are now in our eighth year from then, and there is simply no way there has not been a concerted effort. I believe that the Bush administration has pursued policies which make the world MORE dangerous—bringing Iran and Iraq closer together, swelling the ranks of terrorists by giving the appearance of just cause to anti-American appeals—unless you think our campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan have never harmed a civilian.

But if so, really, that just tells you how good they are.

I don't know how they've done it, and I expect no one does and won't for 50 years until some 90 year old CIA guy writes a tell-all. And that's something Obama has to be keenly aware of. He has to gain the trust of the intelligence guys, he has to find out how they can keep doing what they're doing without affording the excesses of Guantanamo. That's why it made me feel fairly uncomfortable to see the muted reaction to his intelligence pick among people in the know. I appreciate the need to change the culture of Washington, but we can't throw the baby out with the bathwater.

Here is my major concern even beyond that: that compassion and humanity have, shall we say, an expiration date. America is rightly against torture and internment. Guantanamo should never have happened, and I don't say that because I don't recognize that some people should be thrown in deep, dark holes and never have to see the light of day. But there must be some transparency. If we need to create some kind of expedient court which can at least dictate that someone is credibly guilty and can at least be detained while we further ascertain how guilty, so be it. But we cannot simply shut people away who we think might be guilty, and give them no chance to prove their innocence.

But, remember, it has been over seven years since September 11th. It's easy to be loud about how the United States doesn't torture, the United States pays attention to due process right now. Here's a very plausible scenario: Obama closes Guantanamo, as he almost certainly will, and then we have a terrorist attack. Who knows if Bush's plans would have been enough to stop it? But I guarantee you, all of a sudden, public opinion is a little bit hazier about whether or not they'd mind a Guantanamo. It does keep us safe. The question is the cost.

We need to keep our hands cleaner than they have been. There is absolutely no question about that. The Patriot Act is a no go, the torture,etc. We can't sacrifice so much of ourselves for safety. Obama needs to find a place in between, but as much as he'd like to, he can't give up to much. No torture, due process. But….

Because it is necessary not only to America's body, but to her soul, that we find a medium which still keeps us safe. Not only for the obvious reason of safety, but because it is when we are unsafe that we make decisions that eventually we will not be able to live with. It is easy to be brave without danger. Our challenge is two-fold. Keep it easy to be brave, and also, rise to the challenge if we have to.

What Bush has done in protecting us from terrorists is also, to a certain degree, protected us from ourselves. Obama must realize that even a happy medium may have a certain unsavory price. If he doesn't, we'll be paying higher prices sooner rather than later. Change the culture of Washington, but give credit where credit is due.