November 16, 2005
An Open Letter to Bill Clinton
Dear Mr. Clinton,
Please note the salutation. I didn’t address you as Mr. President, or President Clinton, because you are no longer the president. And as such, it is distressing to hear you making proclamations like your most recent one to students in Dubai:
"Saddam is gone. It's a good thing, but I don't agree with what was done…It was a big mistake. The American government made several errors ... one of which is how easy it would be to get rid of Saddam and how hard it would be to unite the country."
Yes, you also said that our presence there had some good consequences, such as the recent elections and the new constitution. But you’re a savvy politician, and you know which statements would get the most weight in the press.
You had your turn as president, Mr. Clinton, and now it’s someone else’s turn. While there is no written policy on the subject, there is an unwritten one that former presidents do not publicly criticize the current one. George H.W. Bush could have said plenty about you and your wishy-washy foreign policy but, as a gentleman with class, refrained from doing so. (This hasn’t stopped Jimmy Carter either, and shame on him as well.)
Whether or not we should have gone into Iraq is a moot point. We are there now, and it behooves us as a nation to stand behind not only our president, but the troops he sent into battle to do a job and do it to the best of their ability. Belittling their reason for being there is not supporting our troops—it’s pandering to the anti-Bush press, both domestic and foreign, and it gives those who fight against us reason to hope that they may still prevail.
Do the country a favor, Mr. Clinton. Keep your opinions on how the current administration is running the show to yourself. And, please remember that not all of us are among your fans.
Yours,
Blogmeister USA
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AND OUT OF THE OTHER SIDE OF HIS MOUTH, CLINTON SAID:
Saddam (Hussein) must not be allowed to threaten his neighbors or the world with nuclear arms, poison gas or biological weapons. Earlier today I ordered America's armed forces to strike military and security targets in Iraq. They are joined by British forces," Clinton said.
"Their mission is to attack Iraq's nuclear, chemical and biological weapons programs and its military capacity to threaten its neighbors," said Clinton.
Iraq failed to cooperate with the inspectors and placed new restrictions on them, Clinton said. He said Iraqi officials also destroyed records and moved everything, even the furniture, out of suspected sites before inspectors were allowed in.
"Instead of inspectors disarming Saddam, Saddam has disarmed the inspectors," Clinton said.
SO, WHICH WAY CLINTON?
Well said Pam!
Posted by: Mrs Media Matters at November 16, 2005 04:55 PMWhoo Hoo!
Posted by: oddybobo at November 16, 2005 06:04 PMHe just doesn't get it. And to think that his shrew wife will be running for the highest office in the land. What the hell makes either of them qualified?
Posted by: Wyatt Earp at November 17, 2005 03:32 PMI couldn't agree with you more.
Posted by: Mr. Media Matters at November 21, 2005 01:51 AM
