Arthur Schlesinger, Jr.: The Bush Disintegration

The Bush Disintegration
By Arthur Schlesinger Jr.
10.31.2005

The indictment of Scooter Libby speeds the disintegration of the Bush presidency. The fundamental cause is the senseless war in Iraq. The Iraq War has become a running sore. The Korean War and the Vietnam War had better pretexts, but, despite this, the Korean War doomed President Truman in 1952 and the Vietnam War doomed President Johnson in 1968.

The Iraq War is a pure example of a war of presidential choice, not a war forced upon us, and it will doom the Republicans in 2008.

Katrina too has a hand in the disintegration. The sheer incompetence of the Bush administration's response to the hurricanes plays back on Iraq, reinforces doubts about Bush's handling of the war and challenges the administration's credibility on all fronts.

If only the Democrats could unite on an Iraq exit strategy! Maybe Hillary should go to Iraq, as Ike went to Korea, and take along General Wes Clark -- a possible dream ticket for 2008.