On 28 Jun 2004 21:52:18 -0700, (w.a. manning)
wrote:

regrettably, political discussions are difficult with a president
that, by his own admission "doesnt do nuance". [sigh] GWB is a good
candidate to be a student of yours.

Ed Rasimus wrote in message . ..
As I regularly tell students, political questions are complex and
nuanced.

You seem quite eager to jump in here, without apparently having much
preceding in the discussion.

Your quote regarding the President, while accurate, is taken out of
context. The reference is to dealing quite clearly with enemies such
as Islamic fundamentalist terrorists. He makes things quite clear to
them and wants them to understand that his message requires no great
degree of reading between lines and searching for limits. This is
quite appropriate.

When it comes to foreign policy, he seems to be quite nicely equipped
to deal with the complexities of international relations. And, most
importantly, he has surrounded himself with quite competent advisors,
most notably Colin Powell and Condeleeza Rice. His direction of the
orderly transition of sovereignty back to the interim Iraqi government
might be a case in point.

(You'll probably next want to bring up the "I don't read the papers"
comment. I'd suggest then that with the drivel recently coming out of
the NYT and WP that the policy choice might be a good one. With the
assets of the NSA at his disposal, he might not need to get the
interpretation of some ax-grinding left-wing editorialist to have
sufficient information to make good decisions.)

Elsewhere you've commented on my statement that I don't tolerate
poseurs and wannabes. You suggest I apply that to the President's
National Guard service where over a period of five years and several
months he attended USAF pilot training (I'm familiar with the rigors,
having graduated myself and then having spent four years as a flight
and academic instructor), having completed the necessary survival
schools (also familiar), and having qualified in a single-seat,
single-engine Century series jet to perform operational missions
(again, intimately familiar). I've discussed the President's flight
performance on several occasions with a close friend and F-105
100-mission pilot who served as the President's instructor pilot when
he attended UPT. I've got no problem with the President showing up in
Nomex and a G-suit--he's earned the right.


Ed Rasimus
Fighter Pilot (USAF-Ret)
"When Thunder Rolled"
Smithsonian Institution Press
ISBN #1-58834-103-8