Weak grasp of history - Reader comments at The New York Sun

Recent Blog Posts

Reader comment on:
The Clinton-Obama-Bush Doctrine

Submitted by Peter Goff, Nov 19, 2007 09:32

This editorial exhibits and incredibly poor understanding of history. As early as Woodrow Wilson's Fourteen Points, American presidents have observed that the spread of democracy is linked to American national security. Following World War II, democracy promotion became a key proponent of U.S. national security policy, with Presidents from Truman to Carter emphasizing freedom, democracy, and human rights around the world, including in the Middle East. Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and Bill Clinton pursued these ends, each in their own ways. By vocalizing this policy, neither President Bush nor his potential successors are unique.

The uniqueness of George W. Bush's presidency, rather, comes from his attempts to implement this policy through regime change and force. If either Hilary Clinton or Barack Obama endorsed this aspect of the policy, that would be a significant shift. Neither of them do.

Note: Comments are screened, and in some cases edited, before posting. We reserve the right to reject anything we find objectionable.

Other reader comments on this article

Comment	By	Date
For those of us who have turned against the president, this is no news at all. Bush has bought into... [MORE]	Troy Doby	Nov 19, 2007 11:59
Thanks for being honest enough to print the truth. God bless you [MORE]	Bud Cline	Nov 19, 2007 11:54
While I am generally in favor of some kind of term limits, Clearly the American Public of WW2 Days were... [MORE]	Marvin Lange	Nov 19, 2007 11:01
Although Senators Obama and Clinton did support the Bush Doctrine in their last debate, most likely unaware they were doing... [MORE]	howard lohmuller	Nov 19, 2007 09:45
This editorial exhibits and incredibly poor understanding of history. As early as Woodrow Wilson's Fourteen Points, American presidents have observed...	Peter Goff	Nov 19, 2007 09:32
It is not valid to consider Bush the first to consider democratic societies more friendly to other democratic societies. Nor... [MORE]	Thom	Nov 19, 2007 09:31
When President Bush was elected, I recall how the press jeered and made fun of him for feeling he was... [MORE]	Kathy Washburn	Nov 19, 2007 08:27
I find it amazing that a newspaper has the courage to speak the truth. I wonder when the Sun will... [MORE]	Gene	Nov 19, 2007 07:34
Heresy to speak the truth sometimes. Democracy cannot do everything and certainly has its limits as we saw with the... [MORE]	Don L	Nov 19, 2007 05:43
What the New York Sun calls "The Clinton-Obama-Bush Doctrine" is simply a reissue of Woodrow Wilson's "Make the World Safe... [MORE]	George N Spitz	Nov 19, 2007 05:26

Reader comment on:The Clinton-Obama-Bush Doctrine

Other reader comments on this article

Comment on The Clinton-Obama-Bush Doctrine

Reader comment on:
The Clinton-Obama-Bush Doctrine