On Tuesday night, President Bush gave his annual State of the Union address.
The speech, which was interrupted by applause 77 times, made many promises, few of which — with the exception of a regime change in Iraq — will likely be fulfilled.
On domestic issues, Bush threw out some surprises. He pledged $1.2 billion for research and development of a hydrogen-powered car. He called for a 70-percent reduction in power plant pollution and $400 billion to overhaul Medicare.
All of these proposals are to be commended. When watching the first half of his address, a viewer got the impression Bush is genuinely concerned about the well-being of his constituents.
Then came the second half.
Bush continued to flaunt his total disregard for the world community. According to various reports, the Bush administration has indisputable evidence that Iraq has weapons of mass destruction and is planning to unveil this evidence next week at the United Nations.
Bush had a worldwide audience and decided not to dispense this information. Choosing not to present any new evidence against Iraq casts serious doubts on the legitimacy of this evidence and Bush’s plans.
The president offered token support to the international groups coordinating Iraqi disarmament. He followed with a brazen remark about America’s intentions.
“The course of this nation does not depend on the decisions of others. Whatever action is required, whenever action is necessary, I will defend the freedom and security of the American people,” Bush said.
This statement indicated Bush’s lack of respect for the international community. The United Nations, the leading authority on disarmament, said it needs until March. This is a fairly short amount of time to wait when a large-scale war is being considered.
This isn’t good enough for Bush — he wants to go in now. If he wants to start an unprovoked war with an oil-rich nation, he must have an international coalition supported by the United Nations.
Bush’s compassionate domestic agenda outlined in his address is to be praised. One must wonder if these initiatives are genuine or simply designed to appease Democrats and the anti-war population while Bush prepares for war.
