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Old January 22nd, 2008, 10:32 PM   #780 (permalink)
BigRapidsJackass
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Well, if your problem is with lack of execution, I agree.

Proves my point about skepticism of government in general: the great freshman class of 1994 almost immediately became obsessed with holding onto its own power and quickly ignored the promises that got them there.

As for the foreign policy grades: Ford didn't really "get us out" of Vietnam. He let Vietnam collapse after the North blatantly violated the Paris Peace Accord. The fall of Saigon was shameful. Not entirely his fault, since nobody had the stomach for more war by that point. I kind of see that kind of end in Baghdad. Sorry, but I do.

Carter: I agree, kind of a mixed bag. Actually, the "Reagan" military buildup began with Carter's response to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. His advocacy for human rights also set the stage for a lot of other good things (Mandela's ultimate success in South Africa for one.) And his Middle East successes have yet to be equaled. OK, I'll overlook Iran and give him a +

Clinton: Kosovo vs. Rwanda. Lame responses to terrorism vs. free trade advocacy. Another mixed bag, but I'll keep it a +

And Bush I should get more credit. He did coalition building the right way. And he surrounded himself with sane people who could control Cheney (Scowcroft, Powell). A big +, probably the biggest on the list.
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