That is the title of Martin Peretz's
excellent article in The New Republic.
If George W. Bush were to discover a cure for cancer, his critics would denounce him for having done it unilaterally, without adequate consultation, with a crude disregard for the sensibilities of others. He pursued his goal obstinately, they would say, without filtering his thoughts through the medical research establishment. And he didn't share his research with competing labs and thus caused resentment among other scientists who didn't have the resources or the bold - perhaps even somewhat reckless -instincts to pursue the task as he did. And he completely ignored the World Health Organization, showing his contempt for international institutions. Anyway, a cure for cancer is all fine and nice, but what about aids?
I have written before about the Left continually "moving the goalposts" on Iraq and the GWOT, primarily because they can not bring themselves to admit that Bush could have been right about anything. And by doing so they have marginalized themselves, and given the impression that they would rather have the US fail in its enterprise in the Middle East than for Bush to be proven right.
One does not have to admire a lot about George W. Bush to admire what he has so far wrought. One need only be a thoughtful American with an interest in proliferating liberalism around the world. And, if liberals are unwilling to proliferate liberalism, then conservatives will. Rarely has there been a sweeter irony.
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