Bush Remembers Details, Misses Big Picture

George Bush, speaking at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, Nov. 14: "Some Democrats who voted to authorize the use of force are now rewriting the past. They're playing politics with this issue and they are sending mixed signals to our troops and the enemy. That is irresponsible."

While remembering well what his critics were saying years ago, Bush again seems to have forgotten that the Iraq war resolution some of the critics voted for called for the President to exhaust all diplomatic avenues before resorting to force.

Bush's Iraq-attack is also a violation of U.N. Security Council resolution 1441, which requires that the Security Council, not the White House, make the determination as to the necessity of military action.

There is no mixed message being sent to our troops: we're indebted to them for their service, and are doing all that we can to encourage our leaders to make responsible use of our military.

If, by "the enemy", Bush refers to Saddam, he's in prison, and it makes little difference what message we're sending him. And I think other enemies are probably already as aware as anyone to what extent Bush misled America regarding the urgency of taking military action.

If Bush really wants a unified America, he ought to really lead, and start giving us something we can get unified behind.