What might have been

I agree with Atrios, Wow.

I like the framing the Gore has given to this issue: Bush represents the desire to dominate enemies and friends, a desire that is natural in the face of a complex world, but a desire which, when acted upon, has consequences that are even worse than the original evil you were trying to defeat.

Some supporters of the Bush doctrine of dominance argue that America should not go into the fight with terrorism with one hand tied behind their back. Gore, in this speech, harkens back to a time when when America could defeat its enemies with the strength of only one hand. Indeed, it was precisely the fact that we did restrain our baser desires that gave us our greatest strength.

Bush, by releasing the full might of America, has shown America to be weaker, not stronger.