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Politics : Politics for Pros- moderated -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: ig who wrote (7719)	9/12/2003 7:23:45 AM
From: LindyBill	Respond to of 793782

Morris wants Bush to "Wag the Dog" Dick Morris The Political Life Bush’s re-election depends on new action against terror Iran has proved to be the undoer of presidents, having cost Jimmy Carter his job in 1980 and nearly depriving Ronald Reagan of his legacy in 1987. The road to the White House in 2004 may again run through Tehran, this time for George W. Bush. There is no way Bush can transform Iraq into a winning situation. The failure to find weapons of mass destruction, the growing national question of whether we were lied to and the ongoing open season on American troops have combined to deprive Bush of credit for his amazing success on the battlefield in much the same way that Saddam Hussein’s continuing presence denied the issue to his father in 1992. Even if we bring Saddam to justice on a silver platter, the problem is unlikely to go away. Only the discovery of massive stockpiles of chemical or biological weapons can redeem the war and make the casualties seem worthwhile to most Americans. But the larger reason for Bush’s incredible descent in the polls is, of course, his success in eliminating terrorism as a top-of-mind issue. His speech Sunday and the ongoing focus on the Sept. 11 anniversary will temporarily heighten the public’s focus on the issue, but then it is likely to recede again. Ironically, the incredible success of the Bush administration in stopping further acts of terrorism in the United States is working against it by increasing the sense of confidence over terrorism and decreasing the need for a Bush presidency. The answer is to move on to the next fronts in the war on terror: Iran and North Korea. Nobody would argue that until these regimes change or are toppled that terrorism has not been defeated. North Korea is likely too sensitive a situation for much speechmaking. Unless the negotiating process requires strident posturing, it is obviously a bad idea to fool around with a nuclear power. The best we can hope for is a quiet resolution without drama. But Iran is a different story. The real leverage against the Iranian theocracy is the discontent of the average young men and women who live under its fist. The massive street demonstrations earlier this year were kindled by the successful U.S. invasion of Iraq and the televised programming beamed into that nation by expatriates. Bush needs to raise the ante in his dealings with Iran. It is not necessary to wag the dog, but he should wag his tongue with more vigor on the subject. The president should move to impose sanctions against companies that are helping Iran develop its oil resources, as authorized by the D’Amato Amendment of 1996. He should take public steps to warn off Japan from investing in Iranian oil and move against French companies that have already defied the U.S. ban. He should also take action against Germany and Russia for aiding Iran in developing nuclear power. Bush is failing because his success has convinced people that terror is no longer a key issue. His victories are the silent killers that are driving down his job approval ratings. Without terrorism as a mission, Bush has never been more than a 50 percent president and, baring a major change in his domestic agenda, he never will be. It was only by moving on to Iraq that Bush escaped blame for the failure to catch Osama bin Laden and it is only by moving on to Iran that he will avoid sinking into a quagmire in Iraq. Obviously, military action against a nation the size of Iran is undesirable. But ongoing presidential pressure on Tehran will appeal not only to the crowds in Iranian streets but to American voters as well. By increasing the level of public understanding of the dangers we still face of Iranian terrorism and efforts to acquire nuclear weapons, Bush will open a much-needed Act III in the war on terror. thehill.com