We Thought You Had the “Capabilities” to Lead 

This weekend president Bush declared on national television that the reason to take the country to war with Iraq was based on his feeling that Saddam Husain had the “capabilities” to develop weapons of mass destruction.

Mr. President, we thought you had the “capabilities” to lead and solve many of the problems that plague this country. Unfortunately, much like you, we realize too late that we made a terrible mistake in our estimation of your skills. After three years of poor performance in the White House, you continue to disappoint us by not dealing with issues that really matter, like health care. Instead, your administration used the September 11 attacks to justify an unrelated agenda—settling old scores with Saddam Hussein, while many citizens suffer without health care.

Later this year, when we cast our votes, let’s remember how foreign policy was handled during this administration. American, British and Iraqi lives have been wasted because Mr. Bush based his decision to go to war on a hunch about what Saddam Husain might be able to do. Perhaps basing national and foreign policy on everything but facts is not the most prudent way to run the country.

If everyone acted on hunches, like our president, what would life be like?

Doctor: “Well, Mr. Tax Payer, I found an abnormality with one of your kidneys and since I thought it had the “capability” to hurt you, I removed it right away. What’s that? No, more tests were not necessary because my gut feeling told me your kidney would have failed anyway. No worries, we’ll bill you for everything and if you can’t afford it, I’m sure your children will be more than happy to pick up the bill.”

According to the Bush logic, the millions of Americans (who don’t have health insurance or medical care for long term care illnesses) will be ok because the private sector has the “capability” to deal with those issues on its own. I’m sure Mr. Bush thinks that his gut feeling in this one is also right.