Response to terrorism: George W. Bush vs Barack Obama

As a Republican and as a supporter of President George W. Bush, I am getting a little tired of the juvenile finger pointing by Barack Obama every time something happens under his watch.

Erick Erickson at RedState reminds us of President Bush's response to 9/11 in his post Barack Obama's Vulnerabilities Will Get Us All Killed:

234 days into George W. Bush’s first contentious year in office, four planes were hijacked and used as missiles to strike the United States. Shortly thereafter, Richard Reid tried to blow up another jet.

George Bush never tried to disown 9/11 or Richard Reid. He never tried to say, “hey, it was Clinton’s problem.” Sure, in fact, a lot of what led to 9/11 happened on Bill Clinton’s watch and he failed in most every measure to shut down Al Qaeda.

But after 9/11, George Bush didn’t spend his first day, second day, or third day blaming Clinton. He set out to destroy Al Qaeda. After Richard Reid, we’ve been pretty darn safe flying.

In fact, under George Bush leading scholars and pundits declared Al Qaeda marginalized. By 2003, the pontiffs of miasmatic beltway wisdom were near unanimous that Al Qaeda was near dismantled.

You really need to read this editorial in the London Telegraph by Toby Harnden. It really hits this point where it needs hitting.

Reading the London Telegraph editorial reinforces the belief of many that our country is vulnerable, not just under Barack Obama, but anytime Democrats are in control.

9/11 was a pivotal point in my life. It gave an urgency to life to work hard, be vigilant, and never give up. While 9/11 has faded in importance to many, it is still as shattering to me today as it was on that beautiful September day in 2001. Thousands lost loved ones that day ... others live with life-changing injuries ... thousands of First Responders put their lives on the line -- some lost their lives, others have searing memories. A nation came together in unity for the first time in my life ... for a short while we were truly a United States.

On the sidebar of this blog is a "9/11: NEVER FORGET" tribute from CapnBob that will be there as long as this blog is in existence. We cannot forget. And, yet, we have a man currently in the White House who seems determined to forget.

Mr. Erickson concluded his post by saying:

At the end of the first year of Barack Obama’s administration, there’s something moving in the shadows of Mount Doom. It wasn’t there while George Bush was in charge. But Barack Obama is no George Bush. And the strategy of blaming Bush for being weak on terror will not work after eight years of blaming Bush for being too bloodthirsty.

There was something comforting when John Wayne was in charge of the ranch....