Bush's *ahem* Apology

[shortstop]

Did anyone else find our President's apology about the soldiers' abuse too little too late? Really, how long was it going to take him to apologize. :ummm Not his cabinet..HIM. Last I checked, he was the leader. And the apology should have come from him. I heard him say how "appalled" he was...how long did it take to get him to realize that it is appalling? Any longer and the next crisis to come out of this war would be on the front page instead. I think it's just one more example of how ridiculous and inept he is as a leader.
Not that I have a strong opinion about him or the war or anything....

[ribbon]

Hmmmmm, it's not an apology if you're doing it for political purposes or to CYA (cover your ass), IMHO.

[mytots]

I'm wondering why he needed to apologize to begin with? Was he the one who did the abusing? I think those who commited the act should be the ones to apologize. I have yet to hear an apology for how some of our troops have been treated by those who claim to be sooo thankful for our giving them the adequate food supplies, phone service, purified running water, etc. that their former leaders had deprived them of. Many of them are also happy to, for the first time, hold REAL elections and allow their female children to go to school.

Not everyone over there is unhappy about our troops being there. I have a cousin who is barely a man stationed in Bagdhad, and he says that so many of the citizens give them hugs and are excited to have the right to vote and hold elections with more than one candidate on the ballots.

Sometimes what we hear on the news isn't what those who are actually in contact with the citizens are hearing.

I am slow to ever show disrespect or question a president's eptitude (regardless of political party) because I could do no better myself and humans by nature are fallible.

[ribbon]

I believe he needed to apologize because he is the Commander in Chief of the arms service and as the "boss" he's responsible for what those under him do, just as in business. Even though he wasn't a direct supervisor to the criminal soldiers, they all reported to someone who reported to someone who reported to someone who eventually reported to him. An employer is supposed to lead in such a way that others underneath him are loyal to both the "company" (country) and the leader---meaning if someone goes astray (abuses) then others out of loyalty would tell a supervisor and stop the abuse. Like Truman said, THE BUCK STOPS HERE, meaning he took repsonsibility for what happened under his watch.

[shortstop]

:ribpink is exactly right. He is ultimately responsible for what happens over there. He SENT them there. Those are his men and his men are not acting appropriately. Bush's lack of apology sent a message to the rest of the world. It sent a message that he didn't really care. Which is unacceptable. I don't think him infallable, I however expect him to have more compassion, intelligence, and a better sense of judgement.