Governor George W. Bush has again showed his love for the State's favorite pastime, war, in his latest proclamation that the Senate should not set a withdrawal date for US troops stationed in Kosovo. Not exactly a shocking revelation, Bush could barely contain his glee when the US initially intervened into the sovereign nation of Serbia to assist the ruthless thugs in the KLA to stop "ethnic cleansing" against the "Kosovoians," as Bush originally called them.
Throughout the morally pure bombing raid against innocent civilians and Serbian civilian infrastructure, Dubya repeatedly urged that the United States more "ferociously" wage war against the Serbs. Bush also showed his disappointment in President Clinton's decision not to introduce ground troops into Kosovo by saying that it was sending the message to Milosovic that "we're coming to fight you with one hand." Bush also made clear during the crisis that had he been in Congress, he would have voted to authorize US troops in the Balkans. But now he says Congress has no business saying when we should pull out or when our troops should come home.
However, it's not Bush the war hawk who is calling for an extended vacation in the Balkans, it is Bush the constitutional scholar. According to campaign spokesman Scott McClellan, "Gov. Bush views it as a legislative overreach on the powers of the presidency," if Congress were to cut off funds to the troops after July 1, 2001. But where was Bush the constitutionalist when the US was participating in this unconstitutional war to begin with? While Article II of the constitution vests the power of commander-in-chief in the President, it does not give him the power to unilaterally wage war, especially without the Congress's approval.
Anyone who has read the Constitution will see that the Congress, not the President, has the sole power to declare war. However, since World War II, Presidents have arrogantly delegated the power to themselves, ignoring and showing disdain for the Constitution. The cowardly Congress refuses to confront any President who takes it upon himself to declare war. By so doing, they can share in the glory if the operation is successful, or condemn the President and play innocent if it is a failure. The Courts don't want to touch the issue, seeing it as too volatile, and that such a constitutional confrontation would damage both institutions.
If that is not enough Congress failed to even get a simple majority resolution passed approving of the Kosovo intervention. With that in mind, the continuing acts of war against Serbia were by all accounts unconstitutional. But Congress ceding their powers to the Executive or federal government in general is nothing new. Congress has been systematically weakening itself since the Constitution was passed. Had Governor Bush stood up and confronted these constitutional issues during the air war he would have shown an act of bravery and leadership. Instead he endorsed the operation of our power hungry Chief Executive and whined that it wasn't being implemented harshly enough; and now he wants us to believe he is acting out of Constitutional principle.
Bush has convinced millions of Republicans that as President, he will not carry on the legacy of global crusading and meddling into the affairs of other countries that do not threaten us. But it's hard to believe that pledge, considering his rhetoric and policy outlines pertaining to the Kosovo quagmire. This policy of American imperialism is, in the words of fellow warmonger Al Gore, "risky." While intervention in Kosovo was sold as a way to counter the "destabilization" of the region, it has lead to an even less stable and more chaotic location on the globe.
Joining Bush in concern over withdrawing US troops from Kosovo is Defense Secretary Bill Cohen, who warns that such an action may destroy the Nato alliance. Well then, all the more reason to pass the Warner-Byrd Amendment. With the end of the Cold War, Nato's purpose has been served and its time for it to be desolved. Instead of an alliance composed of free countries to fight Communism, it is now the military arm of a New World Order, imposing its will on sovereign nations and chasing after some utopian dream world devoid of "hate" and ethnic conflicts.
This is not to suggest that the United States should "isolate" itself from the rest of the world or avoid diplomatic contacts with foriegn countries. But as long as Nato is around, so is the threat of the United States being part of some goofy group effort that may result in this country being bogged down in another remote country with countless lives being lost. Yet both parties continue to clamor for Nato expansion and the United States giving out more war guarantees to foreign countries. The most recent Nato expansion eastward was a monumental mistake by foreign policy elites who apparently seek to antagonize Russia and prompt a new Cold War. No matter how you look it at, Nato is a threat to our freedom and our very security.
But don't expect Dubya to address any of these issues, or even issues like economic sanctions, which are anti-free market and which haven't accomplished anything other than to starve children and elderly citizens who reside in the countries they are imposed on. Governor Bush speaks glowingly of free trade, but where is he on the important issue of economic sanctions which hinder the free market?
In many ways Governor Bush is an attractive candidate. He is friendly, energetic and favors a conservative leaning agenda. But can he be trusted in the area of foreign policy? For libertarians and paleo-conservatives and even the remaining leftists who oppose the bipartisan imperialism of our present political environment, that answer should be "no." Both Bush and Gore hold dangerous views on foriegn policy, will continue to support the unconstitutional power of the Executive Branch to wage war, and will continue to conspire with international organizations like the UN and Nato to achieve their statist goals in the war effort. Hopefully by November, Governor Bush and his advisors will cool the cowboyish rhetoric, and figure out something that they've been oblivious to for quite some time – the Cold War is over. Let's bring the boys home.
Bill Barnwell is a freelance journalist and co-editor in chief of www.thepotatoe.com
