If a Democrat was in the same situation Bush is right now, would people still feel the same about the war?

Question

Lets say a Democrat was in office and started this awful war, do you think all these republicans would be such strong supporters? I would think not. do you think the republicans would be applauding his strength and "courage" to do what's right? people say bush is doing a good job because he isnt backing down to enemies, but what if a democrat was doing it? i know this is hard to imagine because democrats usually dont start wars for no apparent reason. but lets just pretend for yahoo Q&A's sake.

it just seems to be party lines here, and not people honestly believing we are doing a good thing.

Answer 1

I am a Democrat and if a Democratic President had created this mess I would be against him, as I am Bush.

Answer 2

This is a decent question, let's take a look back to the Clinton years to get a little perspective. When Clinton started to bomb Bosnia and we had no strategic reason to be there but the cause was noble, even though Republicans did not run to support him they also did not undermine and constantly second guess every decision he made.
So to answer your question I think republicans are more tolerant of a Democratic president in the time of conflict and are willing to give him the benifit of the doubt than vice versa.

Another ex Gulf war 1 I remember the democrats talking about 100,000 body bags I am sure if the war had taken longer than 2 weeks the vitriol would come out like it is today.

Answer 3

I think the Johnson analogy makes a lot of sense. An unpopular war that is beginning to split a party that banged the drum for it. Also Johnson was another cowboy from Texas. You could also look at Truman and the Korean War. He got a lot of flack from the country and the pentagon. What about FDR? I guess the congress was much more heavily democratic back then but then Bush rolled to war with majorities..and I imagien there were some Republicans or Southern Democrats being incredibly obstructionist back then. I think an unpopular war is a bigger problem for Democrats cause they dont have the fawning support and admiration of the pentagon or the troops and if the country turns against them they will want to get out fast. Look at Carter and CLinton's war... Thats my two points

Answer 4

Of course. Look at the history of Vietnam. Democratic presidents were in control at the beginning and throughout the war. It was a republican who got us out. All of the rolls were reversed. The arguing between Republicans and Democrats isn't really about the right or wrong of the war. It is the age old struggle for power and control, as well as the money that goes with it. Each party tries to take advantage of the others choices regardless of whether the choices were right or wrong. Both parties have gotten us into war and both parties have gotten us out of wars.

Answer 5

Just for rhetoric, I don't think the Republicans would be supportive of a war started by a Democrat. It does appear that the Republicans would probably act quickly to impeach such a president, but that is not happening in this scenario. Bush isn't backing down to "his" enemies, but I'm not sure the enemy has been defined enough to garner American support. I personally see this as an oil war for Bush business associates. This is an ugly ugly situation that generations after us will have to suffer its consequences. I pray we can keep our democracy and overcome the freedoms we've lost, the debt we've incurred, and the loss of integrity in the eyes of the world.

Answer 6

I have to disagree w/ cvq3842. If you believe in the war, then you should (and probably do) support the men & women of our Armed Forces fighting it. But if you believe Bush is doing a bad job of directing our forces, how can you possibly support him?

Already more lives have been lost fighting this war than were lost in our original reason for looking for war (9/11). Now, I'm not stupid. I know more non-military lives may/would have been lost if we didn't go to war. But with no effective plan & NO END IN SIGHT, all we are doing is sending paid volunteers to go die, so we can live without fear. Is that something you can support?

Remember... NEVER MISTAKE CRITICISM OF AN ELECTED OFFICIAL FOR CRITICISM OF THE ARMED FORCES. Just because I like the Windows XP system, doesn't mean I support every decision Bill Gates makes w/ his company.

Answer 7

I think you're right. I think the only reason that a lot of Reps are supporting this war is the need they feel to support a Rep president.

As for at least one who has been opposed since the beginning, I'd be opposed either way, whether it was a Dem or a Rep who started it.

I fully support going after OBL in Afghanistan. But it was a bad mistake to go into Iraq.

Here's what Marine General Anthony Zinni said about that, "We had them in Afghanistan. Then we gave them a gift. We went to Iraq."

Corporal E-4, U.S. Marine Corps, #1920734, Honorable Discharge

Answer 8

I don't know about anyone else, but my opinion would not change based on who was in the White House. I believed that Hussein should have been removed from power in 91 and I still believe that it was the right choice today. In fact I was very critical of the fact that Mr. Clinton was completely unwilling to address the issue with Hussein properly and yet he didn't have a problem acting in Bosnia and Somalia. I always considered that a double standard. Today I consider it a double standard that we will act in Iraq, but not in Dafur and other African nations. Our foreign policy is full of hypocrisy and always has been, this does not change with who occupies the seat of power at any given time.

Answer 9

Democrates don't start Wars for any good Reason???

Remember Viet Nam anyone?

If the Dems did the same thing as Pres. Bush, they would get full support.

Answer 10

I can honestly say if it was a Democrat who has done what Bush has, I would feel the exact same way. I don't think he has screwed up because he is a Republican, he has screwed up because he is an obsessed incompetent with tunnel vision and his pride means more to him than finding a workable solution to this debacle he has wrought.

Answer 11

Excuse me, but your vapidly loaded question demonstrates your ignorance and obvious kool aid consumption.

Are you familiar with World War II?

Vietnam?

Do a little research on the timelines and relevant US leadership.

Until then, I guess we can all *pretend* you know crap from granola about what you're talking about --for yahoo Q&A's sake, of course.