and his wife’s compassion and honor toward the troops and their families, as well as Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld, many will be at least secretly shamed that they said the things about this man that they did. In terms of his quality as a human being who is the model of decency and love for country, I think few can match him.

He and his inner circle set a standard of love and respect for our warrior class that I pray will go forward, if not in the incoming administration, then most certainly in the hearts of our countrymen who have seen that, in a time of deep and growing corruption of government and the “free press”, it has been our military that has set and upheld the traditions of duty, honor, and country.

Thanks so much for this one, Mike.

and also glad I withheld commets I wanted to make on past posts….

Nice job.

compassion was needed! Excellent diary and thank you mbecker for posting it!

He met with the parents of those killed in the war.

Wow.

That’s just mind-boggling.

and my gratitude to your son, as well as his comrades.

Bush as a man did the right thing, and will likely be misunderstood by some. Taking time for the families of our heroes in secret reveals the depth of his character, where lesser men might pose for a photo-op. Any who might accuse W of taking the war and the honor of our soldiers is sadly mistaken. None of us will know the agony of decisions of similar magnitude, and for the better.

To those who seek to diminish the man’s character…

Sometimes we may not agree with his policies, but this display of compassion and gratitude by President Bush is one I wish people across the world got to know. God Bless the Marines, as well as all of the armed forces and President Bush

I wouldn’t be surprised if he read it and wrote you a personal response

It has been a privilege and an honor to serve under President Bush.

Thank you sir.

“I’m not a big fan of George W. Bush’s Presidency.”

I think I am in love with your thinkin’… like a brother even… but nevermind… I am a Sicilian, which don’t fit well much… in people’s minds.

However… Your posts are sorta like… Scotch… at first your words are hard to swallow… Then… they become smoother, as they glide past the palate…

Man’s gotta develop a taste for ‘em…. however, you may be too ascetic… for any illogical thinker.

~ Ned Reck

Thank you for your story. I am sorry for the families of the 2/4. I still know that George W Bush was a better choice than Al Gore and John Kerry. I would have liked to vote for a third term of Bush/Cheney than McCain and anyone.

It wasn’t until McCain picked Sarah Palin that I gave any money and not much, $25 or $35.

May God Bless GWB, Dick Cheney, Laura Bush and Lynne Cheney. I know that Dick Cheney also met with many families. I do not think that Obama/Biden will honor the Marines and other branches of the service as personally as they did, even though Biden’s son is in Iraq now.

more about GWB than just this.

Mr. Bush learned long ago what Semper Fidelis meant.

“Semper Fidelis distinguishes the Marine Corps bond from any other. It goes beyond teamwork – it is a brotherhood and lasts for life.

Latin for “always faithful,” Semper Fidelis became the Marine Corps motto in 1883. It guides Marines to remain faithful to the mission at hand, to each other, to the Corps and to country, no matter what.

Becoming a Marine is a transformation that cannot be undone, and Semper Fi reminds us of that. Once made, a Marine will forever live by the ethics and values of the Corps.

There is no such thing as an ex-Marine.” –
- http://www.marine.com

Mr. Bush has truly been faithful, especially in the face of such fierce criticism from both the national and international peanut gallery. He firmly beleived in each and every Soldier, Sailor, Airman, Marine and Coast Guardsman.
1) By sunset on 9/11, a MASSIVE military mobilization had occurred across the east coast. 3 or 4 aircraft carriers were put to sea from Norfolk,VA WITH their airwings from other states. Manned and armed, they were on-station and ready to answer ANY call.

2) Post Katrina, it was the men and women in uniform who responded as fast as safely possible from helicopter air-stations near and far. Their collective, coordinated efforts, training, and sheer love of fellow man kept them in the air for a week. The Army with their CH-47 Chinooks, took care of the heavy lifting in an effort to seal the levees. Say what you may about the federal end of the Katrina response, the MILITARY response saved lives. (Too bad they couldn’t get there in the storm to save the schoolbuses)

3) Although sometimes tough, military recruiting and retention remains high. Sales is a tough job for recruiters, although maybe this recession will be a refilled source of partiots ready to serve. THose in uniform, although serving voluntarily, serve the peple, homeland volunteers as proposed seem destined to serve the White House.

4) His his care and concern for the Gold Star families across this great land, Mr. Bush made it a point NOT to use the press. He had no ego to inflate, only compassion to express, and grief to unburden from the families. I am confident that inclusive of Mr. bus’s prayers are prayers for each and every service-member who has worn the unform of our country during his watch.

I’ve touched on this one before. It’s a FREE change to law as provided in the 2009 Defense Authorization Act:
SEC. 595. MILITARY SALUTE FOR THE FLAG DURING THE NATIONAL
ANTHEM BY MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES NOT IN
UNIFORM AND BY VETERANS.
Section 301(b)(1) of title 36, United States Code, is amended
by striking subparagraphs (A) through (C) and inserting the following
new subparagraphs:
‘‘(A) individuals in uniform should give the military
salute at the first note of the anthem and maintain that
position until the last note;
‘‘(B) members of the Armed Forces and veterans who
are present but not in uniform may render the military
S. 3001—121
salute in the manner provided for individuals in uniform;
and
‘‘(C) all other persons present should face the flag
and stand at attention with their right hand over the
heart, and men not in uniform, if applicable, should remove
their headdress with their right hand and hold it at the
left shoulder, the hand being over the heart; and’’.

True respect. I don’t know who sponsored that section, but it would not surprise me if Pres. bush whispered in a legislators ear about this one.

If you can read this, thank a teacher. If you can still read it in English, You’re Welcome
Deskpilot, AM(H)1 (AW), USN (Ret)

Join the RedState Strike Force

…I GUESS I can click “recommend” :p

*Cheers* to this one!

and thank you, Becker. From one Marine parent to another. And thank you Mr. Bush, you, Sir, are a man with Class.

this diary is getting ready to overtake your other diary which of course was not quite so complimentary…..I think this is the better one

But the ability to seperate the man from his performance, and be objective and astute about both, makes you brilliant. I just sat in front of the television and almost choked up as I watched the president give his farewell address. I can’t count the number of times my blood raced and face flushed as he gave a televised speech that sat my teeth on edge. So this really hit home tonight and I’m glad I read it at the time I did.

Recommended.

nt

unless he is compared with others of his time. In a few days our President will be Barrack Obama, my guess is those angry with Bush will miss him very soon. He was never a “movement conservative”, he was never in the Goldwater-Reagan mold, but as you say, he was a good man who loved his country.

I took my reco away from your other post Mbecker, not because GC went off, but because after a week or so I simmered down. At the time I reco’ed the diary, I meant it, I was mad at Bush. Now I realize that he may have done the only thing he could with the TARP, he did not refute capitalism, he saw the abyss government intervention in the market created and then did the only thing he could in good conscience. It is the government interference that put us in this situation, and unfortunately, GWB decided more was needed to stave off calamity, the fact it, he might have been right.

Back to Bush the man, we know he is a man of faith and a man of character. He has been heckled, lambasted, trashed, and belittled like none before. Even we have not cut him much slack. It is true we can point out his failings, for they are large, but again they are only failings to movement conservatives. Bush took every issue one at a time and did what he thought was right.

I think President Bush for keeping his nerve in Iraq and Afghanistan. We have seen so many leaders that sent men into harms way pull them out in shame. President GWB is a good man and has been a strong and viligant leader. I want to say to him thanks, and good luck in all your future endeavors.