I don't want a government that sends messages and signals!

I want a government that asserts what it believes to be a correct course of action in a given area, states baldly why the action will be correct, plans for that action and then executes it. Far too often I hear the president or one of his message-spreaders (Rumsfeld, Cheney, Rice, etc.) say, for example, "This should send a strong message to the terrorists that... (blah, blah, blah)." Or, "This should send a strong signal to the markets that...(yadda, yadda, yadda)."



"The point is to send the strongest possible message to Iraqis," Warner said.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2002626337_senateiraq16.html



I recognize that Americans want our troops to come home as quickly as possible. So do I. Some contend that we should set a deadline for withdrawing U.S. forces. Let me explain why that would be a serious mistake. Setting an artificial timetable would send the wrong message to the Iraqis, who need to know that America will not leave before the job is done. It would send the wrong message to our troops, who need to know that we are serious about completing the mission they are risking their lives to achieve. And it would send the wrong message to the enemy, who would know that all they have to do is to wait us out. We will stay in Iraq as long as we are needed, and not a day longer.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/06/20050628-7.html




LEHRER: Let's do one of these one-minute extensions. You have 30 seconds.

BUSH: Thank you, sir. First of all, what my opponent wants you to forget is that he voted to authorize the use of force and now says it's the wrong war at the wrong time at the wrong place.

I don't see how you can lead this country to succeed in Iraq if you say wrong war, wrong time, wrong place. What message does that send our troops? What message does that send to our allies? What message does that send the Iraqis?

No, the way to win this is to be steadfast and resolved and to follow through on the plan that I've just outlined.

http://www.debates.org/pages/trans2004a.html



"I also have heard the voices of those saying: 'Pull out now!' " he said. "And I've thought about their cry and their sincere desire to reduce the loss of life by pulling our troops out. I just strongly disagree."

Immediate withdrawal "would send a terrible signal to the enemy," the president said.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2005-08-11-bushiraq_x.htm?POE=NEWISVA



I don't want my executive or legislative branches to send obscure signals or cryptic messages.

I'm not big on a president who 'hopes' for successful outcomes, either.



Bush Hopes to Bolster U.S. Support for Iraq War

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4721604




A foreign policy of signals, messages and hopes is one doomed to miscommunication and failures.

middle eastern politicians.

Americans talk in terms of goals, plans and actions.

I guess Shiek Shrub has gone native.

.... all they think is important (because all they can do) is to be able for flip someone the bird (send a message), if it comes time to actually perform, they go limp.