(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Former President George W. Bush has returned to the political forefront with a scathing critique of what he termed as “isolationist tendencies” within the United States, urging a more active role in global affairs, particularly in light of the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas terrorists.
Speaking at a seminar organized by presidential historian Mark Updegrove, Bush emphasized the need for unwavering support for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, while also cautioning against the alleged pitfalls of isolationism.
“The United States needs to stand squarely with Netanyahu” Bush told Updegrove. “The [Biden] administration started off on the right foot it seems to me, pretty bold statement and that’s good. Both parties have isolationist tendencies: ‘We shouldn’t get involved;’ ‘Who cares,’ Bush claimed. “Well, we should. We should care.”
Notably, under the Bush administration, the U.S. was deeply embroiled in significant military conflicts in the Middle East.
Following the 9/11 attacks, the U.S. military invaded Afghanistan to combat the Taliban, who had provided a safe haven for the Al Qaeda terrorists. Over two decades later, the Taliban found itself back in power, leading to a humiliating defeat for the U.S. The subsequent military intervention to topple the regime of Saddam Hussein, which was believed to possess weapons of mass destruction, led to even more chaos in the region.
During the conference, Bush issued a dire warning about the future of the Middle East. “Immediate future doesn’t look very bright,” he declared grimly, “particularly if you’re on the Hamas side. It’s going to be chaotic.”
Acknowledging the growing disinterest in international affairs, Bush warned that Israel should not cave to potential international pressure to negotiate with Hamas.
“There’s going to be a weariness. The world’s going to be, ‘Okay let’s negotiate,’ ‘Israel’s got to negotiate.’ They’re not going to negotiate,” Bush cautioned.
“They want to kill as many Israelis as they can and negotiating with killers is not an option for the elected government of Israel,” he added, apparently referring to Hamas. “We’re just going to have to remain steadfast, but it’s not going to take long for — ‘That’s gone on too long; surely there’s a way to settle this through negotiations. Both sides are guilty.’ My view is one side is guilty and it’s not Israel.”
