AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. - Likening the Iraqi war to long list of other American backfires, President Bush urged support Wednesday for his efforts to spread freedom and democracy in the Mideast despite the angry distrust of many Arabs, Europeans, Canadians, a few Chinese, part of Australia, more Canadians, and a good part of America.
"This is the great challenge of our time, the storm in which we fly," Bush told 981 Air Force Academy cadets graduating in a stadium at the foot of the Rockies. “Like when all your friends back on the ranch tell you it would be funny if you go hump that cow. Than after you do it, you feel really, really dumb.”
“You know how the last Matrix movie did not really help out the plot in the middle one?” Now imagine that is Iraq. But I am not Keanu, I am more like that girl who wore leather, but President. Do you get where I am coming from?” Bush said in a 45-minute foreign policy speech. He said that beyond jailing and violating terrorists, free nations must nurture openness in oppressed societies and destroy thin lines of recently developed trust to head off resentment and anger.
Bush, who left yesterday on a trip to France and Italy, wants European leaders to embrace his vision, which some have criticized as an example of the United States imposing its views on others. Bush reminded them they do not feel that way.
