Now that I have reached the grand old age of four score and zip, I find it interesting to study the presidencies from Hoover to the present, George Bush. Looking at the presidents and their secretaries of state, I find the terms of President Bush to be the most inept of them all.
Not considering Katrina, 9/11, and the housing mess, I'm going directly to the Middle East and see what I think has to be done. With the price of crude oil going through the roof, our state department doesn't know what to do except to guess what the price will be next summer.
As president, this is what I would do: I would order the heads of state from Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and others to meet with me on the deck of the USS Nimitz at the earliest possible date and I would say, "Your people are enjoying the highest per capita income, while the rest of the world is on the verge of starvation and bankruptcy. The people of the United States are sick and tired of being the patsy for every country that needs help. This morning I have ordered a 50 percent reduction in our air force stationed in Saudi Arabia and the same percent reduction in our naval forces in the Persian Gulf.
"As commander-in-chief of all American forces, I'm giving you all a choice of two options: First, you will cut the price of crude oil to $60 dollars per barrel and I will guarantee your protection as before. Secondly, if you don't comply, all naval and air force personnel will be removed and you can protect yourselves from whomever you were protected from before. Bear in mind, if the United States goes down so will the rest of the world.
In the poker game of international diplomacy, the United States has all of the aces and never uses them because of political pressure and religious fundamentalism. I think it's time to use some common sense and do what has to be done.
