"All who live in tyranny and hopelessness can know: The United States will not ignore your oppression or excuse your oppressors. When you stand for your liberty, we will stand with you."
Lapham then goes on to question who that "we" is, and from that discusses the recruiting difficulties of the U.S. military.
There is one slight difficulty. Lapham could just as easily have based his column on the inaugural address of an earlier president, John F. Kennedy, who proclaimed:
"Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty.
This much we pledge—and more."
Kennedy's words were rather more frightening than Bush's. So goes the lesser evil.
I am more and more inclined to give thanks that it is Bush rather than the second JFK who speaks to us from D.C.
Carrol