Brent Scowcroft's Criticism of Bush

If you haven't caught it the last few days, Bush 41's NSA chief Brent Scowcroft has made some very critical comments about Bush 43, the handling of the Iraq war and other policies.

Now, this isn't new. Scowcroft - who's been rumored to be a front man for Bush 41 in trying to get his son to listen to reason - began voicing his concerns about going into Iraq when the drum beat for war was still fairly low. But I've never been quite sure how to take the comments about Scowcroft being the front man. I don't think Bush 41 has had any illusion he could talk sense into his son since Shrub was 6 or 7.

From The Nation:

The national security adviser under the first President Bush says the current president acted contemptuously toward NATO and Europe after Sept. 11 and is trying to cooperate now out of desperation to "rescue a failing venture" in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Brent Scowcroft, a mentor to the current national security adviser, Condoleezza Rice, also said in an interview published in London that Bush is heavily influenced by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

"Sharon just has him wrapped around his little finger," Scowcroft told The Financial Times. "I think the president is mesmerized."

Scowcroft's remarks are unusual coming from a leading Republican less than three weeks before a highly contested presidential election.

The situation with Ariel Sharon has been very tough to read. Bush has behaved at times like Sharon's poodle which isn't necessarily good for Israel because I don't think Sharon stands for even a simple majority of Israelis in his policies and practices. The right wing Likuds there have been every bit as influential in keeping Sharon afloat as the right here has protected Bush no matter what he does.